Last Updated on 4 November 2025 by Vanessa
Not everyone likes finding cat hair in their soup, unless you’re a true cat lover.
These Brussels restaurants all have one thing in common: friendly resident cats who make every meal more memorable.
Because let’s be honest, good food tastes even better with a purring companion by your side.
From Michelin Guide spots to cozy cafés perfect for a quick bite, these restaurants in Brussels have something special for every feline fan.
If you love cats as much as cuisine, you’re in for a treat.
Top Brussels restaurants with resident cats
Mokafé Taverne
- Address: Mokafé Taverne, Galerie du Roi 9, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
- Opening hours: Monday, 07:30 am – 08:00 pm. From Tuesday to Sunday, 07:30 am – 11:00 pm.
If you find yourself wandering through the gorgeous Galerie du Roi, make a stop at Mokafé Taverne, a local favorite.
You’ll usually spot Mokafé’s resident cat lounging on the terrace, watching the world go by—it’s honestly part of the charm.
Mokafé works for just about anything: breakfast, a quick coffee break, or an easy lunch or dinner with friends.
The menu covers all the bases, from homemade pastries to Belgian staples like shrimp croquettes, carbonnades flamandes, salads, and pasta.
L’Ogenblik
- Address: L’Ogenblik, Galerie des Princes 1, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
- Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 12:00 pm – 02:30 pm & 07:00 pm – 12:00 am.
This Michelin Guide restaurant has real old-school charm. It focuses on refined Belgian cuisine, with dishes like a trio of red tuna, salmon, and scallop carpaccio, a salmon and crayfish mille-feuille with langoustine coulis, and fish served in a rich bouillabaisse with rouille and croutons.
They do offer vegetarian alternatives, though not everything is up for negotiation.
You won’t see the restaurant’s cat wandering around the dining room, but after closing time, you’ll often spot her curled up behind the window, keeping quiet watch over her kingdom.
Le Vieux Bruxelles
- Address: Le Vieux Bruxelles, Rue des Bouchers 33, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
- Opening hours: Le Vieux Bruxelles has permanently closed its doors.
I found this black cat in front of the restaurant Le Vieux Bruxelles in the Rue des Bouchers (Beenhouwersstraat) in the center of Brussels.
The Rue des Bouchers is a bustling pedestrian street, flanked by restaurants and small eateries. Its ambience is particularly charming, especially during the summer when everyone dines al fresco amid enticing displays of clams, mussels, oysters, and lobsters.
It offers predominantly seafood dishes and classic Belgian fare like steak frites, boudins, tomates aux crevettes, and filet américain.
Because of the resident cat, a TripAdvisor reviewer called Le vieux Bruxelles a “CAT-astrophe.” But that just makes it a must-visit, don’t you agree?
Le Jardin de l’Îlot Sacré
- Address: Le Jardin de l’Ilot Sacré, Pt Rue des Bouchers 26, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
- Opening hours: Le Jardin de l’Ilot Sacré has permanently closed its doors.
In the Petite Rue des Bouchers, you’ll find another cat-friendly restaurant: Le Jardin de l’Îlot Sacré.
The cats won’t be visitble each time you stroll by this colorful restaurant, but they are a constant presence, patiently awaiting the next batch of mussels.
On a rainy day, I spotted a mother cat and her kittens seeking shelter beneath the tables at the restaurant.
Chez Léon
- Address: Chez Léon, Rue des Bouchers 18, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
- Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm. Friday & Saturday, 12:00 pm – 11:30 pm. Sunday: 12:00 pm – 11:00 pm.
This cat was traveling from one restaurant to the next on Rue des Dominicains (Predikherenstraat) in Brussels. Apparently he’s the cat from the famous restaurant Chez Léon.
Chez Léon is an iconic representation of Belgian cuisine, renowned well beyond the borders of Brussels.
While the menu boasts lobster, fish, and meat dishes, those in the know go straight for the “Moules Marinières Spéciales” – mussels served with crispy fries and Léon beer.
La Kasbah
- Address: La Kasbah, Rue Antoine Dansaert 20, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
- Opening hours: Open daily from 12:00 pm – 02:00 pm & 06:30 pm – 11:30 pm.
With its 120 colorful lanterns, La Kasbah transports you into the realm of One Thousand and One Nights.
Here, you can indulge in Moroccan dishes, such as couscous and tajine, until late into the evening.
You probably won’t see the resident feline when you’re dining, but if you peek through the window before the restaurant opens, you might catch a glimpse of the cat peacefully napping on one of the bright-red benches.
Le New Chattouille
- Address: Le New Chattouille, Rue Tasson-Snel 11, 1060 Saint-Gilles (Brussels), Belgium.
- Opening hours: Thursday and Friday, 05:00 pm – 09:00 pm. Saturday and Sunday, 01:00 pm – 08:00 pm. Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays.
Le New Chattouille is the first cat café of Brussels and offers a menu primarily centered around diverse croque variations (Croque Monsieur, Croque Hawaii, Croque Bolo, etc.) and desserts (pancakes, waffles, and French toast).
Note that the venue is tiny and that it is likely to have a long queue forming at the front door.
On a positive note, you’ll have the opportunity to be surrounded by ten previously homeless cats, all of whom are now available for adoption.
Cup Cats
- Address: Cup Cats, Rue des Dominicains (Predikherenstraat) 14, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
- Opening hours: Tuesday to Thursday, 10:00 am – 07:30 pm. Friday, 10:00 am – 04:00 pm. Saturday, 10:00 am – 08:00 pm. Sunday, 01:00 pm – 07:00 pm. Closed on Mondays.
Cup Cats Cat Café sits right in the heart of Brussels. As such, it is much easier to reach than Le New Chattouille.
Just like Le New Chattouille, it is full of resident cats—both special breeds and rescue cats—ready to keep you company while you eat or sip your coffee.
The menu is all about indulgent, comforting bites.
You’ll find several types of croques, different versions of pain perdu (French toast), and fluffy pancakes, plus a selection of drinks to match.
Related: 22 cat cafés in Belgium – a purr-fect guide to coffee, cats, and cuddles.
Au Soleil
- Address: Au Soleil, Rue du Marché au Charbon Kolenmarkt 86, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgium.
- Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, 09:30 am – 01:00 am. Friday and Saturday, 09:30 am – 02:00 am. Sunday, 09:30 – 12:00 am.
Café Au Soleil is a cornerstone in the Brussels café scene.
The vintage wooden interiors, coupled with soft lighting and funky music, establish an ideal setting for leisurely moments and engaging conversations.
It is more a café than a restaurant, but it offers a few meals such as Spaghetti Bolognaise, vegetarian lasagna, Croque Monsieur, and soup.
It’s an excellent spot to unwind, made even more delightful by the presence of their resident cat, Jean-Claude (named after Belgian actor Jean-Claude Van Damme).
2023 update: Jean-Claude has sadly passed away. However, she has since be replaced by a new cat.
Which cat-friendly restaurant in Brussels will you be exploring?
There you go – a comprehensive compilation of all the Brussels restaurants with resident cats.
Have you had the chance to explore any of these establishments and meet the feline residents?
As someone who lives in the Belgian capital, I’ll be continuously updating this list whenever I discover a new cat-friendly gem. Let me know in the comments below if I forgot one.
Bon appétit ! Smakelijk!
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