When i arrived to Brussels, you would find out about these random markets on small squares across the city where local vendors sell vegetables, plants, fresh made pasta and other yummy products. But they would also serve as places where people would meet after work for a drink and a nibble as there are also food vendors with Moroccan pancakes, or Thai curry or just a good old hot dog or waffle. Most of these would open already for lunch time and then depending on what they sell remain open until 6,7,8 in the evening or some even longer.
So these square fests are in no way random and below is a calendar and a short subjective description of each of them.
Monday: Place van Meenen
St Gilles get the market on Monday in front of one of the most beautiful Maison Communal in Brussels. The market has a similar combination of the fresh produce and cooked food stands and sometimes during summer months even has live music bands playing in the evenings.
Tuesday: Place du Luxembourg
The Plux market opens at lunch time with a fruit/veggie stand, fresh pasta one, plants and flowers one and several food stands. Some cafes on the square even accept you bringing in the food from the square and sitting down on the terrace. It goes on until 7 more or less but the stands that sell champagne and oysters or just different food and drinks may stay open longer. It is quiet busy during lunch time and if the weather is good, the atmosphere is lovely.
Wednesday: Place du Chatelain
This one is similar to the one at Plux and in the evening there is a lot of people standing in a square having a drink in the bars near by and is a very well known Wednesday evening destination. That being said, Chatelain is a lovely neighbourhood with a bunch of lovely restaurants and bars so i would suggest also exploring it on other days.
Thursday: Maalbeek park
This is not exactly the scale nor the variety of offer as the previous ones but it is in a small park near the EU area so if you are in the neighbourhood, going for a pasteis de nata and a good Brussels beer is never a bad idea.
Friday: Place des Chasseurs Ardennais
This is my personal favourite (probably cos its on Friday)! It is quite big and the atmosphere is amazing with the square full of people, kids, elders enjoying a glass of cava or beer or wine in the sunshine on the bench. If the weather is good, the square is packed and you surely find something to eat and drink. I would absolutely recommend it and it also stays open quite late in the evening. This is what it normally looks like.
For more information on the other markets in the city, consult the website of the Bruxelles-ville: https://www.bruxelles.be/marches-de-plein-air
And here are the markets on the map: https://marches.bruxelles.be/carte-interactive
A day in a life of an expat in Brussels 