Mirror on the wall: Place du Miroir

Although the commercial heart of Jette is officially called Place Reine Astrid, nearly everyone refers to it by the name of Place du Miroir, a throwback to the days when it was home to a ‘house of mirrors’ on the spot where florist Demesmaeker (1 Chaussée de Wemmel) now sits. Clearly the spiegeltent had quite an impact on the area, as to this day, people from the area are still refered to as Spiegelmannen, or mirror men. Having lived nearly all his life in the commune, 61-year-old retired headmaster Willem Bosmans can definitely be called an authentic mirror man. “I grew up near Jette station, where I lived until I got married,” he says. “After a couple of years in Molenbeek, my wife and I moved back to Jette in 1978 where we settled down close to Place du Miroir.”

With up to 14,000 visitors on Sunday, the market on Place du Miroir is among the most popular in the city. “Like most neighbours, I used to go nearly every Sunday to buy groceries for the coming week,” Willem says. “But since I retired, I go nearly every day.” After thousands of visits, Willem knows his favourite stalls: “I go to Kris to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, family business Fabienne for a diverse range of bread, and Spiessens for the best fish.” For rotisserie chicken, a typical Sunday lunch in Brussels, Willem recommends the poultry shop Dewolf (19 Place Reine Astrid) on the square, rather than the many chicken stalls on the market. “That’s where my mother used to buy her chicken. Even though it changed name and owners, I like that the shop has stood the test of time,” Willems says. “Many of the food stalls at the market disappeared and were replaced by cheap clothes sellers. The same goes for the diversity on the square itself: it was once home to many furniture and jewellery shops, but you’ll now find plenty of telecom operators and hairdressers. An unfortunate evolution.”

Over the years, a couple of interesting shops have opened in the area. “We bought our sofas at furniture and interior deco shop Momentum (594 Chaussée de Jette), in an old mansion,” Willem says. “The shop has undergone some changes since it opened, from a classic to a more modern style. But spread over three floors, there are still plenty of things to see.” If you’re a bargain hunter, Vetrico (220 Avenue de Jette) is a must-visit. You’ll find an odd combination of cheap clothes and Converse Allstars trainers or Havaianas flip-flops at seriously reduced prices. A bit further ahead, Wine in the City (34 Place Reine Astrid) sells wine from every corner of the world, to be bought by the bottle or consumed on site with a plate of tapas. On the other side of the square, dog and cat lovers find everything they need to spoil their pet at luxury grooming shop Toutou (14 Rue P Timmermans). Those keen on nostalgia needn’t look far. Pop into more than 20-year-old shop-cum-tearoom Finum (6 Rue L Théodoré) for chocolates, biscuits and fine liqueurs.

To eat, Willem suggests Chez Soje (85 Avenue de Jette). “It used to be a cafe but changed into a restaurant serving brasserie cuisine. They don’t have a set menu, but work with daily specials.” La Penisola (63 Rue P Timmermans) also comes highly recommended. “Your typical Italian restaurant with red and white checked tablecloth and a classic Italian menu,” Willem says. More Mediterranean treats are served at L’Olivier de Villarosa (10 Chaussée de Wemmel). No major square in Brussels is complete without a frietkot: the Frietkot du Miroir had a makeover a couple of years ago and was turned into a small eatery. To many locals, including Willem, it lost its charm, but people still queue up for cornets of freshly cooked frites. “I occasionally meet my siblings at Queens (17 Place Reine Astrid), one of the first bars to have a smoke-free zone. I do like that most cafes have a terrace, which makes the square a cosy spot on sunny days. But a cafe for younger people would be a nice addition to the area.” Willem remembers the days he used to have a beer with his neighbours on their doorstep. “Those moments belong to the past,” he admits. “But there are plenty of events organised to bring the neighbours together. There’s the big annual market and fair at the end of August, Plazey music festival in Parc Elisabeth in June and July, and we’ve just had the Parcours d’Artistes.” Clearly, downtown Brussels isn’t the only place where things are happening.

Essential information

Property

Stately houses along the big lanes, smaller ones and recently built apartment blocks down the side streets. Renting a two-bedroom apartment costs about €800 a month. Buying a place in the area costs about €2,000 per square metre (Vlan Immo)

Transport

Place du Miroir is about 1.5km from Simonis metro station on lines 2 and 6; from there, switch to tram 19 or bus 13 or 14 and get off at Miroir 

Meet the Neighbours

A mix of older people who have lived there all their lives, and new (often Dutch-speaking) young families with children

In & around Place Reine Astrid/Place du Miroir

Momentum

Interior deco treasure trove in an old mansion. 594 Chaussee de Jette

Wine in the city

Excellent wine cellar with a bar for tastings. 34 Place Reine Astrid

Le gâteau royal

Fresh cakes and bread from this local patisserie. 22 Avenue de Laeken

Toutou

Toni & Guy meets Tom & Co at this pet shop with a grooming salon at the back. 14 Rue Pierre Timmermans

Place Reine Astrid

Or Place du Miroir, for those in the know, with its market, open every day except Monday

Willem says: “Jette is a green and rather clean neighbourhood with an active community life and a wide range of events organised throughout the year. It’s also one of the few areas in Brussels where you’ll hear a lot of Dutch spoken on the streets and in shops.”

Photos by Ottomura