Guidebook for Leuven

Thomas
Guidebook for Leuven

Food Scene

Best coffee in town! The owner (Jens) is the coffee guru of Leuven and will tell you everything about the special blend you chose.
7 habitants recommandent
MOK Specialty Coffee Roastery & Bar
165 Diestsestraat
7 habitants recommandent
Best coffee in town! The owner (Jens) is the coffee guru of Leuven and will tell you everything about the special blend you chose.
Very vibrant restaurant/bar with nice music. Perfect for a quick, decent meal or a couple of drinks to kick off the night.
10 habitants recommandent
Kaminsky
1 Léon Schreursvest
10 habitants recommandent
Very vibrant restaurant/bar with nice music. Perfect for a quick, decent meal or a couple of drinks to kick off the night.
Very cosy coffee bar with specialty coffees and delicious cakes. Perfect for a rainy afternoon or a caffeine boost to start your day.
6 habitants recommandent
Noir Coffeebar
49 Naamsestraat
6 habitants recommandent
Very cosy coffee bar with specialty coffees and delicious cakes. Perfect for a rainy afternoon or a caffeine boost to start your day.
Trendiest restaurant in town. They serve excellent breakfast, brunch and dinner in a very hipster setting.
26 habitants recommandent
bar Stan
2 Constantin Meunierstraat
26 habitants recommandent
Trendiest restaurant in town. They serve excellent breakfast, brunch and dinner in a very hipster setting.
A bit more expensive but definitely worth a visit if you like quality, refined Sicilian food. The owners are a very friendly Italian couple that run their restaurant with their whole heart. Excellent wine too. Our personal favourite!
Etna Trattoria
123 Tiensestraat
A bit more expensive but definitely worth a visit if you like quality, refined Sicilian food. The owners are a very friendly Italian couple that run their restaurant with their whole heart. Excellent wine too. Our personal favourite!
Not the best restaurant to have a long, cosy dinner, but the food is delicious and not too expensive.
Taste of Asia
42/B Brusselsestraat
Not the best restaurant to have a long, cosy dinner, but the food is delicious and not too expensive.
No doubt that La Vecchia Napoli serves the best pizza in town. They don't accept reservations and sometimes don't have any free tables, but if you're eager for pizza you should definitely give it a shot.
6 habitants recommandent
La Veccia Napoli
6 habitants recommandent
No doubt that La Vecchia Napoli serves the best pizza in town. They don't accept reservations and sometimes don't have any free tables, but if you're eager for pizza you should definitely give it a shot.
Only take-away, but the pasta is the best you will find in Leuven. Absolutely delicious and pure. It usually takes around 30min to prepare your pasta, so you can either call them in advance or have a drink in a bar nearby while you wait.
Www.linizio.be
39 Parijsstraat
Only take-away, but the pasta is the best you will find in Leuven. Absolutely delicious and pure. It usually takes around 30min to prepare your pasta, so you can either call them in advance or have a drink in a bar nearby while you wait.
Our go-to sushi place. You can either eat there or do take-out.
Wabi Sabi Sushi Bar
10 Muntstraat
Our go-to sushi place. You can either eat there or do take-out.
Brand-new tapas restaurant with great food. Be sure to make a reservation because they are very popular and always busy.
15 habitants recommandent
Baracca
34 Tiensestraat
15 habitants recommandent
Brand-new tapas restaurant with great food. Be sure to make a reservation because they are very popular and always busy.
Affordable, high quality burgers.
Huis Der Burgers
26 Tiensestraat
Affordable, high quality burgers.
Perfect for an affordable quick meal or drink in the trendy and upcoming Vaartkom area of Leuven. They have a big outdoor seating area close to the water as well.
8 habitants recommandent
Openbaar Entrepot voor de Kunsten
4 Vaartkom
8 habitants recommandent
Perfect for an affordable quick meal or drink in the trendy and upcoming Vaartkom area of Leuven. They have a big outdoor seating area close to the water as well.
Excellent Italian cuisine!
La Filosofia
2 Parkstraat
Excellent Italian cuisine!

