Burger King's first central Brussels restaurant at De Brouckere

Burger King will open its first central Brussels restaurant in the pedestrian zone this autumn, La Dernière Heure reports.

The burger outlet will form part of the new Crystal City commercial development on Boulevard Anspach at De Brouckere and will take over the premises of the former Mexican restaurant Chi-Chi's.

"We've wanted to open a restaurant in the centre of Brussels in June but it's taking us a bit longer," said Kevin Derycke, chief executive of Burger Brands Belgium, the fast food group's Belgian franchisee. "The construction works on the pedestrian zone and the time taken to grant permits means we now hope to inaugurate it around November."

Crystal City is the name being given to the renovation of the Gretry Building - the U-shaped building on Boulevard Anspach opposite Viage casino. It will house ground-floor shops with offices and housing above.

Burger King opened its first Brussels restaurant on Boulevard du Souverain in Auderghem last year, following openings in Antwerp and Charleroi.