Discover our neighbourhood!

Cureghem

Casually authentic!

The Cureghem neighbourhood in Anderlecht is not immediately known as the most popular or comfortable area in Brussels, yet there are several reasons why this area arouses our enthusiasm. Logistically well located: easily accessible both by public transport and by car and also just about the last place in Brussels where there is still a lot of open space and undeveloped land: a playground for anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit in their blood. Affordable, charming, inventive and with a certain witticism: in what follows, we attempt to capture Cureghem in a number of places and portraits.

Whether restaurants, cafes, concert halls or sports facilities, there is one common thread in Cureghem: the offerings are local, driven by people with passion and a contagious story. There are no prizes to be won here for facades, views or dishes that can be swung on Instagram in no time, but you will rather find places with a history and a loyal fan base. Our guess? It's why you'll feel right at home: Cureghem is casually authentic.

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Lunch

Afterwork

Urban economy

Sports

Accomodation

Lunch

Cureghem is one of those neighbourhoods in Brussels that has not yet succumbed to the wave of hip coffee bars, gluten-free pizzerias or trendy eateries. So don't expect Starbucks or breakfast spots with oatmeal and pancakes here. On the contrary: you have to search a bit for the gems but you will find family-run shops that have been around for years, working with local and fresh products, following a recipe that has been passed down from generation to generation for years. No glossy instagram material, but authentic and honest cuisine.

La Baguette Cavaleri

You better think twice before dismissing La Baguette Cavaleri as a regular sandwich shop. Rita and Allessandro make everything themselves: from focaccia and sandwiches to pizza and pasta, all with a smile! After ten years, they have built up a religiously loyal clientele. If you want to go for a sandwich 'quickly' in the afternoon, be warned: the queue here can get very long. It's better to order online, that way you also get rid of the choice stress of a list of about 50 sandwiches.

La Baguette Cavaleri
Rue des Deux Gares 57, 1070 Anderlecht

www.la-baguette-cavaleri.com

Chez Rosario

At Chez Rosario, mother, son and daughter are in the kitchen. In March 2023 they will be celebrating their 30th anniversary and it is exactly this family dynamic that makes you come back here. Everything is made by hand: the grandmother's way and with fresh produce. You will find a quick snack here, but also top ingredients and recipe tips for those who want to take that 'culinary trip' to Italy at home.

Chez Rosario
Rue Eloy 22, 1070 Anderlecht

www.chezrosario.be

Entre nous

When you enter, you immediately notice the large table in the middle of the restaurant: Entre nous exudes a family atmosphere. Local products have been used here since the beginning. Evident in summer, but in winter this forces creativity. From pickling to brining: all techniques are used here to put sustainability at the heart of the kitchen. You can come here for a healthy lunch, but they also organise workshops to learn how to preserve food longer yourself.

Entre nous
Rue De Merode 29, 1060 Sint-Gillis

www.entrenousbxl.com

Afterwork

Something for everyone and somewhat out of the ordinary: this is how to experience your afterwork in Cureghem. The places below are more than just a café where you can spend the day. Having a nice meal with your colleagues or catching a concert after a long day at work? It's all possible in Anderlecht!

Brussels Beer Project - Port Sud

BBP hardly needs an introduction, this Port Sud is the latest new addition to the 'craft brewery' that saw the light of day in 2013. This beautiful new building houses BBP's 100% green and new brewery. In summer, you can visit it on the hip waterfront terrace, in winter the café is closed to the public but you can get guided tours and plan tastings in group. Highly recommended in our opinion, the rooftop bar offers an unseen view of Brussels!

Brussels Beer Project - Port Sud
Quai de Biestebroeck 23, 1070 Anderlecht

www.beerproject.be

Volta

Let's be clear: Volta is not a café, nor, strictly speaking, just a concert hall. Volta is an organisation working for the musical sector in Brussels. They offer residencies and studios for budding musicians. The advantage for us? They regularly open their doors and organise concerts so those musicians can gain stage experience. Guaranteed to spot up-and-coming talent, to learn about distinctive programming and to shake loose those dancing legs!

Volta
Rue de la Petite Île 1A, 1070 Anderlecht

volta.brussels

Antidote

For three years now this is the most charming café in Cureghem. Antidote is a combination of canteen, bar and event location. From Wednesday to Sunday, you can enjoy honest cuisine, an interesting beer menu and occasionally a musical programme that gives you the opportunity to let off steam. In the afternoon, you'll mainly find locals and people who work in the neighbourhood, in the evening and on weekends people come here from all over Brussels to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. Our tip? The pizza here is baked in a wood-fired oven. Booking ahead is recommended!

Antidote
Rue de la Petite Île 1A, 1070 Anderlecht

www.antidotecantine.be

Sports

Whoever thinks of a canal area may not immediately think of sports. And yet: in Cureghem there are plenty of opportunities to add some physical activity to your day. There may not be any nice parks for long walks, but they have been creative about that here. You can count on an atypical combination of previously unknown sports and classics!

