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1. Share your food at Tarzan

Isn’t that perfect?! Your fingertips can meet while you both try to grab that last piece of food on the plate between you? Or you can find an agreement that the person who gets the last bite of this course won’t get it for the next. Anyhow, the small plates at Tarzan to share are perfect for an evening for two. You can try a few dishes, have one or two bottles of wine and who knows what the evening might bring.

Good to know:
Price: 5-7€ for a glass of wine, around 8-10€ for a small dish to share; Address: Rue Washington 59, 1050 Ixelles

2. Stay for a bit longer at La Buvette

When dining here, you should be sure that your date will be a good conversation partner for at least one and a half to two hours as it takes some time to eat the six or nine courses that are being served at La Buvette. So make sure not to take your Tinder date. It’s a nice spot with a romantic atmosphere. But not too big either, therefore it’s better if you don’t come here in case you anticipate any bigger couple fights.

Good to know:
Website: http://www.la-buvette.be
Address: Chaussee d’Alsemberg 108, 1060 St Gilles
Prices: 49€ for 6 courses, 64€ for 9 courses, and absolutely worth it

3. Play Lady and the Tramp at Nuovo Rosso

There’s nothing better than sharing food. Wait what? Ok, you’ll usually won’t hear these words coming out of my mouth, but at Nuovo Rosso the pasta portions are so big (and delicious) that you could easily share them. I very much recommend their Paccheri del Prete, they’ll shoot you directly to cloud nine.

Good to know:
Address: Rue Bosquet 62, 1060 Saint-Gilles
Prices: Around 11-18€ for a starter, 12-28€ for a main course
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4. Fall in love over sushi at Nonbe Daigaku

One of the, if not the best, sushi and sashimi place in Brussels. Incredibly fresh fish served by an incredibly adorable slightly older Japanese chef. Sit at the bar, look into each other’s eyes and then concentrate on your delicious dinner. Have some warm sake with it, I heard it achieves wonders!

Good to know:
Prices: Around 60-80€ for a dinner with drinks per person, a platter of sashimi is 30€, the mixed nigiri platter is 40€
Address: Avenue Adolphe Buyl 31, 1050 Ixelles
Make a reservation!

5. Test your partner at Holy Smoke Brussels

No-carb boys or girls are a no-go? Vegetarians are even worse? Well, this is the place to test your future husband or wife to be, because there’s certainly very limited vegetarian options at this American BBQ spot in the heart of St Gilles. Slow cooked brisket, smoked sausage or as-tender-as-it-can-get ribs are better than any red roses I ever got!

Good to know:
The crew is very nice and very responsive in terms of bookings. Just be aware that 50% of the seats can be reserved each night and the other half is up for grabs, first-come-first-serve, and they don’t accept groups bigger than 8, which I find a bit odd
Price: Around 25€ for a dinner with drinks.

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However, if you are anything like me, then chances are you have left the planning for such festivities till the last minute. Or maybe you haven’t a partner to declare your love for, but remember, that in countries like Finland, the day is officially called « friend day ». So regardless of your predicament, here are some activities around Brussels to take anyone who you hold dear, and ensure you all spend the night smiling.

Dinner & Jazz

We start with the classics – a candlelit dinner. Cutesy, but a little cliche? Well, that’s where we’ve found a twist. London Brasserie has, of course, all the romantic atmosphere you’d expect for a valentines dinner: deep rouge walls, intimate tabling, and elegant candlelight to illuminate your partner’s glowing smile. But where they top the traditional dining experience is by having a live jazz band playing. Serenading diners with a smooth vibe to sit and enjoy the music with dinner or drinks. They’ve also prepared a unique Valentine’s Day menu, going to great lengths to make the night a special one.

A torch-lit walk around a museum

A torch-lit visit in a pitch black museum! That right, on Valentines day the Belvue museum of Belgian history will offer you the unique chance to discover the museum like an archaeological agent, wading through the darkness of the museum and unearthing ancient history with the flicker of your light. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that this isn’t just for intimate couples, although having someone’s hand to hold in the pitch black halls would sure be a bonus.

Watch a movie at Anima

A classic go-to for late planners, but by no means a meagre last resort, as the highly acclaimed Anima animated film festival is in town! An epic festival on any given day, for Valentine’s Day, the film festival is showing fourteen short films about love and everything that goes with it: emotions, misunderstandings and sex.

Venture through the Heart Museum

Because nothing says I love you like looking at a dried, shrivelled heart. I’m only kidding, it won’t be a tour of a deranged doctor’s abattoir, but a representation of the heart through the history of arts. From the enchanting, golden medieval romanticism to the age of enlightenment’s hyper realism, the startling nuances of the designs will remind you the significance of the heart throughout history and how cultures came to decorate and map what they believed to be a fascinating aspect of humankind.

Try an escape room

60 minutes! Solve the clues, escape the room, but don’t dally as you will be locked in. No, I wasn’t describing the next SAW movie, but an escape room. One of the newest trends to hit Europe, an escape room will have you and your companions locked in a room for an hour as you search around for clues to aid your escape. What better way to demonstrates your love for someone by desperatly trying to control the urge to shout frantically while raiding a room to the tune of ticking clock.

