For which occasion should I choose Brasserie Chez Clément?

The strength of a traditional Belgian brasserie is its versatility, and Chez Clément belongs to the small category of addresses that genuinely cover almost the full spectrum of occasions. You can come at noon for a Sunday family lunch, in the evening for a quiet dinner as a couple, midweek for a business lunch, in a group for a private event, and late at night for a final glass at the bar, which is open continuously from noon until 1 a.m. This breadth is rare in Walloon Brabant.

This versatility flows from the nature of the place. The capacity (230 seated, up to 250 guests for a cocktail event) makes it possible to host a 200-guest wedding, an eight-person board lunch and an intimate couple’s dinner in the same room on the same evening. The traditional Belgian carte, signed by chef Vincent Frédéric De Laloy for thirty years, speaks to everyone, children, grandparents, international visitors, regulars. The conservatory, where Marie and Gilles Verleyen were married, provides a warm setting for private celebrations.

The geography amplifies this multi-occasion role. Twenty-five minutes from central Brussels via the Ring R0, fifteen minutes from the south-eastern business districts of Brussels (Auderghem, Watermael-Boitsfort), fifteen minutes from Waterloo and twelve minutes from Wavre, Chez Clément is within reach of a business lunch as easily as a family dinner. The huge free car park opposite simplifies arrivals for groups. For visitors to the Solvay Regional Estate, the Fondation Folon, the Château de La Hulpe, the Waterloo 1815 Memorial or the UNESCO-listed Sonian Forest (Forêt de Soignes), it is a natural lunch or dinner stop within a five-to-fifteen minute radius.

A simple rule of thumb: for any social occasion that calls for reliability, generous capacity, recognisable house cooking and a wide service window, Chez Clément is the right reflex. For a creative gastronomic tasting menu, look towards a Michelin-style address. For a coffee between two meetings in Genval or La Hulpe, the brasserie’s bar is open all afternoon.