Vibe: Lining up to grab a tray (and again after my meal to put the tray on a conveyor belt), this POLITICO reporter felt vaguely like livestock being ushered through a feedlot. The ambiance did not improve when an ear-splitting alarm suddenly screamed through the room; potentially a regular occurrence, as most forks barely paused on their way to mouths.
Who’s picking up the check? For around €9, I scored a sizeable vegetarian main and a dessert, so the prices are well within the budget of the average, barely taxed Commission worker, and even within the budget of the outrageously taxed POLITICO reporter. The grill was offering chicken with veggies and fries for a few euros extra.
Spotted: Preparedness Commissioner Hadja Lahbib was glimpsed striding through the Berlaymont’s lobby, as was Katharina von Schnurbein, the Commission’s coordinator on combating antisemitism. The canteen was a sea of Commission staffers from various Cabinets and units; a Brussels bubble nerd’s dream.
Fun fact: Among the EU institutions, the Commission’s canteen is generally regarded as top tier, along with the Council’s (which POLITICO has also reviewed, naturally). We hear there’s fierce competition between the two.
Insider tip: You’ll need an institution or visitor badge to get into the Berlaymont building. Sorry, no plebs allowed.
How to get there: The Schuman metro stop deposits you literally steps from the Berlaymont. Walk through the revolving doors and it’s basically a straight shot to the canteen.
Review published on May, 15 2025. Illustration by Dato Parulava/POLITICO