Ogle at the Museum of Erotics and Mythology

If you are an advocate of the arts or an enthusiast about eroticism, then this is just the place. Now, an erotic museum may be a bit awkward on a first date, but couples or friends alike will enjoy the history and intricacies of the eroticism displayed throughout the world’s cultures’ historical mythologies. From 19th century Japanese drawings to Ancient African phallic statues, this is an enriching experience to learn about bygone cultures…perhaps with a few nervous giggles in between.

So whether you fancy a romantic meal, an exuberant exhibition, taking a quiet walk down Brussels’ beautiful streets, or curling up on the sofa with a bottle of bubbly, as long as it is enjoyed with those you love, it’s sure to be a great one.

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Today, we celebrate love in all its many glorious forms, including our devotion to the city we call home. And when it comes to love, it is best to say what we mean and mean what we say. Here are some things we can do to prove our sincerity each time we say, We Love Brussels.

1.  Observe cleanliness in public places. 

How you choose to maintain your private residence is your business. But once you step out and into the public places of Brussels, remember that you are in shared territory. Let’s keep our community clean and orderly. There is never a shortage of garbage cans around the city. Let’s put trash where it belongs. Not on the streets, by the sidewalks, or anywhere in the park.

If you often walk your dog, always clean up after your pet and dispose of waste properly. If you’re a smoker, make it a habit to throw your cigarette butts in the dustbin instead of tossing them onto the roadside or just anywhere. So what if you see cigarette butts strewn all over the ground? It’s not an excuse to be sloppy. Be one less annoying smoker and join the club of responsible nicotine addicts in Brussels.

For regular joggers, one habit worth taking up is “plogging” or picking up plastic litter while jogging. This new fitness trend from Sweden allows you to stay in shape while doing the environment a great service.

2.    Stay up-to-speed on what’s happening in and around Brussels.

Watch the news, read the papers. If you’re often online, there are several news sites catering to Brussels’ international community. Aside from your Brussels Express family, you can also visit We Love Brussels, Expats in Brussels, Expatica, and many more. Be interested, get curious, and care about what’s going on in your city. Awareness can open the door to more involvement and action.

3.    Exercise your constitutional right to vote.

If you love Brussels, then you would want it run only by people who have the best intentions and programs for the city. Fortunately, non-Belgians are allowed to vote in the communal elections taking place this year on October 14. But unfortunately, many vital policies in Brussels are decided above the communal level and by the city’s regional government. Want to have more say in the capital? You can join the 1Bru1Vote Campaign, and sign the petition to allow non-Belgians to vote in the regional elections. 

Voting is not compulsory for expats in Belgium. But caring for the city means wanting only the best for it. And the best doesn’t just happen miraculously. It is carried out by those we elect into power, and most of all, by all of us living in the city.

4.  If you have spare time, why not share it with those in need?

Brussels offers many opportunities for us to release the better angels in ourselves. You can lend a hand and bring some joy to the homeless, the refugees, the elderly, or the adorable furry creatures in a pet shelter.

You can find more ways to get involved through Serve the City, a global movement of volunteers founded in Brussels in 2005. The group organizes volunteer activities in homeless shelters, refugee centers, orphanages, and other charitable associations in the city. 

Volunteers are also welcome in the preparations for the communal elections this year. The Migration Policy Group is looking for extra help in assisting EU citizens in the registration process.

5.  Take alternative modes of transportation.

Ditch the car and travel around the city by bus, tram, or train. Shared transport systems are another sustainable alternative. There is a growing number of innovative vehicle-sharing services available in Brussels. Some of the top choices are  DriveNow, Cambio, Zen Car, Zipcar, and Taxistop.

Brussels is our adoptive city. Let’s return the love and take good care of her by reducing air pollution, protecting the environment, and minimizing threats to public health.

6.  Be kind and considerate in using public space.

You know how annoying it can be when people block your way down a busy sidewalk. Or when somebody suddenly stops in front of you in a crowded supermarket or grocery store. Or when another driver on the road swerves into your lane. But sometimes, we could be the rude ones.

Public space is not meant to be hogged but to be shared. Let’s make room for each other, and respect personal space even in public places. We are not the only ones in a hurry to get to work or someplace. Let’s not add to each other’s stress. We have enough already. Let’s make our city a more friendly, hassle-free place for one another.

7.   Make a regular date with Brussels.

Once a week or even just once a month, explore a new or different feature of Brussels. Consider it a date with your beloved city. Instead of visiting the same old places with your family or friends, venture into the unknown and the unfamiliar. It could be a newly-built museum, a park in the neighbouring commune, or a restaurant off the beaten track. You can also check out an event, an exhibit, or a festival.

Brussels has a lot of fun and surprises hiding behind its drab curtains. Uncover them one by one, and get to know the city bit by bit. Never tire of discovering and rediscovering the best and even the worst of our dear Brussels. 

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