Bar
Delirium Café
The original bar of the Delirium Village near the Grand-Place, famous for a Guinness World Record for the size of its beer list.
La Fleur en Papier Doré
A protected heritage café where René Magritte and the surrealists drank before the war and CoBrA artists met after it, open daily for Brussels beer.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic artists' café
- Area
- City Centre (near Sablon), Brussels, Belgium
- Price
- $ · Budget
- Opening
- Open daily · 10:30–00:00
- Official site
- goudblommekeinpapier.be
Good to know
- Listed heritage interior
- Brussels beers
- Lunch
- Open daily
Why we recommend it
La Fleur en Papier Doré, known in Dutch as Het Goudblommeke in Papier, is one of the most evocative cafés in Brussels, steeped in the history of the city's artistic avant-garde. On 15 October 1944 it was taken over by the art dealer, poet and theatre maker Geert van Bruaene, who gave it the name it still carries. Before the war it already had a famous clientele: the surrealist poet Louis Scutenaire, René Magritte and Marcel Lecomte were among its regulars.
After the Second World War, the café became a meeting place for artists of the CoBrA movement, including Christian Dotremont, Hugo Claus and Jean Dubuffet. On 3 July 1997, its three drinking rooms and its façade were classified as protected heritage by the Brussels Region's Royal Commission for the Protection of Monuments and Landscapes.
The café went bankrupt in the early 2000s, and in 2006 a group of friends took it over and set up a cooperative to save it. After a year of restoration, it reopened on 13 September 2007, and it now operates as a heritage café. It serves Brussels beers, coffee and pastries, with lunch and after-work drinks, so it works equally well for a quiet afternoon or an evening drink.
It suits art lovers, literary types, couples and anyone who enjoys historic cafés with character. It is a café for conversation rather than a party venue. Prices are modest. According to the official website, the café is open every day from 10:30 to midnight.
The café is on the Rue des Alexiens, between the Sablon and the old centre, about ten minutes' walk from the Grand-Place and a few minutes from Brussels-Central and Brussels-Chapel stations. The Magritte Museum, part of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts, is a short walk uphill, which makes a visit here a natural follow-up to an afternoon among the surrealists' paintings.
Take your time over a visit, as the protected interiors reward a slow look. The café's rooms can also be hired for private events, including one named after Magritte. For first-timers, a Brussels beer at one of the old tables is the best way to soak up the atmosphere.
La Fleur en Papier Doré FAQs
When is La Fleur en Papier Doré open?
According to its website, every day from 10:30 to midnight.
Did Magritte drink here?
Yes. René Magritte, Louis Scutenaire and Marcel Lecomte were regulars before the Second World War.
Who named the café?
Geert van Bruaene, who took it over on 15 October 1944.
Is it a protected building?
Yes. Its three drinking rooms and façade were classified as heritage on 3 July 1997.
What does it serve?
Brussels beers, coffee, pastries and lunch.
Is it suitable for a big night out?
It is a café better suited to conversation than partying.
Where is it?
At Rue des Alexiens 55, between the Sablon and the Grand-Place.
Can I hire a room?
Yes. Rooms can be hired for private events.