Tucked away in the heart of Molenbeek – one of the few neighborhood’s that’s still holding its ground against the great coffee-shop invasion – former CAW social worker Malu Baert has come to the rescue, with this independent café-bookshop with real soul. Replica lines its shelves with a sharp, carefully curated selection of fiction, essays and poetry collections mostly in Dutch and English, plus a cozy nook dedicated to kids and young readers. Get lost in a good read alongside specialty coffee from Wide Awake, lemonades and local beers from Brasserie Vandekelder, plus homemade cakes, brownies, tarts and more, with options changing daily. The only downside: seating is limited. · Charline Peanut

THE HIDDEN GEM: The refreshingly delicious Cuarenta lemonades made right here in Brussels, in either basil, ginger or maracuja flavors (€4 for 330 ml).