On a street corner in Schaerbeek, a new Bulbe has taken root, blossoming into exactly the neighborhood grocery store you’ve always wished you had around the corner. Now it’s a dream come true thanks to Alexis Geeraert and Alexandre Steens, the brains already behind L’Épicier on Place des Chasseurs Ardennais. Forget soulless concept stores with half-empty shelves, this is a proper neighborhood grocer, lively, generous and packed to the rafters. Before you know it, your basket is filling itself: Minardo tortiglioni, organic local beef, vegetables from nearby growers, Ma Forêt herbal teas, fig and sesame jam, vinegar from Vinaigrerie Sainte-Odile, Winok coffee… It comes as no surprise, Bulbe has the formula down to a fine art: you pop in for one thing and somehow leave with dinner sorted for the rest of the week. · Elvis Parsley

The hidden gem: Fig and sesame jam from Terroir du Liban (€5.45), paired with a chunk of Réserve Comté (€39.95 per kilo) and freshly bread from Fine Bakery (€2.50 to €8.30).