You can’t live long in Brussels without drinking in a café designed by Frédéric Nicolay. Beginning with Mappa Mundo in the heart of Brussels, he has brought stylish café design to dozens of city neighbourhoods.
His latest project on Mont des Arts is the most ambitious yet. He has taken over a prime location once occupied by Kwint restaurant to create a stylish café seating 400 with a long vaulted interior, floorboards salvaged from the Brussels stock exchange, and a huge terrace overlooking the old town.
The interior design is by architect Kersten Geers, who chose a name inspired by the legendary Château Marmont in Los Angeles. The café has all the elements of a Nicolay project, including counter service, inexpensive sandwiches and Vedette beers on tap.
Not far from Central Station, it’s a great spot to meet friends who comes into Brussels by train or metro. Stylish. Not too pricey. Cool.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
