Ixelles Brussels – All our local tips

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…

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Bar du Marché | Bars, Coffee & tea, Music
Rue Alphonse de Witte, 12 | Ixelles
09:00 – 02:00 daily

When you want to see an excellent film head to cinema Vendôme. This beautiful master piece of architecture marks the beginning of Brussels’ African Hub, Matongé (check the Matongé article)

The metro Naamsepoort or porte de Namur is just around the corner and so is the UGC, the cinema where you go to see the awful Hollywood films. But Vendôme guaranties an interesting cinema outing. They show various European, Asian and African films.

Next to having an excellent film programming, Vendôme is truly a beautifully designed and decorated large building. The lights at the entrance and in the rest of the building offer a luxurious atmosphere from times long gone. There is a big circular stairway that takes you to the different screening rooms. The installation is up to date and you’ll find that there are many seats available that offer a good viewing perspective.

The cinema doesn’t host a large crowd but mostly a film respecting knowledgeable audience. During the year the Vendôme cinema offers various film festival. Like an African film festival, a short film festival, a Chinese film festival and other specialised screenings. The ticket booth at the front of the building makes you think of the alternative cinema’s of the 40’s or 60’s and going there is all together a much nicer experience than seeing a film at UGC.

Afterwards head to Matongé and experience the lively African action at the various bars and restaurants. Wandering in this neighbourhood is the most entertaining and lively experience you’ll get while visiting Brussels.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Cinema Vendôme | Cinemas | Screening € 7.00
Waverse Steenweg 18 | Ixelles | +32206268694
18:00 – 01:00 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)!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
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.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
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.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
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

I love this place: a typically Belgian one! Not because of the food they serve here -we can argue as Spaghetti ala Bologna became a basic dish in any self-respecting Belgian brasserie even though the recipe used in Belgium is very different from the Bolognese one – but for the simplicity of its service and the personality of its owner: Françoise.

She will welcome you properly: with a smile, a sarcastic sense of humor, a love for her customer, her good mood.

The place has other originality: it’s exiguous; on the menu you’ll find only Spaghetti (4 sorts) and you’ll be served in 2 minutes chrono.

The atmosphere owes much to all this characteristics and to Françoise herself. So you won’t go there because it’s the best spaghetti in town (even though the dishes are not bad at all) but because it’s the best place in town to eat them!

One day, I was very lucky: Françoise was in a good mood, the music on the radio was one of her favourite, so she puts the volume higher…and we started to dance… Crazy moment? No: Belgian moment!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
La Canardière | Restaurants (Spaghetti) | Spaghetti € 10.00
Rue Stassart, 17 | Ixelles | +3225122620
Daily

As many girls, I don’t go outside without my bag. Thanks to it I can have with me anything I need… one of those things being a book.

I can read many books a week and I often even read while walking in the streets. Sometimes when I finish work, I find myself at the Natural Caffè (see the Natural caffe article) for a drink, but without a book to read… and it’s already 18:30: my nightmare: being the whole evening without a chance to read….

Of course, I can go to Cook&Book: they’re open late (as it is also a restaurant), but come on, I’m tired, I’m in Ixelles on my way home, and sometimes I don’t want to run till the other part of the city.

Fortunately, I found out that the owner of the bookshop “Place Voltaire” is not counting the minutes before closing her shop. If you arrive around 18:30, there is a good chance you will be allowed to come in and to take the time to choose a book.

I like the fact that I can arrive late and find it open, and I also like the warm and nice atmosphere and the nice chat with the owner. It has the colour, the smell and the impression of being back in the time where people get to take the time for the good things.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Librairie Place Voltaire | Art & culture, Shopping | Books from € 4.00
rue de l’Aqueduc, 101 | Ixelles
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 19:00

When I do some shopping the moment I am looking forward to is the time to relax and take a cup of tea… and if there are some delicious pastries, it’s even better!

One of my favourite shopping place is in the neighborhood of Place du Châtelain. You may also be interested to visit the Horta Museum in the area…

So, imagine me having a ‘hard’ time shopping…. and then after few hours of seeing such wonderful things… having a nice sweet rest in a ’salon de thé’.

I can do it at Lilicup….  it’s fresh, pop, English style, and yummie…

Also a very nice place to go with the kids, as they will have their own table! ;)

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Lilicup | Coffee & tea
Rue du Page, 65 | Ixelles | +3225380268
Tue – Fri 10:00 – 17:00, Sat 10:00 – 18:00

There’s something you have to know about me: I like to wear dresses and I hate to buy all the nice dresses they have thousands of in famous (and not so cheap, finally) shops around the world…

This said, as I want to keep my addresses quiet secret in order to be sure that no other girl wears the same dress at the next party, I don’t say often where I found them… A woman has to keep some mystery, isn’t it?

Anyway, today, and especially for you, dear reader, I decided to break one of my numerous principles: “Never say where you find your nice clothes” (in the same list, you can find “never have a relationship at the office”, “never eat more than one chocolate a week”, “never have a girly discussions in front of your boss”, but don’t count on me to let you know which ones I have already – or are on their way to be – broken).

So when I have time AND money: I just love to go to this shop: Look 50.

