Our concept

In the heart of Saint-Gilles, SABBAR is much more than just a café. It is a place for meeting, sharing, and creating, designed as a true “third place”—a space between home and work where everyone naturally finds their place.

In a city as rich and diverse as Brussels, where hundreds of cultures coexist, opportunities to truly connect remain rare. SABBAR was born from this observation, with a clear ambition: to build a bridge between stories, generations, and identities.

Conceived by Aurélie and Karim, SABBAR brings together in a single space a multilingual bookstore, a Levantine café, and a vibrant cultural hub. People come here to savor a coffee with hints of cardamom, share a vegetarian meal inspired by the Levant, discover rare works in Arabic, French, or English, or simply take their time.

But SABBAR is also a stage open to the world: author meet-and-greets, exhibitions, intimate concerts, creative workshops, and book clubs punctuate the space’s life. Each event is an invitation to exchange ideas, learn, and create together.

Designed as an inclusive and accessible space, SABBAR welcomes everyone—neighborhood residents, passing travelers, families, artists, and the curious—just a stone’s throw from the Gare du Midi. The venue also transforms to host private events, workshops, or celebrations in a warm and friendly atmosphere.

Part café, part bookstore, part restaurant, and part cultural venue, SABBAR embodies a new way of experiencing the city: more open, more human, and more connected.