City break in Leuven

In all honesty, I must admit that until a few years ago, despite several trips to Belgium, I had never heard of the city of Leuven… And that was truly a shame, because it is a particularly pleasant destination for a short city break of a few days in Flanders. Indeed, we were very pleasantly surprised to discover the city of Louvain (Leuven in Flemish), which is located east of Brussels. The city is also very easily accessible by train from Paris with Thalys to get to Belgium, and the company regularly offers low prices depending on the dates.

This article is the result of two stays in Leuven: the first with my favorite photographer in the autumn of 2017 and the second with my friend Faustine from Parisian Touch in May 2023. As you can see in the photos below, we had rather rainy weather during our first visit and beautiful sunshine during the second.

For a quick historical reminder (which I discovered while visiting the city, I assure you), Leuven is an important university city—in fact, the oldest in Belgium, as the first universities here date back to the 15th century. It is therefore a historically ancient city that retains many vestiges of its glorious past.

Practical Information:

Getting there by train from Paris: Take a Thalys train to Brussels Midi station, then catch a train (more info here on schedules and fares – €6.10 one way) to Leuven (they run regularly and the trip takes about 30 minutes).
Getting there by plane: The city is located just 15 minutes from Brussels Airport.

Antique plate from Leuven adorned with flowers and a coat of arms with the inscription LOVEN.

Cobbled street in Leuven with a cyclist and pedestrians in front of a brick building.

Stream under a pedestrian bridge near a white house in Leuven.

Antique brick house in Leuven with a bicycle parked on cobblestones.

Woman on an ornamental bridge at the Botanical Garden of Leuven.

Cobbled street of Leuven leading to the Gothic Town Hall.

Young man on a bicycle in front of a large ornate wooden door in Leuven.

Woman in front of the brick facade of the Grand Béguinage of Leuven.

Bicycle in front of a blue door at the Petit Béguinage of Leuven, with a St. Lucia plaque.

Selfie of two smiling women on the tower of the University Library of Leuven.

Table of Contents

Ideas of things to do during a getaway to Leuven

As usual, I suggest a small selection of ideas for outings, visits, and things to do (generally everything is accessible on foot because the city center is quite compact) to discover the destination. I also advise you to take a little night walk through the city streets, because some monuments (like the town hall, which I talk about a little later in the article) have very nice lighting at night. The city is located on the banks of the Dyle river and grew particularly from the 12th century onwards to become the capital of the Duchy of Brabant.

Also see: the small Dyle park, hidden along the old enclosure wall between Schapenstraat and Redingenstraat (it is not very far from the Grand Béguinage, which I mention a little further down).

Yellow facade in Leuven with a white bicycle parked in front of entrance door number 47.

Woman walking in a cobbled alley of Leuven between colorful houses.

Lively public square in Leuven with historical architecture and café terraces.

Facade of the Town Hall of Leuven, with the inscriptions

Grand Béguinage of Leuven, cobbled path and red brick facades.

Gothic Town Hall of Leuven illuminated at night.

Town Hall of Leuven at night, illuminated, with visitors in the foreground.

Leuven Tourist Office
Naamsestraat 3, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Open Monday to Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Link to the tourist office website

Take a guided tour of the city with Visit Leuven

Obviously, I also strongly advise you to take the time to walk around the city. In fact, if you’re interested, the Leuven tourist office offers guided walking tours of the city with a guide. If it’s your first time in Leuven, I highly recommend one of the group guided tours Discover Leuven, which allows you to discover the city’s iconic buildings as well as a brief overview of its history: the Church of St. Michael with its trompe-l’œil, the Grand Béguinage, the Colleges, the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, the University Hall (Cloth Hall)…

Cobbled and vaulted entrance leading to the Béguinage of Leuven, with a wrought iron gate.

Man walking toward the university library building of Leuven with a clock.

Ancient religious triptych in the cathedral of Leuven, in front of a wooden bench.

Tourist under an umbrella in Leuven wearing a winter coat.

Baroque interior of St. Peter's Church in Leuven with a dome and carved columns.

Historical facade of Leuven on Trois Diolez street with a cyclist and a pedestrian.

Bright yellow chandelier under the Gothic vault of a church in Leuven.