Laura (the owner) has a big stock of second hand vintage clothes for men and for women, but started also to sell some new clothes, for this last category she’s choosing only collections from less famous stylist and, having a small shop, you don’t find the same model in many exemplar: so it’s good, but if you find a nice one: don’t wait to buy it, you may never find it back!

If you know the shop (a legendary second hand shop in Brussels) and meet Laura, you may be surprised how young she is, due to the fact that the shop is open since decades. Actually the shop was first owned by her mother, and she took over, continuing with what did its success in the years ‘80 but with her personal touch and taste: brilliant!

And of course, while in the area, you can visit the other shops in the same street (rue de la Paix) and have a nice break after at one of the nice places in Saint-Boniface Place.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Look 50 | Shopping
Rue de la Paix, 10 | Ixelles | +3225122418
Mon – Sat 10:30 – 18:30

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.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Matongé | Art & culture, Bars, Restaurants (Different)
Chaussee de Wavre, Porte de Namur | Ixelles
Daily

Have you ever dreamed of a place where you can touch everything?

As a kid, when your parents brought you to the museum, did you feel frustrated because they were constantly asking you to not touch anything?

Well, good news: you’re not the only one…

Fortunately enough “our” kids can make this dream come true; this Museum is made for them and they’re allowed (and warmly invited) to touch everything they want and to experiment with everything.

The Musée des Enfants (Kindermuseum) is located in a nice park, it’s a good destination for a sunny/rainy day (you know, it’s so sunny, and as soon as you arrive at the park it’s raining, then you decide to change the plans, and: wow! sunny again).

At the entrance of the Museum, some of the kids were so enthusiastic about it! One told me that he’s constantly harassing his mum to come here (the expression on the mum’s face present at the moment confirmed this), other ones told me that there’s no place on earth, except ‘maybe the beach’ where they can have such a good time.

But, I have to say that all were around 7 to 10 years old. My niece is only 3 years old and yes, she liked it, but I cannot say that she was that enthusiastic.

So I will suggest this place for kids who can already read so they’ll learn a lot (and especially boys).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Musée des Enfants | Art & culture, Relaxing | Entrance & workshop € 6.85
15, rue du Bourgmestre | Ixelles | +3226400107
Please check the website

If you need a break and some good coffee, this place is definitely one of the best choices in this part of the city!

Ok, those of you who know me already could say “But, you’re not even a coffee drinker, so how this place could be your spot?“

Well, it’s true, but Natural Caffé has much more to offer then good coffee. Well, they have tea, but it’s not the reason why I use to go there.

I like to stop by after a working day: you feel a certain dynamism: everyone is a bit in the same situation: so much stress because of their activities and in need of a nice break before starting the evening, going back home.

Here you’ll feel the energy of a Metropolis: a business man happy after a good deal, a shopping women happy after another kind of good deal, students talking about their thesis and how to deal with, couples taking the time to be a couple before going back home and be parents again, …

I like the light from the big windows from which you have a perfect view to one of the largest avenue of the city: avenue Louise, and Natural Caffé is perfectly situated in the “carrefour” of Lesbroussart street and Bailli street: so you can sit and watch the theater going on outside.

As I said, I use to go there around 6 pm, after work, but I’ve heard of people who like the place in the morning for the breakfast (and I tried it on Sundays) or on a Saturday afternoon as a nice meeting place.

I’m sure, you’ll find the hour and the coffee that suits you best!

PS : They have a new location in the Mont des Arts… nice if you visit the Center…

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Natural Caffè | Coffee & tea
Avenue Louise, 196 | Ixelles | +3226467214
08:00 – 19:00 daily

You already smell it, this is a place where you can forget the clichés of the typical greek restaurants you’ve been to too many times. No giant souvlaki on your plate, sitting between fake corinthian pillars while you’re being disturbed by bouzouki players bringing serenades at your table.

An typical greek ouzerie is a place where people come together to drink their ice cold ouzo and enjoy some often cold appetizers, called mezedes.  This mezedepoleio of course offers you ouzo, and has a broad selection of delicious cold and warm mezedes.

Fill your table with stuffed peppers, warm saganaki cheese, the cretan dakos bread, fried aubergines, meat skewers, keftedes meatballs and fish.

Jump into the world of the authentic Greek, Cretan and Mediterranean kitchen and select, mix and share your favorite menu.

Kali oreksi

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Ouzerie mezedopolio | Restaurants (Greek) | An ouzo € 25.00
Chaussée d’Ixelles 235 | Ixelles | +3226464449
Mon – Sat 19:00 – 00:00

I’m always surprised to discover that Brussels has hundreds of small parks, hidden behind buildings, or around the corner of a busy street. Even locals do not know them, as the entrance is often a small door, with an opening timetable posted on it.

The other day I see a gate and a sign “Parc Public, entree libre 9:00 – 18:00″. As a Brussels Spotter I can’t miss out on this! And… a surprise. Nobody around, music coming from a workshop nearby.

