Personality
Artisan
At Le Pain Quotidien, we strive for the most perfect and tasty balance between timeless elegance and contemporary influences. We cherish the art of baking and we’ll gladly inspire you with our vast knowledge about various kinds of food and their origins. In spite of our rich heritage, history and knowhow, we always uphold a no-nonsense attitude.
Thoughtful
We remain a trustworthy bakery that offers a thoughtful, positive experience and stays relevant throughout time. From the start, we weren't only in it for business, but also because we care about the world and the people around us. That's why we build long-term relationships with everyone in our community, whilst enabling and creating meaningful connections between people.
Welcoming
Wherever you go, you can always rely on us as a good neighbor who welcomes you wholeheartedly and treats you with friendliness and generosity. Optimistic by nature, we have got what it takes to make your day. We offer you a breather amidst the urban hustle and bustle. You’ll find yourself in a calm oasis where you can enjoy a moment outside of time, before plunging into city life again.
Honest
We are true and honest about everything we do. We don't fake anything. We are transparent about the origins of our food, gladly informing you about every ingredient, By the same token, we don't use any artificial or fake materials in our interior. Through it all, we stay humble and let our natural and tasty products do the talking so that you can enjoy it all and feel good.
Sitting together around the idea of pleasure.
Le Pain Quotidien means the daily bread. And to us, that means everything. It’s much more than mere sustenance; it’s a way of life. As our loaves emerge from the ovens, warm and fragrant, friends gather around our communal tables to share in the time-honored tradition of breaking bread.
The hum of conversation fills the air, jam is passed around the table, and, ever so gracefully, time slows.
Flour, water, salt and time.
In this ever-changing and hectic world, we invite you to escape to a place where traditional simplicity is cherished. Our bakers blend organic stone-ground flour, sea salt and water with a wild yeast levain starter to create a humble four-ingredient beginning. The dough is then kneaded patiently by hand, and baked in our stone-lined hearths. These are the artisanal loaves of our past, baked according to tradition.
One slice of bread…and countless variations.
Our handmade bread serves as the canvas for a myriad of organic and seasonal ingredients. They come together to become our tartines, the Belgian take on the sandwich. At once simple and elegant, our tartines bring taste to the table and delight to the palate.
Belgian hand warmer.
When our founder, Alain Coumont, was a young boy in Belgium, he went to his grandmère’s house every Wednesday afternoon where she greeted him with a small bowl of steaming hot chocolate. Alain cupped his hands around it, letting the warmth seep into his body and chase away winter’s frigid chill.
As a chef, he carried the memory of that warmth to the tables of Le Pain Quotidien. To this day, simple bowls still stir memories of a child’s delight, and still carry warmth to our friends. Whether it’s in the form of piping hot chocolate or a café au lait, you’ll receive this same welcome with our wide, round bowls. Hold it in your hands and feel at ease.
Join us at the table.
At Le Pain Quotidien, we believe that community is what nurtures, inspires and feeds the soul. Our first communal table on Rue Dansaert in Brussels was built from wood salvaged from the floors of retired Belgian trains. Those simple planks became a tradition. Today, this same rough, reclaimed wood continues to bring a rustic comfort to our stores, and the communal tables have become our centerpiece.
Long enough for all to fit and narrow enough for all to talk, our tables are where friends reconnect and new friendships are forged over the shared appreciation of delicious food and good company. In a space where color comes to life, music mingles with the melody of conversation and fresh-baked smells stoke the imagination, there will always be a place for you at our table.