Is beer the most social drink?
Pandemic closing down bars just rubs into our noses how social of a drink the beer is with its ritual of slowly pouring the hoppy liquid into a cold glass from a freshly installed tap.
Situated right in the heart of the city of Brussels, Moeder Lambic manages to stay fresh and always offer something different, something that you probably haven't tried yet and will provoke your interest.
Dating back to the 1980s, this is actually the second bar under the name of Moeder Lambic - that's why it also takes the suffix of "Fontainas", as to differentiate from the older one situated in St Gilles and respectfully called Moeder Lambic Original.
It is a simple task to find the bar, which means you should have no excuses skipping it even during a short stay in the city: once you're on the wide, pedestrian-only boulevard that goes in front of La Bourse (that's Brussels's Stock Exchange), head in the direction to Gare du Midi; just a short walk in that direction will bring you to a square with large umbrellas carrying the logo of Moeder Lambic.
Don't be surprised if everything is full - the bar is quite popular, not without a reason, and is a common stop for a few beers. It is harder to find a place during the cold months - the street-side tables are off and the capacity gets somehow limited to the ones inside, which, though not so small in number, can be hard to get, at least without some waiting at the bar.
Once seated, here comes the nice part: you'll get a blackboard with the good stuff: the draught beers, usually more than 10, that are from breweries from all around the world. Looking just at names of different brews can be quite confusing, but the staff is always ready to help and explain the types of the beers, so you can choose something up to your taste.
The blackboard menu, apart from the atmosphere here, is what keeps alluring me over and over - the list is refreshed so often that you try new things constantly and never get bored (on the other side, if you fall in love with a beer here, it's not that probable you'll find it again the next time you go). I fell back to the 'standard menu' just a few times - which can also offer you some exceptionally good beers - but most of those were for the food.
Speaking of which, yes, you can have a bite in Moeder Lambic, actually far better than what lots of other bars offer, but go for it if you really just need a byte: it is more like a side dish and a bit expensive; it will not replace a nice dinner in a restaurant or kebab place nearby. But after all, we are going there for the beer, aren't we?
Here it is:
This is probably quite general recommendation, but also the reason I like this place: the menu is never the same! I have my favourite beers which I love to drink again and again, but exploring the beer world is about tasting new things. Add to this the great location, the nice environment and - best case scenario - pleasant company and you're set for a great experience every time you visit Moeder Lambic.
68 rue de Savoie 1060 Bruxelles
Opening hours: 16:00 - 03:00, every day