Chicago
For more than a decade, Chicago Café was one of those places you didn’t really think about changing. You walked in for brunch, ordered your usual, said hello to the familiar faces, and left happy. It worked. It still does. But after eleven years, Julie Belaen and Fouad Benarbia felt it was time to shake things up, not by breaking what people love, but by giving it room to breathe.
The most radical change isn’t on the plate, it’s in the room.
The old Chicago had a cosy, familiar charm, with a kids’ corner that quietly set the tone for how family-friendly the place has always been. Today, that corner is gone, replaced by something much more generous: space. A bigger kitchen means better working conditions for the team, smoother service, and far more legroom for everyone. Families are still very much at home here, but now around large tables, with enough room for prams, toddlers, bags, coats and all the joyful chaos that comes with young parents going out for brunch.
Look up and you’ll notice the new soul of the place immediately. Exposed cement ceilings, polished floors, an industrial edge softened by a beautiful skylight that floods the room with daylight. Julie and Fouad took the reins of the redesign themselves, and you feel that personal touch everywhere. It’s modern without being cold, open without losing warmth, a Chicago that has grown up, but hasn’t lost its heart.
What hasn’t changed is the menu you know so well. Those breakfasts, lunches and brunch classics are still here, just as comforting as ever. I went for the English breakfast, a plate that arrives with real confidence: generous portions, everything cooked properly, and the kind of meal that keeps you full well into the afternoon. My daughter chose the cinnamon French toast, golden, sweet, unapologetically indulgent, and absolutely perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth.
But there is a new pillar holding the house together: coffee.
They decided to go all in on the barista side of things and brought in Nikolas, a professional barista from Greece. Sometimes a new hire shifts the energy of a place completely, and this just clicked. Chicago is now as much a destination for a proper cup of coffee as it is for a plate of pancakes or eggs. It elevates the whole experience, turning a simple brunch into something you linger over.
And then there are the people who are the real backbone of the café. Mariana, eight years and counting, steering the service with the kind of calm confidence you only get with time. In the kitchen, the original team is still there, cooking like they always have, anchoring the place to its beginnings. On weekdays, you’ll also find monthly specials alongside the classic brunch menu, little surprises for those who come back often enough to notice.
Chicago isn’t alone in this story either. Julie and Fouad also run Giulia Trattoria, which they rebranded over the summer. Two houses, two identities, but the same steady hands behind them.
After eleven years, Chicago hasn’t reinvented itself to chase trends. It has simply made space, for its team, for families, for better coffee, for long breakfasts and slow lunches. And honestly, it feels like the start of a new chapter rather than the end of an old one.
Chicago Café
Rue de Flandre 45, 1000 Bruxelles
No reservations needed, for a table of 8 people or more, just email them
Opening hours Cafe:
Monday to Sunday
9:00 - 16:00
Opening hours Kitchen:
Monday - Friday
9:00 - 14:30
Weekend
9:00 - 15:00
