Best Rooftop Bars
in Brussels

A neighbourhood rooftop above a Dansaert district cultural space that operates on a different scale from the hotel terraces: smaller, less formal, more interesting. The view south across Saint-Gilles rooftops takes in more Brussels architectural heritage than any postcard angle, and the Belgian natural wine and craft beer selection reflects the neighbourhood's current character accurately. Open Thursday to Sunday from May through September. No reservations — arrive before 7pm.

The 17th-floor bar of the Thon Hotel EU offers the best view of the European Quarter from any public venue in the city. The Berlaymont building and the cluster of EU institution towers spread below you in a way that is either impressive or sobering depending on your relationship with Brussels. The bar operates as a standard hotel terrace during daylight and becomes worth visiting at dusk when the city lights begin and the institutional buildings acquire a warmer glow than their daytime selves suggest.

A rooftop terrace above a Midi neighbourhood building with canal views and a cross-cultural crowd that reflects the district's demographic mix. The drinks are basic and honestly priced — Belgian beer, house wine, simple cocktails — and the setting compensates for everything the menu lacks in sophistication. The canal light at dusk from the rooftop is one of Brussels' underappreciated views, particularly as the station commuter traffic clears and the neighbourhood takes over.

Already featured in our Brussels date night guide, Pilar earns a second mention here for the quality of the view toward the Palais de Justice during the golden hour. The botanical cocktail menu is the strongest on any Brussels rooftop, the canopy lighting makes the terrace beautiful after dark even when the sky isn't cooperating, and the staff manage a fast-turning busy service on summer evenings without losing the hospitality that makes it a destination rather than just a location.

The Midi arts centre's seasonal rooftop operates from June through August and hosts the cheapest rooftop drinks in central Brussels alongside an arts programme that makes it more than a bar. The view from the roof of the converted station building takes in the Midi skyline and the city spreading north, and the crowd — arts sector, NGO workers, young Brussels — gives it an energy that the hotel terraces can't access regardless of their cocktail budgets.

The terrace of the Silken Berlaymont hotel faces the actual Berlaymont building — home of the European Commission — at a distance close enough to feel the institutional weight of the place while far enough to enjoy a drink without guilt. The terrace is well-maintained, the wine list has been curated by someone who takes it seriously, and the EU Quarter location means the after-work crowd on Thursday evenings is one of the more internationally mixed in Brussels.

The terrace cafe of the Belvue Museum occupies a wing of the former Hotel Bellevue directly facing the Royal Palace and opens for drinks from Tuesday through Sunday in summer. It is technically a museum venue rather than a bar, which gives it a calmer afternoon register, and the view of the Palace gardens and the park beyond is unlike anything available from a purely commercial venue in central Brussels. Low-key, undervisited, and one of the city's genuinely special outdoor drinking spots.