The Rue du Marché aux Fromages/Kaasmarkt ("Cheese Market Street") used to be called the Smaelbeek in the 13th century.

It is today sometimes known under the moniker the Rue des Pitta/Pitastraat ("Pitta Street") due to the Greek restaurants found along it.

Their chairs, ladders and coffins on display gave the street all kinds of nicknames, such as Leerestroet and Kistenstroet.

Greek immigrants brought about a revival by opening pitta bars, a concept that Belgians were completely unfamiliar with at the time.

In order to respect the rules of the UNESCO zone, all neon signs, signboards, columns and caryatids were removed in 2012.