Belgium's largest food market will open to the public on Thursday, as a former car park in Ixelles is transformed into a three-storey culinary and cultural venue.
The new food hall spans 3,000 square metres and brings together 14 food stalls, with a focus on Middle Eastern and Asian cuisine. A soft launch was held earlier this week ahead of the official opening on Rue Saint-Boniface.
The project named Ratz, is led by Thierry Goor and Pascal Van Hamme, who previously co-designed the Brussels food markets Wolf and Fox. According to Goor, the new venue is the largest of its kind in the country.
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The Middle Eastern offering will be overseen by Georges Baghdi Sar, founder of the My Tannour chain, although the brand name will not appear within the market.
Organisers say each stall has been designed to reflect its culinary origins, with distinct décor elements ranging from lanterns and neon lighting to regionally inspired furnishings.
The top floor of the building will be dedicated to cultural activities, including exhibitions, markets, concerts, comedy performances, film screenings, conferences and workshops.
The name "Ratz" was chosen deliberately, the organisers said, describing it as a symbol intended to bridge cultural perceptions between East and West.
