Ixelles – Local tips (bars & cafes)

Well, OK, let’s make it official: Sundays are an issue.

You were working the whole week, waiting for a nice week-end.

But of course, Friday night finds you knackered so you better stay home.
Saturday: you’re busy doing the shopping, and then again to exhausted to go out.
Finally on Sunday you feel full of energy, you feel like the king of the city, but then… you find yourself with this ultimate question: “what the hell can I do on a Sunday?

In the series of “What to do on Sunday?”, let’s discover Bar du Marché.

I love it, as simple as that. The bar is nice, the staff is fun, the other customers are friendly, and you will receive some nuts with your fresh drink.

On Sundays, it’s “Jazzette”: a jazz band will swing your afternoon. My ultimate pleasure is to have a nice cinnamon tea, waiting for some friends, having a chat with some people around (well my male friends use to say that they’re making a move, but whatever). It’s the best way to finish the w-e.

Almost perfect? Well, I still must warn you about the same bar at nights… it’s not the same atmosphere; but a bit more decadent.

It could be appreciated by some of you (I don’t judge), but it’s not the place to chill out at night. If I compare it with literature, I would say that the bar is Dr Jekyll at daytime, and Mr. Hyde at night. You’ll find good reasons to visit one or another…

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Bar du Marché | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music
Rue Alphonse de Witte, 12 | Ixelles
09:00 – 02:00 daily

This was the first bar I went to when I moved to Brussels. My friend brought me here to celebrate my new job. Since that time I can’t avoid a stop here if I’m in the neighborhood.

They have few tables, friendly staff, and a good choice of wine and beers. However, what attracts me most are the tapas. Just what you need while drinking a good glass. Try the quinoa salad or the cheese (not always available)!

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Delecta | Bars, Snacks | Beer € 2.00
Rue Lannoy, 2 | Ixelles
Mon – Fri 10:00 – 01:00, Sat 11:00 – 02:00

One of the spots I like to go to is L’Auberge espagnole. Funny, when I’m making appointment with French speaking friends, they’re so enthusiastic as it’s the name of a very popular french movie. But anyway, all this don’t tell you why it is my spot:

Once, I went there and tried their Chili Con Carne… and loved it. So few time later, I came back with one friend and on our way I was giving her all delicious details about this Chili… hmmm we were so hungry! It was around 9 pm, we arrived and… bad surprise: no more Chili. They told us that if I wanted to make sure I have to come back earlier or to make a booking… (something I never do).

So one week later; here we are, now the three of us and it’s… 7.30 pm. And again… bad news; no more Chili!! I was so desperate and hungry and angry.. “How early is not too early to have this Chili? It’s before 8 pm?” Well they were sorry but couldn’t help.

After this, they can hardly forget me, and each time I go there, I don’t have to order.. they know what I want! But now, I’m regretting to let you know about this place, ’cause we will be even more people to order that dish!

About the wine; the place is a wine bar. I can’t tell you much about wine, but it seems they have wine from Argentina, and some other Spanish speaking countries. And my friends told me it was good.

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L’Auberge espagnole | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants (Tapas) | Tapas from € 5.00
Parvis de la Trinité, 10 | Ixelles | +32473315979
Tue – Sat 18:30 – 23:00

It’s the first place I’ve ever eaten in Brussels, so it’s a very special place to me. 5 years, and not much has changed!

Getting more popular by the minute l’Ultime Atome is a typical café restaurant in the heart of Ixelles, squeezed between the shopping street of chaussee d’Ixelles and the African neighbourhood in chaussee de Wavre.

It’s a great place to rest after shopping or drink before clubbing. It offers food all day long, and has a very good beer list (seasonal beers, trappist beers, regional beers,…). They also serve breakfast daily, but unfortunately only till 12!

I like the pot of fresh mint tea (with liquid sugar!) a lot. One of the specialities is the “chocolat chaud”, the hot chocolate which is served as hot milk and separate chocolate pearls which you mix at your taste. Not to miss is the “molleaux au chocolat” served with custard and the cakes in display on the left of the main entrance.

It has a dozen of tables on the terrace, a bit squeezed but great on one of those few warm sunny day. The staff is friendly, prices are average but you’ve got to pay for the loo.

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L’Ultime Atome | Bars, Restaurants (Café) | Beer € 2.00
14, rue Saint Boniface | Ixelles | +3225111367
Mon – Fri 08:30 – 01:00, Sat – Sun 10:00 – 01:00

Metro stop Naamse Poort is the gateway to African shops, various ethnic restaurants, Italian, Greek, Indian, Pakistan, and Belgian cuisine. This is rue Nord, Brussels commercial clothes street converted into a more enjoyable area to wander in.