Guided tours by Visit Leuven
Guided tour price: approximately €6

Take a guided tour of the Leuven Town Hall

This sublime and impressive Gothic building is located on the central square of the city. It features grand spires and dates from the beginning of the 15th century. Its construction began in 1439 and lasted 30 years. Its facades are decorated with several hundred statues of local personalities, biblical figures, and saints (you can also find Napoleon Bonaparte, for example). You can easily admire its magnificent architecture from the outside, but if you want to discover the inside, you will have to do so through a guided tour.

The guided tour allows you to discover: the hall of lost steps, the Gothic room, the various reception halls, the wedding room, the former mayor’s office…

Sumptuous hall at Leuven Town Hall with chandeliers and gilded paintings.

Historical reception hall of the Leuven Town Hall with gilded chandeliers and portraits.

Gothic facade of the Leuven Town Hall with flags and visitors.

Richly ornamented Leuven Town Hall with tourists on the square.

Reception room with crystal chandelier, wall paintings, and a large wooden table, Leuven.

Guided tour of the Leuven Town Hall
Tour in French on Saturday at 2:00 PM
Price: €4
The great deal: visit the Town Hall, the University Library & Tower, and M Leuven or the Park Abbey at a discounted price with the ILUVLeuven Ticket for €17 instead of €24
Link to book your tour online

Visit St. Peter’s Church in VR

St. Peter’s parish is one of the oldest in Leuven. The current church dates back to the 15th century and is in the late Brabantine Gothic style. Inside the church (where entry is free), there are several masterpieces by Flemish Primitives: “The Last Supper” and “The Martyrdom of St. Erasmus” by Dirk Bouts; the Edelheere triptych. You can therefore visit the church for free and view these masterpieces in a traditional way, as they are located almost in their original positions, or you can take an innovative tour using a tablet or a HoloLens reality headset, as we did.

This digital experience allows you to follow a path inside the church with images and explanations in French about the history of the church, but also about 12 points of interest in the venue: the mausoleum of Henry I, the chapel of Margaret the Proud; the Brewers’ Chapel; the Flemish paintings I mentioned just before; the model of the west tower; the Triumphal Cross, etc.

Gothic stone monument in St. Peter's Church in Leuven.

Interior of St. Peter's Church in Leuven, Gothic nave with sculpture and benches.

Deposition of Christ, painted wooden panel in Leuven, St. Peter's Church.

Triptych by Thierry Bouts at St. Peter's Church in Leuven, martyr.

Gilded reliquary and wood inside St. Peter's Church in Leuven.

Virtual tour of St. Peter's Church in Leuven with an augmented reality headset.

Polyptych of the Last Supper of St. Peter's Church in Leuven.

Statue of Our Lady of Leuven with the Child in St. Peter's Church.

Immersive virtual tour at St. Peter's Church in Leuven with augmented reality headsets.

St. Peter’s Church
Grote Markt 1, 3000 Leuven
free admission
VR tour of the church: €5
Link to the site website

Visit the Grand Béguinage of Leuven

I particularly loved the Grand Béguinage of Leuven, a Flemish site designated a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1998 and particularly well-preserved. It is truly a must-see if you come to Leuven, as it is an exceptional site! This béguinage, which dates back to the 13th century, is located at the southern end of the city. It includes more than 80 houses as well as about ten convents and the church of St. John the Baptist. The golden age of the béguinage dates back to the 17th century, when the site was home to 360 béguines! Spanning approximately 3 hectares, this béguinage is one of the most important remaining in Flanders. For your information, you can walk around the Grand Béguinage for free, as it is always open to the public and it is a perfect spot for taking magnificent photos!

A quick historical reminder: a béguinage is a city where béguines (widows or single women) who, although they had not taken monastic vows, chose to lead a religious life together in a community.

Cobbled alley of the Béguinage of Leuven with a red brick building and sloping roof.

Tourist in Leuven looking up in front of a brick wall.

Couple walking under an umbrella on a historical cobbled street of the Béguinage of Leuven.

Woman in a chevron coat posing in front of a red brick wall in Leuven.

Woman with an umbrella on a cobbled street of the Béguinage of Leuven.

Red brick building of the Béguinage of Leuven with lawn and vegetation.

Red brick house with vegetation, garden, and tree, site of the Béguinage of Leuven.

Woman leaning on the threshold of a green door at the Grand Béguinage of Leuven.

Garden of the Grand Béguinage of Leuven with red brick houses under a blue sky.

Cobbled path and red brick houses of the Grand Béguinage of Leuven.

Béguinage of Leuven, river, brick houses, and blue sky.

