Must-see nightlife in Northwest Belgium

  • Herberg Vlissinghe

    Bruges

    Luminaries have frequented Bruges’ oldest pub for 500 years; local legend has it that Rubens once painted an imitation coin on the table here and then did…

  • De Garre

    Bruges

    Try the fabulous Garre draught beer, which comes with a thick floral head in a glass that’s almost a brandy balloon; the pub will only serve you three of…

  • L’Estaminet

    Bruges

    With its dark-timber beams, low lighting, convivial clatter and park setting, L'Estaminet scarcely seems to have changed since it opened in 1900. It’s…

  • Valentino

    Ostend

    Ostend has a compact gay scene. Of its handful of bars, Valentino – with its charming hosts, dance floor and cruisy back room – is a bit of a one-stop…

  • Dulle Griet

    Ghent

    Heavy beams, a heraldic ceiling, barrel tables, lacy lampshades and the odd boar’s head all add character to one of Ghent’s best-known beer pubs. It has…

  • Mommy's Bastards

    Ostend

    Ostend's new hipster-kid on the block is worth checking out just to see what a bar/restaurant called Mommy's Bastards is like. There's a tapas and a la…

  • Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant

    Ghent

    Sporting an enticing waterfront terrace, this photogenic classic beer-pub has an interior draped in dried hops, plus three exclusive house beers amid the…

  • ’t Brugs Beertje

    Bruges

    Legendary throughout Bruges, Belgium and beyond for its hundreds of Belgian brews, this cosy bruin café (brown cafe) is filled with old advertising…

  • Rose Red

    Bruges

    Outstanding beers from 50 of the best breweries in Belgium, served by charming and informative staff in this pink-hued and rose-scattered bar. There are…

  • Merveilleux Tearoom

    Bruges

    An elegant marble-floored tearoom on a cobbled passage near the Markt. Coffee comes with a dainty homemade biscuit and sometimes a little glass of…

  • ’t Dreupelkot

    Ghent

    A traditional jenever (gin) bar, serving 100 Belgian concoctions – including the owner's homemade prune and raisin versions – and one north French…

  • De Republiek

    Bruges

    Set around a courtyard comprising characterful brick buildings, this big buzzing space is super-popular with Bruggelingen (Bruges locals). DJs hit the…

  • ’t Poatersgat

    Bruges

    Look carefully for the concealed hole in the wall and follow the staircase down into this cross-vaulted cellar glowing with ethereal white lights and…

  • Het Bruggenhuis

    Northwest Belgium

    This picture-perfect rural tavern seems to have stepped straight out of an ethnographic museum. Seats spill out canal-side with rural views along the…

  • De Brouwzaele

    Ghent

    Local gents unwind with newspapers, and grannies lunch on shrimp croquettes in this low-key classic café set in a triangular former brewery house. A giant…

  • Du Phare

    Bruges

    Tucked into the remains of one of Bruges’ original town gates, this off-the-beaten-track tavern is best known for its live blues and jazz sessions – check…

  • ’t Klein Venetie

    Bruges

    Don’t miss the superb canal view from outside this popular café. With the belfry towering above a perfect gaggle of medieval house-fronts, the view is…

  • Joey's bvba

    Bruges

    These days Joey’s is run by Stevie, who performs with local band Cajun Moon; consequently, this dark, intimate bar is a gathering spot for Bruges’ musos…

  • Het Spijker

    Ghent

    Built in the late 12th century, this heavy-beamed stone café is the oldest building on Graslei and was once the city grain store. Today it's a lively…

  • ’t Kroegske

    Ostend

    There's a giant devil-fish's head on the roof of two old houses with facades covered with lurid cartoons. Inside it's cramped, filled with bric-a-brac and…

  • De Planck

    Ghent

    Yes, palm trees grow in Ghent, albeit small ones on the deck of this appealing barge-café. Good-value snacks and meals supplement a choice of more than…

  • Cafédraal

    Bruges

    Attached to an upmarket seafood restaurant (mains €25 to €48), this remarkable cocktail bar is enclosed by beech hedges and red-brick gabled buildings. It…

  • Café Labath

    Ghent

    Labath is a buzzing place for a fine coffee fix, organic Prosecco or a diverse selection of aromatic, tasty teas including Indian-style masala chai and…

  • Gruut

    Ghent

    Ghent’s uberpopular brewery-pub serves excellent herb-infused brews. Guided tours of the brewery (for a minimum of eight thirsty punters) are available by…

  • De Geus van Gent

    Ghent

    This congenial, multifaceted café with eclectic decor and at least 20 beers from the barrel hosts regular jam nights and live music.

  • Rococo

    Ghent

    Lit only by candles, this classic late-night cafe-bar with carved wooden ceilings is an ideal place for cosy midnight conversations.

  • Entrenous

    Bruges

    A real nightclub in the centre of the city. A very youthful crowd packs out the DJ nights, gigs and after-parties.

  • Lafayette Music Bar

    Ostend

    With the panelling of a traditional café but the backlit bottle racks of a fashion-conscious cocktail bar, Lafayette hits a fine balance between hip and…

  • Le Châtelet

    Ostend

    This busy pub-café on Ostend's so-called 'Little Paris' corner was built in 1885. It's a local landmark and a thoroughly atmospheric place to down a beer,…

  • Hotsy Totsy

    Ghent

    Silver-floral wallpaper, black-and-white photos from the glory days of celluloid and the occasional live jazz performance (9pm most Thursdays Oct-Apr)…

  • ’t Binnenhuys

    Ypres

    One of Ypres' oldest houses, the 1772 Binnenhuys was rare in surviving WWI relatively intact. It's now an old-world home interiors shop, but tucked away…

  • Mokabon

    Ghent

    In a graphic metaphor of globalisation, Ghent's classic old-world coffee shop is now hidden behind a brash Starbucks. Its response? A bright new takeaway…

  • Café Botteltje

    Ostend

    In a spacious café reminiscent of a British pub you'll find around 300 different beers, including a dozen on draught. Meals (noon to 2.30pm and 6pm to…

  • The Vintage

    Bruges

    Unusually hip for Bruges, with a '60s/'70s vibe and a vintage Vespa hanging from the roof. The sunny terrace is a nice spot for a Jupiler, and the theme…

  • De Vage Belofte

    Ypres

    A piano hangs on the two-storey inner wall above a row of Champagne bottles. Summer tables spill out across appealing Vismarkt, and DJs turn the tables on…

  • Cambrinus

    Bruges

    Hundreds of varieties of beer are available at this 17th-century sculpture-adorned brasserie-pub, as well as traditional Belgian and Italian-inspired…

  • Café Barista

    Ghent

    Get your caffeine fix in this central coffee specialist, brewing its beans in a 14th-century riverside house.

  • De Windmolen

    Bruges

    Quaint corner café with a sunny terrace overlooking one of the St-Anna windmills.

  • Uilenspiegel

    Bruges

    For canal views it’s hard to beat the seats outside Uilenspiegel.

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