Drinks & Nightlife

Hippest bar in town with a wide selection of drinks and the best DJ's.
Café Apero
52 Oude Markt
Hippest bar in town with a wide selection of drinks and the best DJ's.
Leuven's cultural center with a good, alternative selection of concerts, drinks and food.
27 habitants recommandent
STUK Arts Center vzw
96 Naamsestraat
27 habitants recommandent
Leuven's cultural center with a good, alternative selection of concerts, drinks and food.
Leuven's most authentic bar with the best Stella Artois on tap! They also serve a very nice spaghetti and a good selection of Belgian beers.
Café Commerce
16 Herbert Hooverplein
Leuven's most authentic bar with the best Stella Artois on tap! They also serve a very nice spaghetti and a good selection of Belgian beers.
Leuven's epicentrum of nightlife with tons of bars and small clubs.
45 habitants recommandent
Oude Markt
Oude Markt
45 habitants recommandent
Leuven's epicentrum of nightlife with tons of bars and small clubs.
Very cosy bar/restaurant with often live jazz performances. Be sure to check their website for the food menu and agenda. The food is delicious here! A hidden gem.
At The Bebop
82 Tiensestraat
Very cosy bar/restaurant with often live jazz performances. Be sure to check their website for the food menu and agenda. The food is delicious here! A hidden gem.
Smallest bar in town! This old lady (Germaine) runs the place and it's basically in her living room. She opens pretty late at night (around 11PM), but it's definitely worth a visit if you happen to be around. Free cheese with specialty beers.
Inn 't Joor 1
34 Ravenstraat
Smallest bar in town! This old lady (Germaine) runs the place and it's basically in her living room. She opens pretty late at night (around 11PM), but it's definitely worth a visit if you happen to be around. Free cheese with specialty beers.
If you want to try Belgian beers in a non-touristic place this is the way to go. They offer over 1.000 kinds of specialty beers in a cosy, warm setting.
The Fiere Margriet
11 Margarethaplein
If you want to try Belgian beers in a non-touristic place this is the way to go. They offer over 1.000 kinds of specialty beers in a cosy, warm setting.
This is the place to go if you order take-out food and want to eat it someplace outdoor. There's also a nightshop across the street which makes this the perfect place to have a beer or some wine and dive into the nightlife. But beware, because you will get fined if you have an open alcoholic beverage after midnight!
Dijleterrassen
Dirk Boutslaan
This is the place to go if you order take-out food and want to eat it someplace outdoor. There's also a nightshop across the street which makes this the perfect place to have a beer or some wine and dive into the nightlife. But beware, because you will get fined if you have an open alcoholic beverage after midnight!

Arts & Culture

One of Belgium's finest concert halls. Be sure to check their agenda on the website. They program all kinds of bands: rock, hiphop, jazz, reggae, pop, experimental, comedy,...
9 habitants recommandent
Het Depot
12 Martelarenplein
9 habitants recommandent
One of Belgium's finest concert halls. Be sure to check their agenda on the website. They program all kinds of bands: rock, hiphop, jazz, reggae, pop, experimental, comedy,...
Modern museum with lovely modern and classical expositions. Check their website for current events. During the summer you can have a drink on the beautiful rooftop at night.
61 habitants recommandent
M - Musée de Louvain
28 Leopold Vanderkelenstraat
61 habitants recommandent
Modern museum with lovely modern and classical expositions. Check their website for current events. During the summer you can have a drink on the beautiful rooftop at night.

Sightseeing

Cosy area with lovely small streets.
40 habitants recommandent
Groot Begijnhof Leuven
7 Groot Begijnhof
40 habitants recommandent
Cosy area with lovely small streets.
The world famous City Hall.
33 habitants recommandent
Hôtel de ville de Louvain
9 Grote Markt
33 habitants recommandent
The world famous City Hall.

Shopping

Decent shopping street with lots of small and bigger stores. Clothing, coffee, food, electronics,...
15 habitants recommandent
Diestsestraat
Diestsestraat
15 habitants recommandent
Decent shopping street with lots of small and bigger stores. Clothing, coffee, food, electronics,...
Leuven's main shopping street with a ton of (mainly clothing) stores. Leads straight into the big market and old market.
14 habitants recommandent
Bondgenotenlaan
Bondgenotenlaan
14 habitants recommandent
Leuven's main shopping street with a ton of (mainly clothing) stores. Leads straight into the big market and old market.
Very cool urban shop with lots of sneakers, clothes, accessories and a good alternative vinyl selection (mostly hiphop, beats, reggae, soul, funk, drum 'n' bass).
Giraffe Leuven
128 Bondgenotenlaan
Very cool urban shop with lots of sneakers, clothes, accessories and a good alternative vinyl selection (mostly hiphop, beats, reggae, soul, funk, drum 'n' bass).
Trendy clothing store (a bit more expensive) for both men and women.
Wear
131 P.J. Van Benedenstraat
Trendy clothing store (a bit more expensive) for both men and women.
Largest vinyl/CD selection in town, but mostly commercial music.
Bilbo Records
2 Monseigneur Ladeuzeplein
Largest vinyl/CD selection in town, but mostly commercial music.
Most authentic skate/snowboard shop in town. The owner (Jones) is a really nice guy who's always in the mood to chat about the local music/skate/snowboard scene. Even if you're not planning on buying anything this is a nice place to hang and socialize with the locals.
Twits
52 Parijsstraat
Most authentic skate/snowboard shop in town. The owner (Jones) is a really nice guy who's always in the mood to chat about the local music/skate/snowboard scene. Even if you're not planning on buying anything this is a nice place to hang and socialize with the locals.

Essentials

6 habitants recommandent
Colruyt Kessel-Lo
237 Tiensesteenweg
6 habitants recommandent
Very trendy concept store where you can get your hair done (both men and women) while having a drink at the bar.
De Kapbar
55 Naamsestraat
Very trendy concept store where you can get your hair done (both men and women) while having a drink at the bar.

Getting Around

The main train/bus station. Connections to all major cities in Belgium. 5min bus ride to the big market and old market.
22 habitants recommandent
Leuven station
16 Martelarenplein
22 habitants recommandent
The main train/bus station. Connections to all major cities in Belgium. 5min bus ride to the big market and old market.