Cobbled courtyard of the Grand Béguinage of Leuven with a well and red brick buildings.

Cobbled alley of the Grand Béguinage of Leuven with red brick buildings under a blue sky.

Cobbled courtyard of the Grand Béguinage of Leuven with bicycles and old lighting.

Grand Béguinage of Leuven
Groot Begijnhof, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
open 24/7 and freely accessible

Visit the Petit Béguinage of Leuven

The city has a second, smaller béguinage, the origins of which also date back to the 13th century, and it is located rather to the north of the city. It served as a residence for the women who served at the nearby St. Gertrude’s Abbey. The 19th century saw the departure of the last béguine. Today, about thirty white houses remain, which were renovated in the 2000s and sold to private individuals.

Cobbled street between white houses of the Petit Béguinage of Leuven.

Petit Béguinage of Leuven
Klein Begijnhof, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
open 24/7 and freely accessible

Visit the University Library and its tower

This historical building can be visited using an audio tour (on the Heritage App, available for download), which is quite well done. The visit is an opportunity to discover the magnificent reading room of the University Library, to learn more about the building’s history through an exhibition that traces the war and the reconstruction, and also to go all the way to the top of the Tower (via stairs, however—I didn’t see an elevator) to enjoy a unique panorama of the city of Leuven. I recommend taking this tour on a sunny day with clear skies to get the best possible view of the surroundings!

This visit is also an opportunity to learn that the Library (as well as its precious books) was destroyed twice, in 1914 by the German Emperor’s army and in 1940 by a fire. It wasn’t until 1951 that the building was reopened.

Town Hall of Leuven and its tower, Market Square.

University Library Leuven with students, woodwork, and monumental staircase.

Exhibition at the University Library of Leuven behind a barrier.

University Library of Leuven and its tower under a blue sky.

University Library of Leuven and its tower, with a tourist taking a photo.

University Library of Leuven and its high tower with Flemish architecture.

Dark exhibition at the University Library of Leuven about the city's history and architecture.

Panoramic view of Leuven with modern buildings, cranes, and blue sky.

View of Leuven from the University Library, stone balustrade.

Selfie of two smiling women at the University Library of Leuven.

University Library
Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein 21, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Prices: €7 / €5 reduced (student, teacher…)
The great deal: visit the Town Hall, the University Library & Tower, and M Leuven or Park Abbey at a discounted price with the ILUVLeuven Ticket for €17 instead of €24
Link to the website with information about this tour

Visit the M Museum

This museum, renovated in 2009, offers art collections rich with more than 52,000 items, ranging from the Middle Ages to the present day. Since the summer of 2017, the establishment has presented a new layout in a more contemporary and educational spirit, breaking down the barriers between contemporary and ancient art. Obviously, this type of presentation may not appeal to everyone, but personally, I think that current museography must break old conventions and offer a new framework of interpretation for visitors. In this context, I find the museum’s approach quite relevant and interesting.

The museum’s approach is centered around dialogue with visitors, their interpretations of the works, and the perspective each person brings to art. Therefore, in this view, the number of objects on display is reduced, but these items change regularly to show the diversity of the collection.

Ancient religious triptych on display at the museum of Leuven (Leuven).

Woman looking at an ancient painting of the months of the year at the M Museum Leuven.

Ancient polychrome statue of a woman holding a pot, museum of Leuven.

Exhibition of modern art and religious sculptures at the M Museum Leuven.

Carved busts made of different materials displayed at the M Museum in Leuven.

Statues of the Man of Sorrows, displayed at the M Museum in Leuven.

Wooden crucifixion sculptures at the M Museum in Leuven.

Sculpture of the crucified Christ displayed at the M Museum in Leuven.

Religious wooden sculptures displayed in a room of the M Museum in Leuven.

Interior of the M Museum Leuven with Flemish sculptures and paintings.

Visitor admiring colorful floral paintings at the M Museum in Leuven.

Luxurious interior of the M Museum Leuven with portraits and a central sculpture.

Contemporary art exhibition at the M Museum Leuven with a large colorful work.

Contemporary art exhibition at the M Museum Leuven with abstract and figurative paintings.

Facade of the M Museum Leuven with a sculptural staircase and dome.

Facade of the M Museum Leuven, in front of parked bicycles and a sculptural staircase.