Quietness, this is the feeling I got from this Park. You need to think? You need to relax after walking around and shopping in Matonge (see the Matonge article)? This is the place to go!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Parc Viaduc | Relaxing | Free
Entrance from Rue du Viaduc 131B | Ixelles
09:00 – 18:30 daily

Do you know this feeling? You want to eat this particular dish that you use to eat when you were still leaving at your parents’ place… but you know the preparation takes long, you’re not sure about the recipe and you don’t see yourself calling your mum (who’s not living in the same town by the way) to ask her to prepare it…

Fortunately, I found out in my neighborhood a snack offering salads, soups and… traditional Moroccan food! And I found exactly what I was looking for: the taste from my childhood.

Obviously, I’m not the only one: many Moroccans eat there as well. It’s true that in the neighborhood there’s a Moroccan community: and some of them use to go there to drink the traditional tea, have a chat altogether, listening to the traditional music…

Sometimes, I have the feeling I’m in one of the many snacks in Casablanca… and it’s even true, when the waiter starts to sing an Arabic song while serving everyone!

I’ve tried nearly everything and was not disappointed, but I especially recommend the “Tagine Kefta” (ask for ‘la totale’ with potatoes and eggs), the “Soupes de lentilles”.

Oh, and did I tell you? Yes, they have Couscous, of course!!!

Bsaha (Arabic word to say ‘bon appetit’)

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Perle D’Orient | Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Moroccan) | Soup € 3.00
rue Malibran, 23 | Ixelles
Mon – Fri

Whatever the spot I’m going too: there’s one I don’t miss, any day of the year, no matter if it rains or if it’s sunny: Place Flagey itself!

After many years of construction work and after many discussions and contests on what to do with the place, it is now open to the public again, and the public use it extensively.

Around the place you have many bars, snacks, restaurants, theatres and parks, but the place itself worth the visit: you can have a seat it the huge public benches, waiting for your friends (or pretending to) and watching the life around you: kids playing football, rollersakte, or with the fountain, adults drinking beers, playing music, chatting ; artists giving a free show to the lucky ones present.

The place is huge (the biggest one in Brussels) and there’s always something to do or see in it, official, commercial or … popular.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Place Flagey | Relaxing | Free
Place Flagey | Ixelles
24 hours daily

The best way to start your visit in Brussels is by going to Place Poelaert. This place gives a magnificent overview of Brussels. It is especially nice to visit during sunrise or sunset.

You can see all of Brussels buildings in a wonderful panorama. There are binoculars to view the buildings in detail and there is a lift that takes you to the Marolles. You can also walk down following the parking space of the adjacent Palais de Justice.

You can sit on the stone fence to admire the view. On your right there is a beautiful art deco building functioning as a high school and on the left there is the Palais de Justice. Right in front of Place Poelaert is Avenue Louise, following this avenue completely to the end, or taking a tram, will bring you to Bois de la Cambre, a large ‘park’ with a lake (see the Bois de la Cambre article).

The whole area is worthwhile to walk around in and to discover at your own pace and interests.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Place Poelaert | Art & culture, Relaxing
Place Poelaert | 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.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Rue Jourdan | Bars, Snacks, Restaurants
Rue Jourdan | Ixelles
Early breakfast – late dinner daily

Don’t tell the cute guy I used to meet in the cafe next door but I’m old enough to remember the time when we used to have a cinema in each neighborhood of the city. Unfortunately, year after year and decade after decade they all disappeared, and now we’re ‘lucky’ to have those big cinema complexes outside the city…

But some have survived here and there, nearly back from Hell… we bless the Styx to exist (the cinema is situated rue de l’Arbre Bénit, “Bénit” means “bless” in french).

It’s a little street in Ixelles, and the cinema is in a little house, offering an Art & Essay cinema programme. You’ll surely enjoy the place and the crowd around it: staff and clients are just passionate about the 7th Art. You’ll surely love to spend some rainy day over there!

Oh a little detail: this cinema has been open for more than 40 years now and it’s the only one in Brussels trying to stay open without any grant.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Styx | Cinemas
rue de l’Arbre Bénit, 72 | Ixelles | +3225122102
First movie at 17:00 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.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
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).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
The Sounds | Bars, Music, Snacks
Rue de la Tulipe, 28 | Ixelles
Mon – Sat 20:00 – 04:00

Therese et Dominique is one of those places where ordering the regular would be a true crime.

Although this is ‘just’ a sandwich bar, it would be a pity to go for the baguette with tuna fish you always eat. Apart from the usual stuff they have a bunch of specialties worth to be discovered. Try for instance an adapted chico bello, mozzarella-tomato with sweet peppers and fried aubergine slices, divine.

When it’s nice weather I like to take-away my treasure and eat it sitting in the sun of the Poelaert square while doing some tourist watching, but it’s also possible to eat at the place itself, inside or in the cute garden.

Measured by the queues that might appear at the entrance it seems I’m not the only fan of the place, make sure you’re in it. Don’t worry, they work fast, you never have to wait too long.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Therese et Dominique | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Baguette € 3.50
Dejonckerstraat 23 | Ixelles
Mon – Sat

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!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Tigre Café | Bars, Coffee & tea
Rue de la Brasserie, 117-119 | Ixelles
08:30 – 00.00 daily