Experience

BRUSSELS | La Fabrique en ville – Villa Empain – Chalet Robinson – Winter Wonders – Rêve d’Asie

Posted by Timothy on

When Frank, Steve, Philippe, Nicolas, and I meet up, it’s usually in Antwerp. But Nicolas being a Brussels resident, it was time for the rest of us to go to the capital of Belgium. That’s what we did on 29 November 2025, the opening weekend of Winter Wonders, the Brussels-Capital Region‘s Christmas Market. 

We started with lunch in La Fabrique en ville, a daytime restaurant in Egmont Park. 

Egmont Palace.

The Factory in the City

La Fabrique en Ville is a café-restaurant tucked away inside Parc d’Egmont / Egmontpark, right in the centre of Brussels between the Sablon / Zavel district and Boulevard de Waterloo / Waterloosesteenweg. Reaching it means slipping through a small, discreet gate near The Hotel, which immediately gives the sensation of leaving the city behind and stepping into a quieter, almost hidden space

The restaurant occupies a restored neoclassical orangery with high ceilings, pale walls and wide windows that let in streams of daylight. When the weather co-operates, the doors open out onto a generous terrace beneath the park’s trees – a spot that feels like a garden picnic with proper cutlery rather than a city lunch. The atmosphere strikes a balance between elegant and informal, making it an easy place to linger over a second coffee or a slow afternoon meal

Breakfast and lunch are served on weekdays, with brunch becoming the main attraction at weekends. Dishes are homemade, ranging from breakfast plates and salads to heartier options like fish and chips or crispy chicken, along with cakes and sweet treats for those who prefer coffee and dessert over a full meal. Its weekend brunch is particularly popular, and when the sun is out the terrace fills quickly – arriving early or reserving ahead tends to be wise

I had oeufs à la mexicaine, Mexican-style eggs. Which for La Fabrique is a variant on eggs Benedict, but with avocado.

Mexican-style eggs.

Villa Empain

To do more than eat and drink, we visited Villa Empain in Ixelles / Elsene. I visited in 2020, but for the others, it was their first time.

Villa Empain is one of Brussels’ most striking Art Deco landmarks, a grand residence turned cultural centre set on Avenue Franklin Roosevelt / Franklin Rooseveltlaan at the edge of the Bois de la Cambre / Ter Kamerenbos. Designed by the Swiss-Belgian architect Michel Polak for Baron Louis Empain, son of industrial magnate Édouard Empain, it was built between 1930 and 1934 as a model of interwar luxury. 

The house showcases the full confidence of the style: polished granite façades, marble and bronze interiors, and a formal layout structured around a central courtyard with a swimming pool.

Although conceived as an opulent private home, Villa Empain’s use changed quickly. Louis Empain donated it to the Belgian state only a few years after completion, and it initially served as a museum of applied arts. The war years altered its trajectory again, first under German occupation and later as the embassy of the Soviet Union. 

By the 1980s it had become offices for RTL, and when the building fell vacant in the mid-1990s it slipped into neglect. Its condition worsened over time: vandalism, illegal parties and the stripping of interior fittings left deep scars on what had once been among Brussels’ finest residences.

The story shifted in 2007, when the Boghossian Foundation acquired the villa and launched a full restoration under architect Francis Metzger. 

The work, completed in 2010, revived the house in meticulous detail and returned its Art Deco splendour to public view. Today Villa Empain functions as an exhibition space and cultural hub, a rare example of interwar glamour brought back to life. Its restoration received the Europa Nostra heritage award in recognition of the care and craftsmanship that saved it from dereliction.

What began as a personal palace is now one of the most elegant museum spaces in Brussels — a place where architecture itself forms part of the exhibition.

Villa Empain.

‘Fire’, until 1 March 2026

One of the exhibitions on is ‘Fire‘, an exhibition that brings together around fifty modern and contemporary artists from diverse backgrounds around the captivating theme of fire.

“Through a wide range of media, including sculpture, painting, installation, photography, video, or tapestry, the works explore the many facets of fire: flame, candlelight, electricity, smoke… From the comforting hearth to grey ashes, from fleeting sparks to blazing infernos, each creation reflects upon the symbolic, physical, and sensory power of this universal element.”

