Reply With QuoteAre you not going to ask where all the backstreet vintage watch shops are?
Off to Bruges next week with the wife and some friends and t-z has thrown up some gems in the past when looking for some assistance and so I call on the parish for any recommendations for any of the following that will involve fine drinking and dining or anything else for that matter as below
Must Do’s
Nice restaraunts
Roof top bars/cocktail establishments/ pubs
Thanks in advance
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Are you not going to ask where all the backstreet vintage watch shops are?
This is clearly a front to show the wife. The real post for watch shop recommendations is implied. :-P
Trip to Half Moon Brewery is a must
http://www.indenwittenkop.be/ - Was nice when we went last but thats some years ago
No shortage of nice places to eat in and around the square
Oh and check out the Swans , Bruges is like a fairytale ;)
Fine choice! What's not to like about Bruges!? Everything is worth a visit and a look. The Bell Tower is a big attraction - and gives you a perfect cardio workout when you opt to climb the stairs... (I was 6 y/o when my dad and I went up - and down- again. Now, more than 50 yrs later, I still remember the size of the cars and busses: Corgi Toys' size! With the knowledge of today, I would say I felt as if I was in 'god mode'.
Earlier this month, we (my son and I) stayed in Bruges for one night on our way to the Calais - Dover ferry. We stayed at the Weinbrugge Hotel: http://www.weinebrugge.be. A family-owned hotel in the middle of a neighbourhood with mansions and villas. From there it's only minutes into town. Lots of locals dining in the hotel's restaurant at night - so it must be good. Very friendly staff too. They had no problem with a large boat trailer on their parking!
Bruges = Flanders = Beer. You've landed in paradise if you like beer!
First, Brugse Zot (Bruges' Fool...) is a fine beer that will make you happy. But there's more! The Brugse Zot's brewery is called d' Halve Maen (Half Moon Brewery). https://www.halvemaan.be/en/home They also brew Straffe Hendrik ('Heavy Henry') and that's not some marketing gimmick! There's a tour as well and a menu with dishes that contain beer! Interesting a very tasteful.
A fine pub to visit: De Vetten Os (The Fat Ox). Land there and you'll not see the rest of Bruges. https://www.facebook.com/devettenos Go for the Timmermans Lambiek, The black IPA or the monks' Triepel Karmeliet (Triple brewed beer - something you need to adjust to...). There's also a small menu.
The Beer Wall! I've never been there, but I've heard great things about it: https://www.2-be.biz/en/2be-shop/
A typical 'In Bruges' cafe: http://www.cordoeanier.be/en/rosered.php
Finally my favo beer & brewery: Bourgogne des Flandres https://www.bourgognedesflandres.be/en Totally awesome taste. Enjoy it.
On a less lighter note: Bruges is a wonderful town. But the landscape surrounding it, still echoes the First World War. Thousands of British soldiers are buried there. Imho, it's a good thing to visit the Last Post in Ieper (Ypres). When we arrived in Bruges around 5 PM a few weeks back, we unhooked the trailer at the hotel's parking and went to Ypres for the Last Post at 8 PM. Nowadays, this year 100 yrs ago since the War was ended, it's still só crowded. It is a very moving event, even for us, coming from a neutral country and not grown up with the memories of grandparents who were able to tell about the Great War. https://www.flandersfields.be/en/inspiration/last-post
When travelling by car: it's about an hours drive from the Chunnel and/or the Ferry. Roads in France are wonderful. Flanders' roads are 'iffy'. One thing you hardly find in Belgium are service stations along the Motorways! Try to fill your tank in the UK or France. The motorway fuel stations I found in Belgium are eyewatering expensive!
I hope this helps!
Menno
Last edited by thieuster; 9th August 2018 at 10:45.
Do some drugs with dwarfs but don't climb the bell tower, it's rubbish.
Sorry, entirely unhelpful, but one of my favourite movies is In Bruges.
+1Originally Posted by thieuster
The brewery tour was also interesting, recommended.
If you have a sweet tooth/ interested in history of chocolate, this was good for the kids and adult alike and the free demo was good too. They have a cafe nearby for hot chocolate, crepes etc to top up the freebies to make sure you don't need any ever again (according to my youngest) or at least until breakfast time the next day :0).
http://choco-story-brugge.be/ENG/museum.htm
Everyone loved the town (we did a day trip when staying in France) and all wanted to go back again. Lovely atmosphere, a beer in the square was welcome and plenty of shops for the ladies.
Lots of "interesting" chocolate in Bruges
I went a couple of years ago, really nice place...
As others have mentioned, the brewery tour is very good.
