Ixelle's guidebook
Good breakfast or snack place
Nice café with excellent fries.
What makes Le Cocq special though? A take-out counter, opened on Mercelis street, where you can order your shrimp croquettes, French fries and cocktails to take away directly from the street.
Le Cocq Bruxelles
12 Pl. Fernand CocqNice café with excellent fries.
What makes Le Cocq special though? A take-out counter, opened on Mercelis street, where you can order your shrimp croquettes, French fries and cocktails to take away directly from the street.
Frit Flagey
Place Eugène FlageyOne of the best fries of Brussels.
Renard Bakery
3 Pl. Fernand CocqDon't be afraid by the queue, it is totally worth it
Favorite drink places
Strategically located on Place Fernand Cocq, right in the heart of Ixelles, Café Tulipant has been open for only about just a week. And though the construction works by its entrance currently make it a little tricky for customers to access, its future perfectly sun-exposed terrace, however, seems promising enough to compete with the Belga itself.
7 locals recommend
Café Tulipant
25 Pl. Fernand CocqStrategically located on Place Fernand Cocq, right in the heart of Ixelles, Café Tulipant has been open for only about just a week. And though the construction works by its entrance currently make it a little tricky for customers to access, its future perfectly sun-exposed terrace, however, seems promising enough to compete with the Belga itself.
Café Belga
18 Pl. Eugène FlageyOne of the most iconic bars of Brussels.
Great Restaurant, perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner or to have a drink at night. The terrace has a great orientation and is the place to go for sunny afternoon.
13 locals recommend
Café Des Minimes.
60 Rue des MinimesGreat Restaurant, perfect for brunch, lunch or dinner or to have a drink at night. The terrace has a great orientation and is the place to go for sunny afternoon.
Sightseeing
Place Fernand Cocq
Place Fernand CocqLovely square
Bois de la Cambre
Great Park close to the center of Brussels
Right in the heart of Brussels Old Town, the city's main plaza (known as Grand Place) is one of the best preserved in Europe and the city's top tourist attraction.
Much of the square's elegant character is due to the unique architecture of its elegant Gildehuizen (guild houses) with their magnificent gables, pilasters, and balustrades, ornately carved stonework, and rich gold decoration.
Grand Place's defining character is its uniformity of Baroque style, with some Flemish influences.
204 locals recommend
Grand Place
Grote MarktRight in the heart of Brussels Old Town, the city's main plaza (known as Grand Place) is one of the best preserved in Europe and the city's top tourist attraction.
Much of the square's elegant character is due to the unique architecture of its elegant Gildehuizen (guild houses) with their magnificent gables, pilasters, and balustrades, ornately carved stonework, and rich gold decoration.
Grand Place's defining character is its uniformity of Baroque style, with some Flemish influences.
This gorgeous 1906 building, designed by Victor Horta, is home to the wonderful Comic Strip Center, devoted to the history of cartoons and comic strips in the country that gave the world The Smurfs and Tintin.
A constantly rotating exhibition of 200 original comic strip drawings by Belgian and French comic artists is shown here.
In addition, the museum documents the rise in popularity of Belgian and French comic strips through a cleverly curated collection of original manuscripts, draft sketches, and imaginatively reconstructed sets including Lucky Luke's saloon and Tim, Struppi, and Captain Haddock's moon rocket.
196 locals recommend
Brussels Comic Book Museum
20 Rue des SablesThis gorgeous 1906 building, designed by Victor Horta, is home to the wonderful Comic Strip Center, devoted to the history of cartoons and comic strips in the country that gave the world The Smurfs and Tintin.
A constantly rotating exhibition of 200 original comic strip drawings by Belgian and French comic artists is shown here.
In addition, the museum documents the rise in popularity of Belgian and French comic strips through a cleverly curated collection of original manuscripts, draft sketches, and imaginatively reconstructed sets including Lucky Luke's saloon and Tim, Struppi, and Captain Haddock's moon rocket.
A favorite attraction for photo-ops, the most important building on this square is the Royal Palace (Palais Royal), which is used by the Belgian royal family as an official residence.
The Belgian flag, flown from the roof, signals the sovereign's presence, and a ceremonial Changing of the Guard takes place every day at about 2:30pm.
From late July to late August, free guided tours of the palace's interior, taking in the grand reception rooms and halls, are available.
Surrounding the palace are an ensemble of cultural buildings boasting Neoclassical facades.
The Palais des Académies, home of the Royal Academy of Sciences and once the residence of the Crown Prince of Orange, and the Palais des Beaux-Arts (Paleis voor Schone Kunste) on the west side of the plaza, designed and built in the 1920s by Victor Horta, are two of the finest examples.
Place Royale
Place RoyaleA favorite attraction for photo-ops, the most important building on this square is the Royal Palace (Palais Royal), which is used by the Belgian royal family as an official residence.
The Belgian flag, flown from the roof, signals the sovereign's presence, and a ceremonial Changing of the Guard takes place every day at about 2:30pm.
From late July to late August, free guided tours of the palace's interior, taking in the grand reception rooms and halls, are available.
Surrounding the palace are an ensemble of cultural buildings boasting Neoclassical facades.
The Palais des Académies, home of the Royal Academy of Sciences and once the residence of the Crown Prince of Orange, and the Palais des Beaux-Arts (Paleis voor Schone Kunste) on the west side of the plaza, designed and built in the 1920s by Victor Horta, are two of the finest examples.