There are also a lot of African barber shops, clothes, food and jewelry shops next to HM, Zara and the usual pack of Belgian stores but this time in a vibrant and living neighbourhood. At night you can enjoy Brazilian, African, or other cultural happenings.

Further down the shop street right in front of the subway you’ll find a park to sit in front of the cities town hall, in Ixelles. Various bars and restaurants add to Matongés cultural offerings.

The Chaussée de Wavre offers mainly restaurants, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian and Japanese bars and several African shops. There are also various second hand clothes shops and other specialised shops. The prices for food, clothes, or other items in this area are fairly cheap. Be sure to see this area at your own interests and pace.

The most vibrant part of Brussels and the best experiences to be found are there.

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Matongé | Art & culture, Bars, Restaurants (Different)
Chaussee de Wavre, Porte de Namur | Ixelles
Daily

The Rue Jourdan is one of the places to be when you’re looking for a cozy street full of nice resto terraces in the Louiza Area. Located close to movie theatres UGC Toison d’Or and Vendôme (check the Vendôme article) makes it a good spot for a pre-movie dinner.

Italians are well represented in this street, Al Piccolo Mondo, I Trulli, Il Rinascimento , Il Vecchio Mulino… your pick!  Fancy French food? Try a Coq au vin in Le Délire Parisien or French/Belgian cuisine in Au Boeuf Gros Sel while Kwiling will feed the ones looking for Asian kitchen.

Take a look around the corner in Rue Dejoncker for other (and more budget-friendly) options such as Libanese and Vietnamese restaurants and a regular brasserie.

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Rue Jourdan | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants
Rue Jourdan | Ixelles
Early breakfast – late dinner daily

A bar you should definitely visit is the newly opened Supermercado bar. This little bar is not that far from the ‘Louise’ metro stop in Ixelles. the neighbourhood is populated mostly by Brussels expats. Italian, English, Spanish and Belgian people all mix in this small homely bar.

Next to your regular cafe menu they serve excellent wines, mojito’s, coffee’s and several small delicate foods. The cutely organized terrace gives a magnificent view of the beautiful art deco buildings in the neighbourhood. Since this bar is located out of the main shopping streets it offers a quiet surrounding. There are practically no cars passing by as with the regular terraces in busy areas. Most of the people visiting there know each other: consider it as a meeting spot for locals and expats.

The wall inside the bar shows a drawing transcending into a photograph which contributes to this bar’s unique personalized character. It is not like the various dull and uniform decorated bars. It can mostly be described as a typical Barcelona Cava bar.

The owner also serves delicious small snacks. This can be marinated olives or other tapa like dishes depending on what’s available for the day.

This cute little black bar is definitely something to see when in Brussels, a nice time guaranteed!

Supermercado seems to be more true to its supposed opening hours. They are now open in regular fashion each Tuesday till Saturday from five o’clock.

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Supermercado | Bars, Snacks | Wine € 2.50
Rue de Florence | Ixelles
Tue – Sat from 17:00 until ..

You must know it already if you were reading my articles, I like jazz music (and soul, funky, groovy, hip-hop music, …): so I can’t keep this legendary place in Brussels for myself and the very few who like Jazz. It’s located in a little street near the city hall of Ixelles; The Sounds.

The name itself sounds like this is the place were things happens. And things have been happening for more than 20 years now at the Sounds!

I can’t explain you more than that, it’s not something you have to read, it’s something you should hear and live by yourself. The atmosphere is similar to other places for initiates. It’s warm, cosy, friendly and the sound in the air is one of the best in town.

Every Monday, you’ll enjoy the Master Sessions (with very good Belgian jazzmen), every Wednesday the sound is more latino, I’m sure none of us will complain.

And there’s a concert every other day, so you must find what you’re looking for (and even be well surprised).

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The Sounds | Bars, Music, Snacks
Rue de la Tulipe, 28 | Ixelles
Mon – Sat 20:00 – 04:00

In Belgium a “Stam café” is the coffee bar you are use to go to very often. It’s your very first spot any moment of the day.

I used to have one until one year ago. But don’t search in my previous articles; I stopped going to that place a long time before I started writing for Spotted by locals. So I have my different spots, indeed, but I was desperately in quest of my new “stam café”.

And then, at the end of the summer, a new bar open its doors at the end of my street. Knowing that I live in Flagey: yes, that’s another very nice place to hang out in Flagey!

What is so special about this place? It’s cosy and I like some details on the design, the bartender is really friendly and welcoming, I recognise the faces of some people at other tables, the music is nice and it’s at 20 meters from my apartment!

And last but not least for a non alcohol drinker but night bird like me… they do serve tea after 22:00.

See you there, hopefully!

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Tigre Café | Bars, Coffee & tea
Rue de la Brasserie, 117-119 | Ixelles
08:30 – 00.00 daily