M Museum
Leopold Vanderkelenstraat 28, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Open Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Thursday from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Prices: €12 / €10 to €5 reduced / free for under-18s
The great deal: visit the Town Hall, the University Library & Tower, and M Leuven or Park Abbey at a discounted price with the ILUVLeuven Ticket for €17 instead of €24
Link to the museum website

Discover the street art of Leuven

As you know, I am very sensitive to street art, and it is an aspect I always love to discover in a city. In Leuven (as in Antwerp, for that matter), we used an app with the murals to see in the city: Street Art Cities. Below are some photos of urban art that I took during our travels. If you are not too tech-savvy, a map with the main murals in the city is also available at the tourist office. In any case, the city of Leuven is very rich from this point of view, and we found some very beautiful works!

Street art in Leuven: mural of a large blue cat with pink stripes.

Street art by Bisser in Leuven with children playing in front of bird drawings.

Street art in Leuven: mural of a blue bird in flight.

Street art mural in Leuven with black and white faces and the inscription LOUVEN.

Street art in Leuven: giant mural portrait near parked bicycles.

Street art in Leuven: white character crossing a red stripe on a brick wall.

Street art mural in Leuven: hat, palm tree, pink flamingo, and tropical landscape.

Street art in Leuven: mural of a person reading with a red butterfly.

Street art in Leuven, blue wall with paintings: bird, coffee, violin, flowers, shaking hands.

Street art in Leuven by Bisser representing characters climbing a giant barcode.

Street art in Leuven: blue dragon and flying shoes in front of a church.

Street art mural in Leuven representing a market with the date 1886.

Street art in Leuven: turtle wearing a beanie on an electrical box.

Take a stroll in the Botanical Garden

This botanical garden is one of the oldest in Belgium. It houses a vast collection of trees, shrubs, and bushes with no fewer than 800 plants from various families from all over the world, covering an area of about 2.20 hectares. The University of Leuven developed this botanical garden for its medical students in 1783, and since 1835 it has been managed by the city of Leuven. It’s a beautiful place for a walk if the weather permits.

Botanical Garden Leuven: fountain and greenhouse in front of a red brick building.

Brick wall fountain with a mascaron and geraniums in the Botanical Garden of Leuven.

Botanical Garden of Leuven with pond, wooden boardwalk, and lush vegetation.

Brick building and exotic plants at the Botanical Garden of Leuven.

Round greenhouse and lush vegetation of the Botanical Garden of Leuven.

Tropical greenhouse of the Botanical Garden of Leuven with hanging flowers and turtles near a pond.

Entrance to a greenhouse of the Botanical Garden of Leuven with tropical plants.

Botanical Garden of Leuven
Kapucijnenvoer 30, 3000 Leuven
free admission

Visit Park Abbey

This Norbertine abbey is located just outside the city and for several years, it has been undergoing major restorations to become a major cultural center for the Belgian city. You can feel that everything is progressing well, even if the work was not yet finished during our visit in 2017. However, the complex was already open to the public. I haven’t returned during my stay in Leuven in 2023, but I think the work must be finished by now.

This abbey complex of 42 hectares was originally the hunting park of Duke Godfrey I the Bearded. The latter offered his game park to the Norbertines in 1129. Today, for example, you can visit the abbey’s chapel, which contains some lovely sculptures and goldsmith work. At the time, we also had the chance to visit the abbey’s superb library in a small group, but I believe it wasn’t yet open to the public at that time… I hope it is now… Inside the complex is also a restaurant/brasserie, De Abdijmolen, installed in the former abbey watermill, which offers some local specialties, such as abbey beer.

Cloister of the Abbey of Leuven with Gothic windows and shrubs in the courtyard.

Gothic-style bronze reliquary, central statue with a book in Leuven.

Cobbled path leading to the gate of the Dieleghem Abbey in Leuven.

Red brick and carved stone vault of the Carré Abbey in Leuven.

Crowned statue holding a skull, probably from an abbey in Leuven.

Interior of the Diólez Abbey in Leuven with marble altar and sculptures.

University Library of Leuven interior: carved ceiling, wooden shelves, visitors.

Leather-bound antique books in the University Library of Leuven.

Ceiling bas-relief of the University Library of Leuven with religious figures and angels.

Bas-relief Leuven University Library: man in a hat stopping a wounded rider.

Red brick and stone ogival vault in a cloister of Leuven.

Restaurant terrace in Leuven with wicker tables and chairs by the water.