Along with Manneken Pis, the Atomium is Brussels' best-known landmark attraction, and although it's a bit of a journey by tram to get out here, the bizarre 102-meter-high steel and aluminum structure, designed by the architect André Waterkeyn for the 1958 Brussels World Exhibition, is the city's most surreal sight.
The building represents a molecule of iron magnified 165 million times.
Today, visitors can enter the building to explore its sci-fi-style interiors. The lower spheres are home to a permanent exhibition on the history of the structure. The upper sphere has incredible panoramas across the city.
518 locals recommend
Atomium
1 Pl. de l'AtomiumAlong with Manneken Pis, the Atomium is Brussels' best-known landmark attraction, and although it's a bit of a journey by tram to get out here, the bizarre 102-meter-high steel and aluminum structure, designed by the architect André Waterkeyn for the 1958 Brussels World Exhibition, is the city's most surreal sight.
The building represents a molecule of iron magnified 165 million times.
Today, visitors can enter the building to explore its sci-fi-style interiors. The lower spheres are home to a permanent exhibition on the history of the structure. The upper sphere has incredible panoramas across the city.
The Parc du Cinquantenaire was established in 1880 to commemorate the country's 50th anniversary.
Its centerpiece is the monumental Palais du Cinquantenaire, the two wings of which, linked in 1905 by a massive triumphal arch designed by the French architect Charles Girault, house two of Brussels' most interesting museums.
The Royal Art and History Museum is home to Belgium's national archaeology collections, with pieces drawn from throughout the world, as well as one of the most extensive tapestry collections in the world.
The Belgian Army Museum and Museum of Military History (Koninklijk Museum van het Leger en van de Militaire Geschiedenis) provides an overview of the development of military technology and of the major campaigns fought on Belgian soil.
522 locals recommend
Parc du Cinquantenaire
The Parc du Cinquantenaire was established in 1880 to commemorate the country's 50th anniversary.
Its centerpiece is the monumental Palais du Cinquantenaire, the two wings of which, linked in 1905 by a massive triumphal arch designed by the French architect Charles Girault, house two of Brussels' most interesting museums.
The Royal Art and History Museum is home to Belgium's national archaeology collections, with pieces drawn from throughout the world, as well as one of the most extensive tapestry collections in the world.
The Belgian Army Museum and Museum of Military History (Koninklijk Museum van het Leger en van de Militaire Geschiedenis) provides an overview of the development of military technology and of the major campaigns fought on Belgian soil.
Good italian for dinner
Gazzetta
12 Rue de la Longue HaieGreat Italian Restaurant
Food scene
Osteria Bolognese
49 Rue de la PaixGreat authentic italian restaurant
A tour of the world through nineteen proposals, from sushi to fresh homemade pasta, Syrian-Lebanese bread cooked in front of you in earthenware jars, burgers, Thailand, vegan, oysters..., not forgetting the Market Table which offers two specific dishes each day, directly from the market. There is something for everyone, from the young to the old.
29 locals recommend
Wolf
50 Rue du Fossé aux LoupsA tour of the world through nineteen proposals, from sushi to fresh homemade pasta, Syrian-Lebanese bread cooked in front of you in earthenware jars, burgers, Thailand, vegan, oysters..., not forgetting the Market Table which offers two specific dishes each day, directly from the market. There is something for everyone, from the young to the old.
Savage
22 Rue de la PaixBest Vegetarian Restaurant in Ixelles, must go.
Volta Supper Club
10 Rue Ernest SolvayReally good pizza in Ixelles
Habibi
38 Rue du BailliGreat Libanese restaurant in the heart of ixelles
OLD BOY
110 Rue de TenboschFavourite Asian bistro in brussels.
Al Bacio cucina italiana
119 Rue AméricaineBest pizza in Brussels
RAMBO St-Boniface
Best smash burger in brussels
Neighborhoods
Place du Grand Sablon is a nice square in the upper town. Here you find art galleries, high-end chocolate shops, restaurants as well as sightseeing
198 locals recommend
Zavel
Place du Grand Sablon is a nice square in the upper town. Here you find art galleries, high-end chocolate shops, restaurants as well as sightseeing
The antiques and vintage hotspot of Rue Haute and Rue Blaes is situated in the Marolles district of old Brussels. Really nice neighborhood to stroll and find unique pieces of art or vintage furnitures.
Rue Blaes
Rue BlaesThe antiques and vintage hotspot of Rue Haute and Rue Blaes is situated in the Marolles district of old Brussels. Really nice neighborhood to stroll and find unique pieces of art or vintage furnitures.
Nestled on the edge of St. Gilles and bordering Ixelles is the delightful area of Châtelain, a place popular with Bruxellois and expats alike for whiling away weekend and evening leisure hours. Place du Châtelain and the surrounding side streets have a little something for everyone. Whether you have an hour or a whole weekend spare, be sure to visit this chic neighborhood in the Belgian capital.
16 locals recommend
Kasteleinsplein
Place du ChâtelainNestled on the edge of St. Gilles and bordering Ixelles is the delightful area of Châtelain, a place popular with Bruxellois and expats alike for whiling away weekend and evening leisure hours. Place du Châtelain and the surrounding side streets have a little something for everyone. Whether you have an hour or a whole weekend spare, be sure to visit this chic neighborhood in the Belgian capital.
panam kebab
Great Berliner kebab with fresh local vegetables