Restaurant review: Léopold Café Presse
Rue de la Loi, 17
What’s good? Brilliant lunchtime quinoa bowls and bagels are Léopold’s top attraction. My go-to selection is the chicken avocado bowl, which comes on a bed of quinoa and salad with tangy dressing, and includes crunchy pomegranate seeds, chicken topped with melted cheese and delicious mashed avocado. It’s both filling and healthy. Occasionally the chicken can be a little tough, but that’s a minor quibble.
Léopold has a great selection of tasty wraps and salads, taking in a globe-spanning variety of cuisines. The cookies, cakes and drinks are all high quality too — particularly the velvet-rich hot chocolate.
What’s not? An occasional overpowering smell of truffle oil, which seems to have become inescapable in 2023; and erotic-themed Tintin parody graphic novels, once not so subtly placed directly above the food counter. No one needs to see Bianca Castafiore in a state of undress alongside their lunch order.
Vibe: Colorful Belgian comic book chic. It’s a very relaxed spot; business meetings and first dates take place at close quarters, in a bright and lively room filled with (non-erotic) Tintin memorabilia. The service is fast and the staff cheerful.
Who’s picking up the check? It’s cheaper than a restaurant (though arguably better than many of the nearby options); but more expensive than its surrounding neighbors ASAP, Pulp and EXKi. You won’t necessarily have to tap the company credit card for lunch.
Spotted: A number of European Commission DG NEAR officials, whose office is located directly above the cafe; and POLITICO reporters meeting with sources. The walls have ears in here, so have your head on swivel.
Insider tip: Get your free edition of POLITICO’s weekly newspaper at Léopold. They have a stack of copies and it’s an ideal read if you’re here on your own.
Fun fact: The café, now with several locations across Brussels, was originally designed with cyclists and green energy in mind.
How to get there: Brave the fumes walking down Rue de la Loi, and it’s right before the big junction on the left side of the road.
— Review published on June 1, 2023. Illustration by Dato Parulava/POLITICO