“From humanity’s earliest beginnings, fire has both fascinated and frightened. Present in every culture, it permeates myths, rituals, and festivities – from medieval celebrations to major contemporary ceremonies such as Burning Man.”

“Ambivalent by nature, fire embodies both life and destruction. From the Book of Genesis / Since the beginning, fire has shone in paradise, while it also burns in hell. As the gentle, comforting flame of the hearth, it heals, illuminates, and warms. Yet it is also wildfire, devastation, and burn — conjuring an imaginary steeped in fear and violence. This duality has long inspired artists, who explore the tension between protective warmth and uncontrollable danger.”

“What is fire?  Fire is a substance that we associate as much with emptiness as with fullness. It is transformation. The exhibition explores this enigma by delving into its many forms: natural, domestic, and symbolic.”

‘Fire’ at Villa Empain.

‘Biblioteca Nacional’, Europalia España, Elsa Paricio, until 10 May 2026

As part of its participation in Europalia España, the Boghossian Foundation presents ‘Biblioteca Nacional‘, an exhibition designed with Elsa Paricio.

For the first time in Belgium, the Spanish artist showcases a corpus of works unfolding in the Project Space of the Villa Empain. The original scenography conceived for the exhibition revolves around the monumental work ‘Biblioteca Nacional’ (2018–2025).

“The fruit of six years of work, this project led Elsa Paricio to disseminate glass cylinders filled with a mixture of India ink and water across landscapes, abandoned factories, deserted houses, and natural sites in Spain. Fragile and exposed to the elements, these objects underwent a slow process of evaporation in contact with time and light, becoming silent witnesses of their environment. Their surfaces, marked with lines of ink and dust, record the traces of a memory in the making.”

“True ‘landscape-objects’, the cylinders compose a fragmented and poetic national library, where intimate memory and collective identity intertwine. Without imposing a definition, the work invites each visitor to project their own idea of home, territory, or country, and to reflect on the coexistence between our human time and the unyielding time of nature.”

“At the Villa Empain, the artist will extend her gesture by placing two glass cylinders along the exhibition route. This in situ intervention inscribes the work within the very place that hosts it, turning Biblioteca Nacional into an evolving work, destined to be completed and enriched over the course of its exhibitions.”

“Works on paper, videos, and an installation complete the whole. Each piece reflects a moment in the artist’s life, thus transforming her existence into a global artistic project, in perpetual evolution.”

Elsa Paricio, born in 1985 in Madrid, is a Spanish visual artist associated with the conceptual art movement. Her work stands out for its singular combination of illustration, literature, science, and a collector’s spirit, resulting in comprehensive works composed of both texts and images. Paricio received a scientific education, a major influence on her artistic practice, which she uses to carry out an analytical and introspective exploration of nature – particularly plants and human life – as well as of the imagination.

In 2025, Europalia celebrates its 30th edition with a large-scale Spanish biennale. Exactly forty years after its first edition in 1985, Europalia España will unfold a multidisciplinary programme from 8 October 2025 to 1 February 2026, uniting heritage and contemporary art forms and providing fascinating perspectives on themes that connect and challenge us. 

With Francisco de Goya as its main focus and inspiration, it highlights the cultural richness of Spain through visual art, architecture, theatre, dance, music, performance, film and literature. Europalia España comprises in total some 100 events, spread throughout Belgium and presenting work by over 170 artists.

‘Biblioteca Nacional’, Villa Empain.

Chalet Robinson

Chalet Robinson is one of Brussels’ more evocative places to eat — not because it is grand, but because of where it is. Set on a small island called Robinson Island (Île Robinson / Robinsoneiland) in the lake at the Bois de la Cambre / Ter Kamerenbos, it can only be reached by a short boat crossing, which gives every visit a sense of arrival. 

The city feels close, yet as soon as you step off the ferry you’re surrounded by trees, water and the sound of oars, as though the urban world has paused for a moment.

The original chalet was built in the late nineteenth century as a tea-room, designed to blend into the park’s leafy character. Fire destroyed it more than once, the most recent in 1991, after which the island sat quiet and empty for many years. 