Urban Padel & Beach volley

Especially in summer, it can get busy here: the Circle Park Sports Arena on Rue Dante totally lives up to the hype that has occupied Belgium for several summers now: Padel! This venue is a three-year pop-up where, in addition to padel, you can also play 'beach' volleyball, spikeball... the possibilities are endless. The formulas here are mainly aimed at groups, but you can also rent a court as an individual or group of colleagues.

Urban Padel & Beach Volley
Rue Dante 22, 1070 Anderlecht

www.urbanpadelbrussels.com
www.beachvolleyeurope.com

Running & cycling

The classic of all sports! The canal zone in Anderlecht is one of the few places in Brussels where, as a jogger, you are not confronted with hills on your running route. The embankments along the Brussels-Charleroi canal are therefore a popular route for runners and cyclists, especially on weekends and in fine weather. There is little interesting sightseeing along the canal, but on the water there is plenty happening: from boats passing by to rowers training at the Anderlecht rowing club.

A beautiful point of departure:
Pierre-Marchant Bridge, 1070 Anderlecht

Petit île – climbing gym

The bouldering gym Petit île was created in 2018 by a group of six passionate climbers. All levels are welcome here: there are classes for beginners, specifically for women or refresher classes for climbers who are already more experienced. Even without lessons, you are welcome to come and climb here. You can take a breather in the cosy bar, where they serve snacks in addition to their cool (and local!) beer menu.

Petite Île
Rue de la Petite Île 1A, 1070 Anderlecht

www.petite-ile.be

Urban economy

Although the canal zone in Anderlecht is historically known more as a (former) industrial zone, in recent years there has also been huge investments in new technologies by young entrepreneurs and start-ups. Cureghem is still one of the few places where there is space, and many large and industrial buildings are empty. In other words, the ideal place to experiment with new technologies and ideas for more sustainability in the city.

Urbike

Urbike is a rapidly growing organisation that has been providing transport in the city by bike since 2018. It also guides cities and municipalities in the redevelopment towards more sustainable logistics solutions and provides organisations in the city with sustainable solutions for their transport. For them, Anderlecht is a logical place for their scale-up: trucks can easily reach Urbike, allowing them to take care of the last kilometres within the city.

Urbike
Rue des Vétérinaires 42, 1070 Anderlecht

www.urbike.be

Urban agriculture

Anyone who thinks of a metropolis like Brussels does not immediately think of agriculture. And yet that is exactly what is happening at the Abbatoir site in Anderlecht, and in a very inventive way! Many things come together in the Foodmet buildings: the urban farm with herbs, tomatoes and small fruit of Bel Akker on the roof, the fish farm with salmon trout of Ferme Abbatoir, the mushrooms of Eclo in the basement of the Abbatoir site, and there is Bigh, an initiative that brings together a network of sustainable aquaponic farms.

Abbatoir-site
Rue Ropsy Chaudron, 1070 Anderlecht

www.bigh.farm
www.eclo.farm
www.belakker.ateliergrooteiland.be

Kiekebich

For those who gave up on their sourdough project after COVID, Kiekebich is a great place to reminisce: here, the natural rising process of the dough still gets the time it needs. That is why they only work to order, also permitting them to avoid any surplus that ends up in the bin. Tom, the baker, changed direction after a career as an artist's manager and trained as a miller: that's when the lightning struck. Don't expect gluten-free breads here, the traditional method of preparation is central. Small-scale, local and conscious in Anderlecht, a 'real Brussels' initiative!

Kiekebich
Quai Fernand Demets 23, 1070 Anderlecht

www.kiekebich.be

Accomodation

Due to its proximity to Brussels South Station, quite a few hotels have settled in the area. This should come as no surprise since around 8 million business and tourist overnight stays are booked there every year, and the proximity to the city centre makes the neighbourhood ideally located. Nevertheless, we like to separate the wheat from the chaff for you and present the following accommodation options, in the immediate vicinity of The Faculty and with an attractive offer for a business audience.

Hotel Pullman Brussels Midi

At the Pullman hotel, you can count on comfort, modernity and design. It is therefore the luxury four-star hotel of the Accor group. Located at the exit of Brussels South Station, from the Pullman Hotel you can be at The Faculty in five minutes, public transport leaves at the front door and parking is on the other side of the street. Furthermore, the rooms there, from Classis to Deluxe, meet the highest standards.

Hotel Pullman Brussels Midi
Place Victor Horta 1, 1060 Brussel

https://all.accor.com/hotel/7431/index.nl.shtml

Apart City

For those who do not easily feel at home in a hotel environment, Apart City offers furnished flats with a sitting and working area and a kitchenette for self-catering. Coffee can be made in the room, but you can rely on the breakfast buffet in the morning.