*Update: Comptoir Florian is still open but only as a shop, the tea room area is closed*
I can still recall the first time I walked into Comptoir Florian. Only a week after moving to Belgium, a friend of a friend brought us here. The only time the phrase “love at first sight” rang true for me was when I walked into this tea room. That day, we spent the entire afternoon at Comptoir Florian, trying out various different teas and sheltering ourselves from the rain. After that, I never stopped returning to my favorite tea room in Brussels.
My friends moved back to Croatia soon after but I never stopped visiting Comptoir Florian. In fact, for the first couple of months in Belgium, I had become a regular customer. I was coming in once or twice a week and writing while enjoying the tea. I fell in love with the high ceilings, the cozy corner with antique armchairs, and the vintage decor. It felt as if I had been transported to the mid-1930s, inside a Parisian tea room echoing with Billie Holiday’s lovely voice. To put it simply, it was heavenly.
Just so we’re clear, I was never that into tea. I only remember drinking it occasionally but it was never for pleasure. I have a ridiculously nitpicky taste in food and drinks and if you had asked me back in the day, I couldn’t have recommended you one good-tasting tea. All that changed when I was introduced to Comptoir Florian.
Technically, there are two places of the same name in Brussels. One is an actual shop for purchasing tea and the other one also offers you the chance to sit down for tea. I love coming back here so much that I’ve actually never visited the shop in the center of Brussels!
One of the first teas I tried was Thé de Bruxelles, which I thought was only appropriate to try. To this day, I still come back for it because nothing relaxes me more than this tea. I actually have a list of teas that I have yet to try from their abundant offer. I’m not sure of the exact number but I’ve heard it’s over 200!
Also, unlike other cafés where tea constitutes one single cup of tea, at Comptoir Florian, you get a full teapot. At the cost of 5€, it fills up 4-5 cups which is quite honestly a bargain. The only thing you’ll need is time to relax and enjoy the most creative teas you’ve ever tried!
I moved from Brussels to Spa a long time ago but I never lost the habit of visiting Comptoir Florian when in Brussels. No matter what the purpose of my one-day visit to Brussels is, I plan it around my favorite tea room. Four and a half years ago, I shyly introduced Grégory to my favorite tea room. I still try to come back there with him when possible. The last time we visited, the owners unexpectedly gifted us beautiful Comptoir Florian bookmarks!
A long time ago, I said how Comptoir was so lovely and cozy that I wished I could both work and live there! After all this time, I still stand by that statement. It’s located in an Art Nouveau house which is only fitting! My immeasurable love for black-and-white movies, jazz, and in general, the 1930s found its catalyst in this enchanting tea room. For the most delicious and creative tea, don’t look any further than Comptoir Florian!
Comptoir Florian, Rue Saint-Boniface 17, 1050 Ixelles