A full reconstruction finally brought the chalet back to life in 2009, retaining the rustic, wood-framed charm of the original while creating a comfortable space for dining. Inside you find a warm, timbered interior; outside, a terrace where tables overlook the water and the passing rowboats.

Today Chalet Robinson functions as a brasserie with a menu that leans into Belgian favourites — simple comfort food done well — along with seafood, grills and seasonal dishes. 

Sundays often draw families and groups for a large brunch, while warm evenings are made for lingering outside with a drink as the lake darkens around the island. The atmosphere is relaxed, slightly nostalgic, and gently romantic, the kind of place where a casual lunch can turn into a long, unhurried afternoon.

Chalet Robinson.

Winter Wonders

For dinner, we decided to return to the city centre. As such, we passed Winter Wonders / Plaisirs d’hiver / Winterpret. The Christmas Market. 

This season, Winter Wonders runs from 28 November 2025 to 1 January 2026, with activities on Place De Brouckère / De Brouckèreplein extended until 4 January. Throughout this period, the city centre will once again host installations, performances, markets, and festive attractions. The programme aims to highlight Brussels’ cultural and social life by showcasing artisans, artists, traders, and associations, while placing emphasis on heritage, creativity, and craftsmanship.

Winter Wonders remains one of the city’s major annual events, generating cultural, social, and economic activity across hospitality, retail, and entertainment sectors. The 2025 edition features partnerships with cultural institutions, local organisations, and community actors including La Monnaie / De Munt, Brussels Food Banks, Imaginaires Publics, MIVB / STIB, and the city’s neighbourhood house network.

MIVB / STIB tram and metro.

A press kit is available, containing details on installations, immersive experiences, interactive tools, performances, and food offerings.

“This year, we wanted to strengthen the bond between Winter Wonders and the people of Brussels. This edition celebrates our neighbourhoods, residents, artists and artisans. Our Christmas market will remain as popular as ever, and even more rooted in the life of the city”, Philippe Close (PS), Mayor of the City of Brussels, says in the press release.

“Festivity and culture have an essential role: they bring people together, open minds, and give meaning to community life. The City of Brussels fully embraces its public service mission by offering everyone the chance to experience a moment of beauty and togetherness. Accessibility, diversity, and inclusion remain at the heart of what we do”, says Delphine Houba (PS), Alderwoman for Housing, Equal Opportunities, Tourism and Major Events, City of Brussels.

“As Alderman for Commerce, I am delighted by the strengthened cooperation between the city’s traders and by our shared vision for the future, expanding activities so that other districts can also benefit from the economic momentum generated by Winter Wonders”, says Didier Wauters (Les Engagés), Alderman for Economic Affairs, Employment, Commerce and Municipal Facilities, City of Brussels.

Winter Wonders.

Dream of Asia

Finding a table for five, on a Saturday, without reservation, at peak dinner time? Quite a challenge. Or not? At our first asking, we had a table. At Rêve d’Asie (Dream of Asia). The restaurant’s menu and dishes spell it wrongly ‘Reve d’asie‘. 

Rêve d’Asie is a restaurant in Brussels known for its refined approach to Pan-Asian cuisine. The atmosphere is warm and intimate, combining contemporary design with touches that reflect East and Southeast Asian aesthetics. It is the kind of place that works for both a quiet dinner and a slightly more festive evening, with soft lighting and a calm, elegant mood.

The menu draws inspiration from several Asian culinary traditions rather than one specific region. You may find dishes influenced by Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan or Korea, often presented with a modern twist. Plates tend to focus on fresh produce, aromatic herbs and balanced seasoning rather than heavy sauces.

The flavours are delicate but confident, particularly in dishes where citrus, ginger or lemongrass come into play. Starters are usually light and vibrant, mains range from stir-fried or grilled dishes to more comforting slow-cooked preparations, and the desserts often bridge Asian ingredients with a European presentation.

I had pineapple chicken, served with rice. I didn’t expect this presentation. 

Rêve d’Asie.

So?

A lovely excursion to Brussels. 

Brussels-Central Railway Station.

Exploring Brussels