Restaurants

One of the things I missed as soon as I left my Torino was the ritual of the aperitif. After work we used to meet in bars in the town center, and enjoy some drinks accompanied by free food, this is the concept.

And one day, walking around Brussels, I heard someone speaking my dialect, I turned around and saw “La Piola” aperitif bar in Brussels. I almost cried while ordering a glass of white Moscato wine and picking some of the food.

A few years have passed since that day, and the Piola is still running. There are 2 even.

La Piola Libri is a bookstore, wine bar, apero bar, concert/conference place for Italians or Italy lovers. The evenings with Guccini and Vinicio Capossela were unforgettable. It’s nested in the European Quarter not far from Schuman so go early if you don’t want to be waiting for your spritz too long. Check out their website or facebook page for the latest events hosted, you won’t regret it!

The second branch, La Piola is just off pl. Chatelain (rue du page 2, Ixelles). It’s an apero bar, a wine bar and also a good simple Italian restaurant with a nice front terrace and a backyard garden.

Do not expect the variety of food you can get in Torino, but I still feel at home (you can even read La Stampa, the Turin newspaper).

I discovered El Turco one night I was supposed to meet some friends in a Mexican restaurant but entered this Turkish buffet place by mistake.

Located on the Place de Londres in Ixelles, it’s a nice restaurant for a no frills meal with friends. When you enter from Place the Londres you have to cross the whole place to reach the extensive buffet of cold and warm dishes. You’ll find plenty of salads and vegetables, desserts and warm meat and vegetables. I never miss the aubergines and the pumpkin (in season), they are just so delicious.

Next step is to decide the formula you prefer: by weight (€ 2.45/100g) or all you can eat (€ 22.90) depending on how hungry you are. Just be careful: if you are part of a group, the whole table has to choose the same formula.

After you sit down, a waiter will come to take the drinks order: softs, beer or wine.

I normally finish the meal with a mint tea or two, comfortably chatting with my friends till it’s closing time.

Opened a few years ago, Mamma Roma is one of the meeting points for quick and healthy food in town for any time of the day. There are now 6 shops in Brussels: 4 are located near 4 of the main apero squares in town (Chatelain, Flagey, Jourdan and St Gilles Parvis), 1 (Bondael) in the university area and 1 right in the center next to St. Gery. They serve sliced pizza (pizza al taglio) in 10 or more different flavors.

You choose which one, you choose how much and there you are: your quick dinner is ready. It’s good, really, I’m Italian and I have some knowledge about pizza. It’s cheap too. The ‘lunch’ is 2 slices plus a drink, and it’s just € 8.90 and all day long you can have a dessert menu (2 slices, 1 dessert and a drink) for € 11.90. Of course it’s possible to take away, and if you get there 1 hour before closure, all pizzas are 50% the price!

The only downside… it’s always crowded. My favourite is the one in pl. Jourdan: it’s bigger and has a nice terrace for the summer. 

PS: They’ve now opened one branch in Paris too!!

Rue du Page is definitely one of my favourite streets in Ixelles and the whole Brussels Region in general. Certainly during summertime this street is so lively with numerous cafés, restaurants and shops. My favourite restaurants are for example the Basque ‘Le Fils de Jules‘, the Italian ‘Gusto’ or the French La Quincaillerie. 

Amongst the nice little clothing and accessory shops, you can also find numerous vintage shops in rue du Page and of course a cupcake bar! What would a hipster area be without cupcakes… Make sure to enter the shop ‘Septante Sept’ (number 77). There you will find clothes, but also toys and accessories made by Belgian designers and manufacturers. Definitely a good occasion for some gift shopping.

I absolutely encourage people to pay a visit to this street and the entire area on an afternoon. If you want to feel really lucky then it is recommended to go there on Wednesdays, as the delicious Chatelain market is just at the end of the street.

The world refers to them as French fries, although there is no population in the world that eats more of them and they were invented here, in this country. You spent all your money in chocolate stores and you’re running out of budget? Or you’re just looking for some quick and cheap snack?

Try a typical ‘frietkot’ and head to Fritland, located in the tourist heart of the centre. Ready in a minute and you can eat them inside, outside on the terrace or as takeaway to enjoy your meal at the steps of the Bourse.

Skip the french fries, you’ll find them better elsewhere, and try a mitraillette, Fritland has the best ones in town. No fear, no one will get harmed, it’s just a baguette with hamburger, lettuce, baked onions, cocktail sauce and – of course – Belgian fries.