Brussels/Matonge

Matongé is a district in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, and home to its African population originating from the Congo.

• 🌍 Chéri Samba Porte de Namur, porte de l'amour, Chaussée d'Ixelles. Mural representing the African community (updated Sep 2018)

• 🌍 Styx, Gewijde Boomstraat 72 (Sint-Bonifaas  54  71  N09  N10 ). Run by the cooperative nouveau cinema. Screens interesting films in their original version with French and Dutch subtitles. (updated Sep 2018)
• 🌍 Vendôme, Waversesteenweg 18 (Mantongé-Naamsepoort  54  71  N09  N10 ), ☏ +32 2 502 37 00. Another arthouse cinema. It's near the Porte de Namur (Naamsepoort) and acts as the metaphysical gateway to a lively African neighbourhood known locally as Matongé. 
• 🌍 UGC Toison d'Or, Guldenvlieslaan 8 (Mantongé-Naamsepoort  54  71  N09  N10 ), ☏ +32 2 289 71 35. Smaller UGC cinema playing the big blockbuster movies. (updated Jul 2018)

• 🌍 Les Brassins, Rue Keyenveld-Keienveldstraat 36, Ixelles-Elsene, ☏ +32 2 512-6999. Its crowd is mostly made out of young couples or students. Rich choice of beer, with more than 50 varieties on the menu, and good quality of food. In summer they have a few tables outside on a beautiful pedestrianized street. 

In Ixelles-Elsene:

• 🌍 L'Ultime Atome, Rue Saint-Boniface—Sint-Bonifaasstraat 14, ☏ +32 2 513 48 84, contact@ultimeatome.be. Increasingly chic, but still just about affordable brasserie, serving tasty food and drink from breakfast till late. (updated May 2017)
• 🌍 Mano a Mano, Rue Saint-Boniface—Sint-Bonifaasstraat 8, ☏ +32 2 502 08 01, info@manoamano.be. Italian restaurant. Good food, not too expensive. (updated May 2017)
• 🌍 L'Amour Fou, Chaussée d'Ixelles—Elsensesteenweg 185, ☏ +32 2 325 73 53. American diner-style bar and restaurant close to Place Fernand Cocq-Fernand Cocqplein. Advertises itself for its burgers and cocktails. (updated May 2017)

Some non-vegetarian restaurants that are particularly vegetarian-friendly:

• 🌍 El Turco, Place de Londres-Londenplein 6, ☏ +32 2 503 36 48. M-F 11:30-15:00 and Tu-F 19:00-22:30. Turkish-inspired buffet restaurant. Offers meats and fish, but the cold buffet is entirely vegetarian. €25 for all, excluding drinks. (updated Apr 2017)

• 🌍 Crystal Lounge, Avenue de la Toison d'Or - Gulden-Vlieslaan 40. This prestige location in the heart of the Louise district in Brussels, offers a lounge bar – restaurant experience. The service, the musical atmosphere and the lighting, is adapted depending on the time of day: if the client chooses a table at midday, they will discover a totally different Crystal Lounge from the one they would find sitting at the bar in the evening, or in a salon in the middle of the afternoon. 

• 🌍 Sofitel Brussels Le Louise, Avenue de la Toison d'Or-Guldenvlieslaan 40 (Metro: Louise-Louiza), ☏ +32 2 514-22-00, H1071@sofitel.com. Fully refurbished in 2008 and in the Avenue Louise-Louizalaan area. Parking nearby. Eurostar station 5 minutes away. From €129.