Ever since Nabu shut down, the grey dreary skies never really lifted over the Mérode neighborhood. But that’s because we’d forgotten all about the guiding light of Hop!, the pocket-sized den from Alexandra del Marmol and Sébastien Billiet, who retrained in the biz of all things boozey, providing things to quench all thirsts, from cheeky vintages to chic finds, alongside Julien Parra (ex-sommelier at Bozar). My, don’t the jam-packed shelves of this épicerie-wine shop stock some heavy hitters! From Jean-Claude Lapalu to Julien Guillot and Bruno Schueller – and often vintage bottles at that. Like the liquid luvvies, the solid stuff doesn’t lie: spices from Comptoir Des Épices, vinegars from Sainte-Odile, Rish lemonades and kombucha, well-sourced bottarga, Kalios olive oils, Frères Garnier liqueurs, beers galore – from Cantillon to L’Ermitage, via Witloof, Non Ouverte, and many more. Are we forgiven for this temporary lapse in memory? // Toni Negroni
THE BULLET-PROOF BOTTLE: La Croix Des Rameaux, a brouilly from the king of Beaujolais, Jean-Claude Lapalu (€27.45).
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