Park Abbey
Abdij van Park 7, 3001 Leuven

The PARCUM museum

Since 2016, the venue has also housed the Park Abbey Museum, PARCUM, which offers a dialogue dedicated to religion, art, and culture through pieces from churches, abbeys, and cloisters. The exhibition presents some very beautiful pieces, rarely shown to the public, such as this sculpture of a crucified woman (photo below in the middle).

Ancient painting of a holy monk holding a crozier and a chalice, exhibited in Leuven.

Polychrome wooden statue of a woman tied to a black cross, exhibition in Leuven.

Antique wooden crucifix with projected shadow, displayed during the Deux Diolez exhibition in Leuven.

Antique Virgin and Child statue, Regard Diolez exhibition, Leuven.

Ancient polychrome sculpture of a Virgin or saint holding an object, exhibition in Leuven.

Statues of children in a series, exhibition at the Abbey of Leuven.

Wooden sculpture of a saint holding a book, Leuven.

Silhouette of a woman looking at a column of light during the Diolez exhibition in Leuven.

Parcum Museum
Visiting the museum requires an entry fee (between €5 and €10) and it is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Link to the museum website

Alamire Foundation

Another interesting place to discover within this space is the House of Polyphony, The Alamire Foundation. This International Centre for the Study of Music is a reference in research related to early music. The venue regularly offers concerts performed by the ensemble Park Collegium, as well as exhibitions.

Fragment of a medieval fresco on a wall near a capital in Leuven.

Gothic interior of the abbey hallway, vaulted with a crucifix and diamond-shaped tiling.

Alamire Foundation
Park Abbey
Abdij van Park 7, 3001 Leuven
Link to the foundation’s website

The Leuven Innovation Beer Festival

The history of the city of Leuven is strongly linked to that of beer, since the headquarters of major brewing groups are located in Leuven: AB Inbev and Stella Artois (originally, this beer was actually a Christmas beer created in 1926 in Leuven, which then became one of the most popular pilsners in Belgium). The city even prides itself on having been the world capital of beer with no fewer than 30 breweries at the beginning of the last century. Today, only Stella Artois and Domus still perpetuate the city’s brewing tradition.

In 2023, the Leuven Innovation Beer Festival highlighted beers from the Leuven region. This festival, which takes place every year, is an opportunity to taste beers from artisanal micro-breweries in Leuven but also from all over the world!

Breweries discovered during this 2023 edition: Misery Beer Company (artisanal Belgian beer in the Ardennes); De Coureur brewery (located in the Leuven area); Hops ‘N More brewery of Leuven.

Artisanal beer and flowers on a wooden table at the Leuven Innovation Beer Festival.

Artisanal beer bottles from Dormaal Farm Brewery at the Leuven Innovation Beer Festival.

Beer glass at the Leuven Innovation Beer Festival 2023, outdoor crowd.

Beer fair in Leuven with signs for De Coureur, Poppyland, Malcroys, Felis.

Tasting glasses in front of the Leuven Innovation Beer Festival poster.

Beer glass from the Leuven Innovation Beer Festival 2023 with yellow flowers.

Beer glass at the Leuven Innovation Beer Festival 2023.

Leuven Innovation Beer Festival
May 20th and 21st, 2023
Prices: 1 festival glass + 3 tasting tickets for €15 in advance
Link to the festival website

My good food addresses in Leuven

Here are some great gourmet addresses (restaurant, coffee shop, chocolatier…) that I was able to discover in Leuven during these two stays! In fact, with almost 200 restaurants and 240 cafés, the center of Leuven is probably one of the most concentrated areas for bars and restaurants in Flanders. And if you are looking for a place to go out for a drink in the evening, you can head to the Oude Markt, a city square consisting almost exclusively of cafés and restaurants, which turns into a giant terrace when the weather is nice.

Where to buy good chocolates in Leuven? Bittersweet Chocolaterie

A great local address for bringing back some quality chocolate treats, made on-site, and super original and colorful, with unusual ingredients. I love the little silver robot; it’s so cute!

Tray of artisanal chocolates from Leuven, including a "bittersweet" and a golden Buddha shape.

Bittersweet
Bondgenotenlaan 108, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Link to the chocolatier’s website

My selection of coffee shops in Leuven

I find the city of Leuven to be particularly rich in charming little coffee shops, perfect for just having a coffee, for breakfast, for brunch, or even for tea time. Below are the addresses that we tested with great pleasure with my friend Faustine in 2023.

