Sawadee Ka, Brussels!
I’m writing this newsletter from Bangkok, after a day spent shopping and enjoying a Thai massage. Evening plans are still TBD. You receiving this email marks the end of my two-week adventure across three countries in Southeast Asia - Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand (if anyone wants any tips, you know I’m your girl!). I’ll be back in Brussels tomorrow, and really back to life next week, attending some events already. Really not looking forward to the cold weather again, though! Hope your return to work wasn’t too bad, and y’all enjoyed Aurora Borealis on Monday night!
In this issue:
📱 7 apps to make your life in Brussels easier
🍳 9 restaurants for breakfast and/or brunch
🗓️ Upcoming events in Brussels (21 January-3 February)
🎥 Content creator in the spotlight: Valentin Dupouey
7 apps to make your life in Brussels easier
Look, I know that 2026 is supposed to be an analogue year. But I like using my phone for useful things, and not waste (too much of) my time doom-scrolling. This is why I thought we could look at some cool apps that I believe anyone reading this newsletter could use.
I’m not featuring food apps that have already appeared in previous issues, such as Too Good to Go or Happy Hours, but bringing you a range of different topics. Here’s to the lucky seven.
Itsme - I would be very surprised if you didn’t have this extremely important app on your phone already, but maybe a Brussels newcomer is reading this issue! Itsme allows you to easily access all government services online, confirm transactions or sign documents.
112BE - If you have a hard time remembering all the different emergency numbers in Belgium and want easy access to them, this app is for you.
Floya - You may have seen a promotion for this app all over the city and online. Its aim is to collect all the different mobility options in Brussels without having all the separate apps. This includes planning for using public transport, taxis, (e)bikes, scooters or cars.
Recycle - Every Belgian resident’s favourite activity. I imagine you have a waste collection calendar on your fridge (or is that only me?), and you know your days and time very well by now. But maybe you’re still unsure what items belong to which coloured bag, and where you can dispose of items that don’t belong in the street. This app will help you with that.
Air Allergy - Chances are, your allergies have worsened after moving to Brussels. Mine definitely have. When I’m not sure about the level of the different pollen in the air and want to plan my supplements/medication, this app shows me exactly what allergens are in season and their level.
Wosh - Do you hate dropping off your items at the dry cleaner’s and then having to collect them? Wosh solves this problem for you. In their app, you choose exactly what items you want to get cleaned, and you get them picked up at the time of your choice. The same goes for dropping off the clean laundry. I have used this app only once, for washing my pillows and duvets, but I was very happy with the service.
Hoplr - If you always wondered who lives in your neighbourhood, or needed a friendly neighbourly help in terms of borrowing items or fixing things, look no more. Hoplr was founded with the mission of easily accessing the social capital in your neighbourhood, such as material, knowledge, time, volunteers and infrastructure.
9 restaurants for breakfast and/or brunch
I used to be one of those people who refused to go out for breakfast. Why should I pay someone else money for what I’m able to prepare for myself?! But my very good friend Jana introduced me to having breakfast out a few years ago…and well, the rest is history.
And the best thing about all of this? There’s no shortage of places where you can get your breakfast or brunch in Brussels. For this issue, I opted only for those I have personally experienced, so the geographical range might not be as rich. But we’ll do that another time 😉.
Brunch corner Schaerbeek (Parc Josaphat) - prepare for a very rich and yummy Turkish breakfast
Chez Tom (Plasky) - a two-floor cosy place offering really delicious pancakes
La Table Rustique (Abbaye de la Cambre) - prepare for a long wait, but one of the most colourful and Instagram-friendly brunches
Tigermilk Brussels (Bailli) - brunch with a Mexican twist
Mondday (Flagey) - really fluffy and delicious pancakes (call you tell I’m a pancakes fan?)
ZouZou Brussels (Matonge) - you’ll feel very welcome and like you entered someone’s home
La Fabrique en Ville (Parc Egmont) - beautiful interior and even more beautiful exterior, with a sunny terrace ready for your during summer months
POZ Sablon (Sablon) - have I mentioned pancakes yet?
Frank (Place de la Monnaie) - a nice hip Australian place; can get quite loud though
Upcoming events
📅 21-25 January: Ceramic Brussels @Tour and Taxis (link)
📅 22 January: When Did Self-Care Become a Solo Sport? @The Nine (link)
📅 22 January-22 February: 10th Photo Brussels Festival @various locations (link)
📅 23 January: Ginnocent Sour Mocktail Workshop @The Nine (link)
📅 23-25 January: Grande Vente de Plantes @Halles Saint-Géry (link)
📅 24-25 January: Plants Market @Wolf (link)
📅 25 January-1 February: BRAFA art fair @Brussels Expo (link)
📅 26 January-1 February: La Semaine du Son.Oor 2026 @various locations (link)
📅 30 January: Feminist Quiz Night: 2025 Year in Review @The Nine (link)
📅 30-31 January: The Sound of the Belgian Underground @Ancienne Belgique (link)
📅 31 January: Fast music, Slow Fashion @Jardin Hospice (link)
📅 1 February: The Lord of the Rings Quiz @Wolf (link)
📅 1 February: Kody & Girls Friends @Théâtre de Vaudeville (link)
📅 2-8 February: Semaine de la Musique Belge @various locations (link)
Content creator in the spotlight: Valentin Dupouey
If you got to know me through LinkedIn, then I’m pretty sure you know Valentin as well. You may have followed him even before me! Val and I go way back; we met each other at the European Youth Event in 2014 and volunteered together in Erasmus Student Network for many years. Valentin rose to fame in Brussels thanks to his punchy and very honest posts on LinkedIn, bringing him an audience of more than 20,000 people. He has also built a very strong persona around College of Europe, where he serves as Director of External Relations, Communications and Events. But before LinkedIn, Valentin had spent years building a robust library of resources on his own personal blog, A European citizen. And last but certainly not least, he created a massive spreadsheet of NGOs active in the Brussels bubble.
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