Poechenellekelder

A puppet-filled basement bar in the Centre facing Manneken Pis — marionettes on the ceiling, 100-plus Belgian beers, Belgian surrealism incarnate. Order from the 100-plus Belgian beers while surrounded by marionettes; the surreal atmosphere is uniquely Brussels, and facing Manneken Pis completes the scene. Come afternoon or evening for the basement atmosphere, where the puppets are always watching. It is only-in-Brussels — a basement strung with marionettes, an enormous Belgian beer list, and a window onto the city's most famous little statue. For Belgian beer in a setting of genuine surrealist strangeness, right by Manneken Pis, it captures the city's peculiar spirit better than almost anywhere.