Koffie & Staal

This coffee shop is super nice with its large room to sit in and its chill and relaxed atmosphere. This address offers coffee and tea, but also homemade pastries and even some decorative items and jewelry for sale. It’s the ideal place for breakfast and/or brunch from the menu. I highly recommend it; it was one of our favorites of the trip!

Coffee latte with latte art and frothy drink in Leuven.

Koffie en Staal Leuven: pastries, juices, and coffees on a wooden table.

Interior of a modern café in Leuven with customers and menu board.

Cinnamon rolls with vanilla glaze at Koffie en Staal Leuven.

Staff preparing coffees and pastries behind the counter of a café in Leuven.

Shelf with plants, jars of preserves, and antique scale in a shop in Leuven.

Cozy lounge area with wooden round table and green plants in a café in Leuven.

Tested in 2023

Koffie en Staal
Dirk Boutslaan 12, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Link to the coffee shop website

Onan Coffee & Tea

This roaster, which has existed since 2004, makes fair-trade coffees. The address also offers a small street terrace to sit down and quietly enjoy your coffee in the sun.

Interior of a café in Leuven with bags of coffee and FILTER and ESPRESSO labels.

Whimsical interior wall mural with dark bench and round tables in Leuven.

Terrace of the ONAN Roasting & Blending café in Leuven with customers.

Coffee drink and water on a wooden tray at Koffie Onan Leuven.

Tested in 2023

Onan Coffee & Tea
Parijsstraat 28, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Link to the brand’s website

Madmum Coffee roastery & bar

The brand has several addresses in Leuven, and we tested the one located right next to our hotel on Tiensestraat. They are also roasters, and you can also buy their coffee on-site. It’s a very nice place for breakfast and/or a brunch à la carte. The address also has a fairly large terrace for sunny days in front of the establishment.

Madmum Coffee Leuven products: beans, cups, teapots, and bagged coffee.

Interior of Madmum Coffee Leuven with wooden table and benches.

Terrace of Madmum Coffee Roasters in Leuven with tables and chairs on the street.

Interior of Madmum café in Leuven with blue espresso machine and counter.

Copious breakfast in Leuven: crepes, pastries, muesli, and drinks.

Copious breakfast in Leuven: pancakes, coffee latte, juice, and fruit bowl.

Breakfast Leuven: coffee latte, orange juice, iced drink, and brioche.

Tested in 2023

Madmum Coffee roastery & bar
Tiensestraat 38, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Link to the brand’s website

Noir Coffee Bar

We also really liked this very nice address, which has a cozy and vintage decor. They offer coffees of traceable origin from seed to cup that are of very high quality. And their coffees are very renowned. Perfect for a break during your wanderings in the city.

Two cups of coffee, a latte art and an espresso, on a wooden table in Leuven.

Street musicians and cobbled café terraces in Leuven.

Interior of the café Noir Leuven with barista behind the wooden counter.

Cup of milk coffee with latte art on a wooden table, Leuven.

Red table and wooden chair in front of a black and white comic-book style fresco wall in Leuven.

Tested in 2023

Noir Coffee Bar
Naamsestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Link to the venue’s website

My selection of restaurants in Leuven

Below, I suggest a selection of restaurants that I tested in Leuven during my stay in 2017, and then in 2023.

Where to have lunch in an old brewery in Leuven? De Hoorn

This place, whose building is listed because it is installed in an old brewery, houses a restaurant (where we dined), a bar, a brewery, and rooms for events or receptions. The De Hoorn brewery developed in the 15th century to become one of the city’s main companies. In 1708, Sébastien Artois became a master brewer at De Hoorn and bought the brewery 9 years later, giving it his name. The very first Stella Artois was brewed here in 1926 as a Christmas beer. It is therefore a place steeped in history. You can still see the old brewing hall, as well as the copper brewing vats. The brewery is located in the old industrial zone of the city, the Vaartkom district (easily accessible on foot from the city center).

We tasted: the house cocktails (between €8.50 and €11); as a starter to share, sweet potato fries with za’atar (€9.50); for the main dish, the vol-au-vent (€32), which didn’t really convince me personally; the warm chicken escalope (€21); and for dessert, the grilled peach with lavender (€12.50).

Facade of the De Hoorn restaurant in Leuven with people on the lawn.

