Aux Merveilleux de Fred is this artisan French patisserie in Brussels that specialises in traditional Flemish meringue treats. They’ve got two spots in the city—one’s a pure takeaway patisserie, the other’s a tearoom where you can actually sit and enjoy your sweets with a proper coffee.
Aux Merveilleux de Fred Grand Place
Stumbling Upon Aux Merveilleux de Fred Grand Place
I first walked past Aux Merveilleux de Fred Grand Place on Rue du Marché aux Herbes 7. What caught my eye wasn’t the shop front, but their open-concept kitchen. You could watch the pâtissiers do their thing right there. One of them was working on this gorgeous green-coloured meringue creation, and I just knew I had to try it.
Quick heads up—this outlet is takeaway only. No seats, no dining space. You buy, you leave, you eat back at your hotel (which is exactly what I did).
My First Haul From Aux Merveilleux de Fred
Chocolate Cramique
I grabbed this the moment I spotted a fresh tray coming out of the oven. It’s basically brioche loaded with chocolate chips.
The bread is incredibly soft and pillowy, with this slightly crispy top that gives it texture. The chocolate flavour is rich—it reminded me of those soft chocolate breads you get from Japanese bakeries.
Le Merveilleux (Regular Size)
This is Aux Merveilleux de Fred’s signature item. It’s meringue layered with chocolate whipped cream, then completely coated in dark chocolate shavings. Now, I was bracing myself for serious sweetness because meringue usually goes that way, right? But surprise—it wasn’t overly sweet at all.
The inside is so light it almost feels airy. First time I’ve ever eaten a meringue cake like this, and honestly? Way better than I expected.
Clockwise from the bottom right: Mini Éphémère, Mini Magnifique, Mini Le Merveilleux.
Three Mini Meringue Treats
I also picked up three minis in different flavours. These are noticeably softer in texture compared to the regular size. So soft, actually, that you can’t really hold them up with your fingers without them crumbling.
Mini Éphémère: Remember that green meringue I mentioned? This is it. Pistachio whipped cream with crystallised meringue. Quite nutty in flavour. Not bad at all.
Mini Magnifique: This one’s got praline whipped cream and is coated with crushed caramelised almonds and hazelnuts. I really liked the crunch from the nuts—adds a nice contrast to the soft meringue.
Mini Le Merveilleux: Same as the regular-sized one, just smaller. No difference in taste, really. Just feels softer and more delicate, probably because of the size.
Loved It So Much, We Came Back the Next Day
Aux Merveilleux de Fred Danseart
Just look at that array of meringue desserts! 😍
Whoever came up with this deserves a medal. Meringue has never tasted this good 😂
Nothing beats freshly baked goods straight out of the oven.
My husband and I couldn’t stop talking about those meringue treats. So the next day, we made our way to their other outlet—Aux Merveilleux de Fred Danseart at Rue Auguste Orts 23. This one’s got a proper tearoom where you can sit down and take your time.
Taking a coffee break and watching the world go by—one of my favourite travel moments.
Le Merveilleux (Regular Size) – Round Two
Had to order this again because it quickly became our favourite.
Imagine a cake, but instead of sponge, it’s made with meringue. Somehow it’s just ridiculously addictive.
I have to say, this is genuinely the first and only time I’ve enjoyed meringue this much.
Raisin Cramique
Similar to the chocolate cramique we tried earlier. Equally delicious.
The size is pretty impressive for 250g—it’s a heavy, hefty piece of bread. I really loved that crisp crust on top. So good.
Pudding Au Chocolat
They offer two types of pudding—chocolate or rum & raisin. Since we’d already gone for the raisin cramique, we figured we’d try the chocolate pudding.
Here’s the thing though: despite the name, the texture is nothing like typical pudding. This is more like a dense, dry bread pudding. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t really my kind of thing.
Coffee and Cappuccino
We ordered both a cappuccino and regular coffee. Not bad at all. Aromatic, smooth, and not acidic. Did the job nicely.
Final Thoughts on Aux Merveilleux de Fred
I can’t recommend Aux Merveilleux de Fred enough. Whether you’re doing takeaway or sitting down at their tearoom, you absolutely have to try Le Merveilleux. It’s hands down the best thing we had. And if you’re a bread person like me, the Cramique is seriously worth getting too.
Just sitting here writing this, I’m already craving Le Merveilleux again. It looks like besides Manhattn’s Burgers, I’ve found my second reason to return to Brussels! 😉