I recommend this place for a few drinks and maybe some sausage:
https://www.depoulin.be/forum-bieratelier
Be warned - some of the beer is quite strong, we went for a few drinks and the rest of the evening is a little blurry!
This was recommended by a friend that worked out there.
https://www.brugsbeertje.be/en/home-2/
The choice was a bit overwhelming but it was a charming little place. It's only small so may well be packed in high season. I went off season.
Try de vlasmsche pot for great beef stew (amazing!)
Or Kok au vin for more upmarket food
Second the Bruges biertje pub but best pub I know there is called de garre
Down a tiny narrow alleyway
Best chocolates from Van Oost, a small independent shop
Another must is some cubed cheese with mostyn (or wostyn?)mustard to go with a beer at de garre have a great time
Bruges isn’t all chocolate box, fairy-tale scenery – there’s a modern main shopping street, if anyone likes a bit of retail therapy.
The 83m Belfort bell tower offers brilliant views, but the climb up the 366 steps is pretty knackering, and as it narrows towards the top there aren’t many very spacious resting points, and passing others is tricky, so tackle it when you’re fresh & rested.
A canal cruise is a great way to experience the beauty of Bruges from a slightly different perspective.
As mentioned already, Belgian beer is utterly fantastic but strong – 5% is like a lemonade there, with many in & around the strength of wine.
The choco-story museum is quite good, but the diamond museum is very forgettable.
The Basilica of the Holy Blood contains a tiny sliver of the cloth allegedly used to clean the body of Christ after crucifixion. Regardless of whether or not it’s true, it has been there since the second Crusade so it’s plenty old in its own right and worth seeing just to observe the setting around it.
Don’t forget to have a walk into the Church of Our Lady – it has a superb sculpture by Michelangelo of the ‘Madonna & Child’. There are tombs below and King Philip I of Spain’s heart in a glass & gold case.
Other than that, stuff yourself with chocolate, frites, waffles & beer. It’s a beautiful place to spend some time.
Love Bruges.
Mussels and frites, strong Belgian ales, beautiful architecture, you’ll have a great time.
Sorry i can recommend anything to do, I can’t really remember what I did, the ale is that strong
I couldn’t believe what I saw when I walked into a normal looking High St chocolate shop! Secretions and everything! 😳
I’m no prude but it was the sort of thing I would expect to see on a back street in Amsterdam. Quite disgusting given that kids were wondering about!
Wow loads of feedback here many thanks all
We rented a couple of E-bikes and found it a great way to see the city.
There now in fact
The beer wall is good. The brewery tour is excellent and where I posted the flight from in the drinking tonight thread. We did the canal boat trip which for 8 euros is good. The horse and cart is 50 Euro which is a rip. There is an excellent exhibition on the Zeebrugge raid with all V C awarded present off the main square at present. There are tons of restaurants but they are often very much of the same type. We went to De Mangerie which has really nice food and not that pricey compared to others for the quality of courses. If you want to do Ypres then book in advance which I am kicking myself I did not do. Ostend and Zeebrugge have some nice beaches but are not so great from a looks nice sort of way.
Love Bruges, been there a few times.
Top of my list is the Beertje. Fab. And then De Garre.
For food, I love Den Dyver, fantastic Chateaubriand.
http://brugge.ribsnbeer.com/index.php/en/
If you like ribs and, erm, beer then this is a good place for some slightly more rustic food. Really enjoyed Bruges when I went a few years ago.
Don't be a baby, it's only chocolate We thought it was hilarious
We went to Bruges last month and echo everything aforementioned.
If you've got transport and are staying for a week or so it's worth going to Knokke Heist about half an hour away. I spent a couple of days in a shooting range (if that's ones thing) but it's a lovely little town anyway.
And mine... Bloody hilarious film :-)
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Bistro Kok ue Vin was a restaurant we went to and would highly recommend
As a non drinker Bruges looks a teeny bit iffy.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
Another good choice of bar if you can find it (200m off the beaten track...) is Terrast’je
The terrace is , I think the translation....
Super friendly with great atmosphere but limited food
Well worth finding.
It’s on the Langerai canal
Post a picture in this thread then! 😁Don't be a baby, it's only chocolate We thought it was hilarious
Bit tame this one but politically correct , did draw the line at chocolate "ladies downstairs" though
These restaurants are both great. Ribs n beer is probably my #1 recommendation for a no frills meal.
Kok au vin was amazing the first time I went, proper michelin star food. The next time I visited the menu had a slight downgrade and the food no better than a 7/10. Don't know if that was a one off.
These places are more or less across the road from each other.
I haven't got a pic. You post it and I'll agree with it
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