Things are fermenting up a storm near the canal, in the former Byrrh factory where Yannick Schandené (who used to work in film and for various associations) set up his lab dedicated to noble rots, the circular economy and zero-waste practices. Lined up in his artsy boutique with DIY shelves and thumbtacked posters: green tomato hot sauce, sauerkraut, cacao bean vinegar infused with beer, kombucha starter packs…. Along with other living products, like Pom Perry hard cider from Druug, Nuu Miso red miso paste, Cantillon lambric jam, or even Uraga Raro coffee from Parlor Coffee Roasters. Put under the microscope the day we went: Brussels beer vinegar and scoby candies, perfect for an exploratory brunch. // Luce Berdon

The hidden gem: The umami-esque homemade kimchi (€6.50 for a 350-ml jar, €49 for 5 kg).