Le Pain Quotidien (French for “the daily bread”) is a bakery-restaurant group founded in Brussels in 1990 by Alain Coumont. As a young chef dissatisfied with the quality of bread available in Brussels, Coumont started making his own organic sourdough bread with just four ingredients: water, flour, salt and time. Le Pain Quotidien now has more than 210 bakeries in 21 countries on three continents. Our mission is to create meaningful connections in a home away from home, with simple but delicious and authentic organic and local cuisine made in-house.  

THE STORY OF LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN 

 The story behind Le Pain Quotidien and Alain Coumont’s passion for food began long before Alain’s first bakery. As a child in Belgium, he spent countless hours perched on a chair, watching his aunt make bread. As a young chef in Brussels, Alain searched for bread that lived up to his childhood ideal. Coming up empty-handed was perhaps the most fortunate stroke, for Alain realized that the only way to satisfy his yearning for the rustic bread of his youth was to recreate it from memory. Passionate about quality, he decided to return to his roots and open a bakery where he could knead flour, salt and water into the rustic loaves of his childhood.  The first Le Pain Quotidien opened on Rue Antoine Dansaert in Brussels, in those days an avant-garde quarter of Belgian fashion. At a local flea market, he found a long table where his guests could sit to eat together; it became Le Pain Quotidien’s first communal table. 

AT LE PAIN QUOTIDIEN…

… you’ll enjoy your moment outside of time, inspired by a homely atmosphere, good food and shared moments. Our story started over 30 years ago, with a traditional Belgian bakery at the heart of Brussels. Today, you still experience how we pass on this rich heritage, as we prepare our natural food with pure, simple and locally sourced ingredients.  

… you are welcomed at our communal table, a crossroad for new and meaningful interactions. You can also choose one of the many other cosy spots in our interior, which balances timeless elegance with contemporary influences. Just like you do as a guest, our partners and hosts feel good here. They work with us in a warm and positive atmosphere, the result of the efforts we make for sustainable relationships with everyone in our community. However, you want to spend your moment, whatever you pick from our generous menu: we always welcome you wholeheartedly. Come again, whenever you need to step out from the hustle and bustle. We’ll be there for you.