My Little Cup

Belleville Brûlerie coffee in blue cups

The coffee comes from Belleville Brûlerie, the Paris micro-roaster near Buttes-Chaumont, and it arrives in blue cups that regulars remember as clearly as the taste. My Little Cup is a small specialty counter in central Brussels built on a simple position: knowing where the coffee comes from, and saying so. Cappuccino is the everyday order and hot chocolate the alternative for anyone not drinking coffee, and the list stays short rather than stretching into signature drinks.

A corner shop with limited seating

The room is small, bright and modern, a corner shop with a good façade, a handful of seats and music low in the background. Close to Madou and Parc Royal, it runs on neighborhood traffic: coffees to go in the morning, regulars stopping for a quick cup, and the owner usually somewhere in the service. There is Wi-Fi, so a short work stop is possible, but the seating means the rhythm favors a pause rather than an afternoon. If a table is free, take it; if not, the takeaway cup is how most people use the place.

Order the banana bread

The banana bread with Belgian chocolate is the thing to order with the coffee. It is baked in house, which is what keeps the food from being a generic add-on, and a slice with a cappuccino is the complete version of a visit here. Beyond that the counter keeps a small pastry selection rather than a full case, which fits a room this size. For a first stop: a cappuccino, a slice of banana bread, and a few minutes at the window if there is space.