Interior of trendy Leuven restaurant with large portraits of rock icons against windows.

Modern and lively interior of the De Hoorn restaurant in Leuven with diners seated.

Modern interior of the De Hoorn restaurant in Leuven with concrete pillars and clients.

Table set with a floral 0.0% Stella Artois bottle, salt/pepper shakers, wood.

Fresh salad with green vegetables, topping, and dark sauce in a Leuven restaurant.

Dessert with grilled peaches, cream, and pink cotton candy at Restaurant De Hoorn Leuven.

Smiling woman eating a gourmet meal in Leuven.

Sweet potato fries topped with sprouts and sauce, Resto De Hoorn Leuven.

Tested in 2023

Restaurant De Hoorn
Sluisstraat 79, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Link to the restaurant website

Where to have a casual dinner in Leuven? De Optimist

The address is perfect for sharing original dishes inspired by the whole world, or just for a drink. The venue also offers a nice terrace in the address’s inner courtyard (with a work by our “friend” Bisser, whom I mentioned in the paragraph about street art). The venue offers plates of different sizes to share and combine with friends, along with a nice selection of Belgian beers if you like that!

Waitress bringing drinks to a lively bar in Leuven.

Terrace De Optimist Leuven with mural of a smiling artisan and people seated.

Terrace of the De Optimist café in Leuven with customers, bicycles, and plants.

Photographer in front of the "OPTIM" wall of the De Optimist restaurant in Leuven.

Woman tasting a beer with tapas in Leuven.

De Optimist
Vismarkt 7, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Prices: small plate €8 / medium plate €16 / large plate €24
Link to the address website

Where to have a plant-based lunch in Leuven? Bar Jérôme

This nice address offers creative, healthy, and fusion dishes with a great vegan and vegetarian selection (but not only…) and a concept of plates to share. The service is also extremely friendly (and partially speaks French); however, please note that there is no menu in English or French (only in Dutch). The venue also has a nice terrace in front of the establishment for sunny days, and I recommend you try the homemade non-alcoholic drinks, which we found very nice with Faustine.

Lebanese meal on a wooden table, Bar Jérôme Leuven, with flowers and glasses.

Wooden table with a floral vase and decorated shelf at Bar Jérôme Leuven.

Modern interior of a café in Leuven with bench, wooden tables, and ambient lighting.

Terrace of Bar Jérôme and Convento Food in Leuven with people seated.

Oriental meal in Leuven: garnished flatbread, falafels, fries, and flowers.

Pink peonies in a glass vase on a restaurant table in Leuven.

Tested in 2023

Bar Jérôme
Wandelingstraat 10, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Price: dishes between €19.90 and €21.90
Link to the restaurant website

Where to eat Italian in Leuven? Baracca

This Italian restaurant offers quite a few creative dishes to share, crispy pizzas, or even very nice signature cocktails. The venue is quite large and offers different spaces, including two terraces (one in the front and another smaller one at the back of the establishment), but unfortunately, they were both full when we arrived, so we sat inside.

Green cocktail with basil garnish on a granite table at Baracca Leuven

Interior of Leuven restaurant with set table, bench, and industrial ambiance.

Gourmet plate with vegetables, white sauce, fresh herbs, and nut crumbs at Baracca Leuven.

Rustic interior of the Baracca restaurant in Leuven with counter and tables.

Asparagus risotto served in a bowl, a silver spoon is present.

Adding sauce to a fennel salad and grilled toast in a restaurant in Leuven.

Terrace of the Baracca restaurant in Leuven with clients and sign.

Tested in 2023

Baracca
Tiensestraat 34, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Link to the restaurant website

Where to have a bistronomic lunch in Leuven? At Zarza

A very nice address that we liked a lot in 2017 (run by chef Gert Cordemans), with a very designer decor and carefully prepared plates. The menu changes with the seasons. Please note, in the evening the restaurant only offers a tasting menu in 5 or 6 courses.

Table set with S.Pellegrino in a restaurant in Leuven.

Scallop with egg yolks and herbs, dish from the Jacques Diolez restaurant in Leuven.

Grilled fish fillet, puree, and vegetables served on a black plate.

Gourmet salmon steak with sliced onions and mousse at the Diólez restaurant in Leuven.

Facade of the Diolez restaurant in Leuven with passersby and a tree in autumn.

