Which are the best cocktail bars in Brussels? Here are the seven we send our own guests to: Plumette in the Marolles, Chemistry & Botanic’s near the Grand-Place, Edgar’s Flavors off Avenue Louise, Confessions in Ixelles, La Pharmacie Anglaise by the Mont des Arts, Life is Beautiful on Rue Dansaert and The Modern Alchemist in Saint-Gilles.
A word on who is talking. This guide is written by the team of a cocktail bar, ours, at 26 Rue de l’Épée. So yes, we put ourselves on the list, and first: it is our list. The six others are in no particular order. This is not a ranking, and nobody paid to be here. These are simply the addresses we give when a guest asks, at the end of the evening, ‘and where should we go tomorrow?’
The seven bars in short
- Plumette (the Marolles): cocktails composed around your taste, in a small room behind a door with a lantern.
- Chemistry & Botanic’s (city centre): a seasonal menu, fresh ingredients, bespoke drinks on request.
- Edgar’s Flavors (near Avenue Louise): classic cocktails and agave spirits, tequila and mezcal first.
- Confessions (Ixelles): a lounge with a New York accent, high-end cocktails and plates to share.
- La Pharmacie Anglaise (Mont des Arts): a cabinet of curiosities where the drinks match the décor.
- Life is Beautiful (Dansaert): a small room, signature cocktails and workshops.
- The Modern Alchemist (Saint-Gilles): more than 200 rums and a menu that follows the seasons.
The bars, one by one
1. Plumette
Where: 26 Rue de l’Épée, 1000 Brussels, in the Marolles, at the foot of the Palais de Justice.
We will keep this short, since we can hardly review ourselves. Plumette opened in 2019 and is Belgium’s No. 1 bar in the World’s Top 500 Bars 2026. The room is small, about twenty-five seats, with low light, velvet and the sound of ice rather than a sound system.
For whom: two people with things to say to each other, or anyone who likes to be asked ‘what do you like?’ before being handed a menu.
What to order: from the menu, Reverie (gin, elderflower, gentian, a bergamot and absinthe foam) or La Plume (cognac, roasted cashew, cacao butter). Most signatures cost €17 to €19, and there are alcohol-free cocktails too. Or skip the menu: the bartender will make a drink around your taste, at no extra charge. We explain how in Tailor-made cocktails in Brussels.
2. Chemistry & Botanic’s
Where: Place de la Vieille Halle aux Blés 49, 1000 Brussels, a few minutes on foot from the Grand-Place.
The name says most of it: technique on one side, plants on the other. The menu changes with the seasons, the ingredients are fresh, and the team is happy to make a drink that is not on the list.
For whom: visitors staying in the centre who want a serious cocktail without leaving the old town.
What to order: whatever is newest on the seasonal menu. Ask what has just come in.
3. Edgar’s Flavors
Where: Rue de la Concorde 63, 1000 Brussels, near Avenue Louise.
The bar describes itself as the home of classic cocktails and agave spirits in Brussels. Tequila and mezcal are the house passion, and the classics are made with a personal turn.
For whom: anyone who thinks they don’t like tequila. That opinion rarely survives the evening.
What to order: a classic built on mezcal, or simply ask to be guided through the agave shelf.
4. Confessions
Where: 10 Parvis de la Trinité, 1050 Ixelles.
An upscale lounge with, in its own words, ‘NYC speakeasy vibes’: high-end cocktails, premium spirits, an eclectic playlist and plates to share. The punches arrive in teapots, which settles the question of what to order for a table of four.
For whom: a group of friends, or a dinner in the Châtelain area that nobody wants to end.
What to order: a punch to share, then one of the house creations.
5. La Pharmacie Anglaise
Where: Coudenberg 66, 1000 Brussels, between the Mont des Arts and the Place Royale.
The website is titled ‘For Insiders Only’, which is a fair warning. Inside, the setting is somewhere between steampunk and a cabinet of curiosities, and the list runs from classics to originals and tailor-made drinks.
For whom: anyone showing Brussels to a friend for the first time. The room does half of the talking.
What to order: the Honey Badger, the drink the city’s tourist office singles out.
6. Life is Beautiful
Where: 161 Rue Antoine Dansaert, 1000 Brussels.
Known as LIB, and described by its owners as ‘small and cozy’. Karoline Vlk and Harouna Saou serve their own creations alongside the classics, and they also run cocktail workshops and a boutique.
For whom: people who like to sit at the bar and talk to whoever is making their drink.
What to order: a house signature. If you want to go further, ask about the workshops.
7. The Modern Alchemist
Where: Saint-Gilles.
A rum bar first, with more than 200 references, and a cocktail menu that changes with the seasons.
For whom: rum drinkers, and those who believe rum is only for mojitos.
What to order: a seasonal creation, then a rum served neat, chosen with the bartender.
How to choose
- By neighbourhood. Staying near the Grand-Place: Chemistry & Botanic’s, La Pharmacie Anglaise or Life is Beautiful. In the Marolles or the Sablon: Plumette. Around Louise, Ixelles and Saint-Gilles: Edgar’s Flavors, Confessions or The Modern Alchemist.
- By spirit. Agave at Edgar’s Flavors, rum at The Modern Alchemist. For everything else, tell the bartender what you like.
- By company. For two: Plumette or Life is Beautiful. For a group: Confessions. For a guest from abroad: La Pharmacie Anglaise.
- By plan. One good bar beats three rushed ones. If you do make it two, eat something in between.
Most of these rooms are small, so a reservation is a good idea, especially on Friday and Saturday. Opening hours change: check each bar’s own website before setting out.
Questions
What is the best cocktail bar in Brussels? It depends on the evening you want. For a drink made around your taste in a quiet room, Plumette, Belgium’s No. 1 bar in the World’s Top 500 Bars 2026. For agave spirits, Edgar’s Flavors. For rum, The Modern Alchemist. For a group, Confessions.
Do I need to book a cocktail bar in Brussels? At the weekend, yes: most of these bars have few seats. At Plumette you can reserve a table online, and we recommend it whatever the day.
How much does a cocktail cost in Brussels? We can only speak for our own menu: most signature cocktails at Plumette cost €17 to €19, and alcohol-free cocktails start at €11. Other bars publish their prices on their own menus.
Can I learn to make cocktails in Brussels? Yes. Life is Beautiful runs workshops, and at Plumette you can book a Cocktail Class or a Bespoke Cocktail Session: both are on our sessions page.
When you have chosen, the lantern at number 26 is lit from Tuesday to Sunday, 5 pm – 1 am. Reserve a table and tell us which of the other six you tried.
Sources
Checked on 14 November 2026. We list no opening hours or prices for other bars: they change.
- Chemistry & Botanic’s: seasonal menu, fresh ingredients and bespoke drinks from visit.brussels; address from Bruxelles Secrète (10 December 2025).
- Edgar’s Flavors: address and description from the bar’s website, edgarsflavors.be.
- Confessions: address and description from the bar’s website, confessionscocktail.com; punch in teapots from visit.brussels.
- La Pharmacie Anglaise: title from the bar’s website, lapharmacieanglaise.com; setting and Honey Badger from visit.brussels; address from Bruxelles Secrète.
- Life is Beautiful: address, workshops and boutique from the bar’s website, libcocktailbar.com; owners from visit.brussels.
- The Modern Alchemist: neighbourhood and rums from the bar’s website, themodernalchemist.bar.
- Plumette: World’s Top 500 Bars 2026 and our menu.
Written by the team at 26 Rue de l’Épée, 1000 Brussels. Published 14 November 2026.
