1762, it says on the facade of In ’t Spinnekopke, and it certainly looks the part! We can’t vouch for all of its history, but it has been there ever since we moved to Brussels. However, in 2022 it was taken over by a team of young people, passionate about Brussels and hospitality, and they definitely succeeded in breathing new life into the centuries old estaminet!
In recent history, In ’t Spinnekopke has mainly been a restaurant, popular with tourists in particular. One of the goals of the new team was to attract locals back to the estaminet. One way to do this was to have affordable dishes on the menu, but the other was to make sure people just interested in a beer—or a couple—would feel welcome as well! So part of the restaurant is reserved for them, and there are plenty of beers from them to choose from.
The specialty of In ’t Spinnekopke however, is lambic beers. The local Cantillon is of course available, but also 3 Fonteinen, Boerenerf, Boon, De Troch, Den Herberg, Eylenbosch, Girardin, Hanssens, Lambiek Fabriek, and Tilquin… They also have their own Spinnekopke Oude Geuze, made by Den Herberg, and there are three different lambics available on draught.
If lambic is not your thing, some other styles are available as well, with the Brussels breweries well represented!
Bulls’ Balls
The cuisine of In ’t Spinnekopke is very Belgian, and some dishes even very Brussels. Of course there is stoemp with sausage and bacon, and the inevitable pork cheek carbonade flamande, meatballs in tomato sauce, and cheese croquettes. And while an actual spider features heavily in the branding of the restaurant, a spinnekop (spider’s head) is also the name of a very particular piece of heavily marbled beef, which you can eat here as well.
A bit more rare are the Brussels specialties like bloempanch (Brussels black pudding), and choesels, the version actually made from bull’s testicles… In fact, it might very well be the only place in Brussels where you can eat them. Definitely worth a try, if you’re a more adventurous eater!
The new team did a great job in reinvigorating this estaminet, while keeping some culinary traditions very much alive.
tl;dr
Beers
- 6 beers on draught, 3 of them lambics!
- A great selection of lambic beers from a wide range of brewers and blenders
- Other styles available as well, with Brussels breweries well represented
Bites
- Classic Belgian dishes
- Brussels dishes like bloempanch and choesels
In ’t Spinnekopke
Bloemenhofplein 1 Place du Jardin aux Fleurs
1000 Brussels
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What have people been drinking here recently?
- Niels Guchelaar is drinking a Belgohoho at In 't Spinnekopke
- Niels Guchelaar is drinking a Spinnekopke Blond at In 't Spinnekopke
- Kevin Nuyttens is drinking a Van Aert Gueuze Artisanale at In 't Spinnekopke
- Milena Callies is drinking an Oude Geuze Devillé à l'ancienne at In 't Spinnekopke
- LocoJoko is drinking a 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze Cuvée Armand & Gaston at In 't Spinnekopke
- LocoJoko is drinking a Spinnekopke Oude Geuze at In 't Spinnekopke
- LocoJoko is drinking a Spinnekopke Blond at In 't Spinnekopke
- Matthew McMullen is drinking a Spinnekopke Blond at In 't Spinnekopke
- Dave Jay is drinking a Spinnekopke Oude Geuze at In 't Spinnekopke
- Justin B is drinking an Oude Gueuze at In 't Spinnekopke