Tested in 2017

Zarza
Bondgenotenlaan 92, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Prices: 5-course menu at €80 and 6-course at €93
Lunch price: starter + main €35.50 / starter + main + dessert €45.50
Link to the restaurant website

Where to have a gourmet dinner in Leuven? Restaurant D’Artagnan

This gourmet restaurant, which is located in the city center of Leuven, is run by chef Ernest Kalse, who offers fresh cuisine with quality products. We also tested it in 2017.

Private restaurant room in Leuven set up for an elegant dinner in the evening.

Smoked salmon, caviar eggs, blinis, and cream on a white plate in Leuven.

Roasted and shredded meat dish with brown sauce and vegetables in Leuven.

Tested in 2017

Restaurant D’Artagnan
Naamsestraat 72, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
Prices: evening tasting menu starting from €58 (for 3 courses) / lunch menu at midday starting from €38
Link to the restaurant website

Where to stay in Leuven?

Below, I suggest you discover the two accommodations (a designer hotel and an apartment hotel) that we had the opportunity to test during our stays in Leuven with the favorite photographer and with my friend Faustine.

Where to stay in the city center? Street Art Lodging

This brand-new accommodation, opened in the spring of 2023, is ideally located in the city center and offers 15 different rooms based on the theme of art. There is no reception (and no breakfast service either) and there is a self-check-in system, which is quite practical. You can also leave your luggage in lockers on the ground floor of the hotel if you arrive before check-in (from 3:00 PM) or if you want to leave your bags on the day of departure, after check-out time. Another good point: the accommodation is about a 15-minute walk from the station, so it’s very easy to get to.

The decor of our room (No. 203) was based on the street art theme and was done by the Leuven artist Bisser, whose many works we also saw during our street art tour of the city (which I mentioned a little higher up in the article). Our room was also very quiet because it faces the back of the building onto a peaceful courtyard/garden. Finally, the bedding was very comfortable, which is always an important point to note.

Modern chandelier near a staircase with black railing and geometric wall in Leuven.

Bisser street art near a door and evacuation plan in Leuven.

Hotel room in Leuven with a view of the city rooftops through an open window.

Hotel room in Leuven with quirky wall illustrations near the bed.

Street art Leuven: smiling character reaching for a black light switch.

Modern hotel bathroom with sink and shower in Leuven.

Tested in 2023

Street Art Lodging
Muntstraat 32, 3000 Leuven
Prices starting from €125 for a room for 2 people (depending on the season)
Link to the accommodation website

Where to stay near the station? The Park Inn by Radisson in Leuven

Located right next to the Leuven station, this large hotel (133 rooms) can be extremely practical if you travel to Leuven by train. In addition, you can also easily get to the city center on foot from the hotel. I can reassure you right away: even though it is very close to the railway tracks, this hotel is well-insulated and very quiet, and you can trust me on this, given how super picky (to put it mildly…) I am on the subject. The breakfast buffet is also quite well-stocked with quality products.

Two-bed hotel room with a traveler looking out the window in Leuven.

Breakfast buffet with bread and croissants at the Hotel Un Diolez in Leuven.

Modern hotel bar in Leuven with black counter and embossed wall decoration.

Breakfast in Leuven in a modern restaurant with wooden pillars.

Sculptural metal chandelier in Leuven, interior of Hotel Truc.

Tested in 2017

Park Inn by Radisson Leuven
Martelarenlaan 36, 3010 Leuven
The little extra: free wifi throughout the hotel
Prices: starting from €120 per night
Link to book a room

Thanks to Visit Flanders, Thalys, and Visit Leuven for these two invitations and for their welcome!

Blue and white bicycle parked in front of a red brick facade in Leuven.

I hope that with all this, I have made you want to discover Leuven in Flanders, and if you also have your own good addresses and tips for this destination, do not hesitate to share them in the comments!

Bicycles parked on a cobbled street of the Grand Béguinage of Leuven (Leuven).

Find all my articles on Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia) below:
⇒ All my articles on Belgium
⇒ All my articles on Flanders

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT BELGIUM
⇒ Brussels the capital
⇒ Belgian gastronomy
⇒ Bed and breakfasts in Belgium

MY ARTICLES ON FLANDERS
⇒ Bruges
⇒ Ghent
⇒ Leuven
⇒ The Belgian Coast and Ostend

MY ARTICLES ON WALLONIA
⇒ The Gaume Province

Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez & MelleBonPlan
Photos are not royalty-free, the photographer's authorization is required before any use