Where to eat in Bruges: what to order and where
Bruges eats Flemish: beef stewed in beer, mussels with frites, waterzooi, and chocolate on every corner. The best-known rooms are small, so book dinner. Beer is part of the meal, and the cafes serve it properly.
The short answer
- Best area to eat
- The streets just off the Markt and Burg, and Sint-Anna for quieter rooms.
- Order this
- Stoofvlees with frites, or mussels in season, and a local Straffe Hendrik beer.
- When to eat
- Lunch from 12:00, dinner from 18:00. Kitchens often stop by 21:30.
- Book or walk in
- Book dinner at small restaurants. Beer cafes and chocolate shops take walk-ins.
- Tipping
- Service is included. Rounding up is welcome but not expected.
What to eat in Bruges
- StoofvleesBeef stewed slowly in dark beer, served with frites. The dish to order in a Flemish restaurant.
- Moules-fritesMussels cooked in white wine and celery, with a basket of frites. Best from September to March.
- WaterzooiA creamy stew of chicken or fish with vegetables, eaten with bread or potatoes.
- FritesTwice-fried potatoes in a paper cone with mayonnaise. Buy them at a frietkot rather than a restaurant.
- Belgian wafflesLight waffles dusted with sugar, or Liège waffles which are denser and sweeter. Ask for them without toppings.
- PralinesFilled chocolates sold by weight. Choose an independent maker and buy a small box.
- Local beerBrugse Zot is a golden blond, Straffe Hendrik a stronger tripel. Both are made by the brewery in the center.
Where to eat in Bruges, by neighborhood
Markt and Burg
Terraces facing the squares, with waffles and chocolate shops around them. Check the menu and the price before you sit.
Sint-Anna
Smaller streets north-east of the center, with an old tavern, local cafes and fewer visitors in the evening.
Around Walplein and the Dijver
The brewery square and the canal-side streets near it, with beer cafes and restaurants for locals and visitors.
't Zand and Sint-Jacob
A wider area west of the center, with places that serve office workers and concert-goers at lunch.
Places worth a booking or a queue
-
De Vlaamsche Pot
€€Flemish restaurant · Centre
OrderStoofvlees, the beef stewed in beer
A small restaurant serving traditional Flemish dishes, with a short menu and a reputation for its stew. The house rules say no sharing of dishes, and that adults only are welcome.
- Book
- Book online, with a card guarantee
- Closed
- Monday and Tuesday
Confirmed open: devlaamschepot.be
-
Café Vlissinghe
€€Tavern · Sint-Anna
OrderA local beer and a simple plate
The oldest tavern in Bruges, with roots back to 1515, dark wood and a garden. A quiet place for lunch or an early evening beer.
- Book
- Walk in
Confirmed open: cafevlissinghe.be
-
't Brugs Beertje
€€Beer cafe · Centre
OrderA Belgian beer chosen by the staff
A small, dark cafe with around 300 Belgian beers and five on draught. Ask for advice and take your time.
- Book
- Walk in
Confirmed open: brugsbeertje.be
-
The Chocolate Line
€€€Chocolatier · Simon Stevinplein
OrderA small mixed box of pralines
An independent chocolate maker on Simon Stevinplein, known for unusual flavors. A better buy than the souvenir shops on the main squares.
- Book
- Walk in
Confirmed open: thechocolateline.be
-
De Halve Maan
€€Brewery · Walplein
OrderA Straffe Hendrik tripel, drunk after the tour
The last working brewery in the old center, run by one family for six generations. The tour ends with a beer and a view over the roofs.
- Book
- Book the tour online
Confirmed open: straffehendrik.be
Food markets in Bruges
- Saturday market at 't ZandThe biggest market in the city, with vegetables, cheese, bread and street food around 't Zand and Beursplein.Saturday, 08:00 to 13:30Source: visitbruges.be
- Wednesday market on the MarktA food market on the main square, with bread, cheese, meat and flowers. Horse-drawn carriages move to the Burg on this day.Wednesday, 08:00 to 14:00Source: visitbruges.be
How Bruges eats
- Meal timesLunch is from 12:00 and dinner from 18:00. Many kitchens close between lunch and dinner.
- TippingService is included in the price. Round up the bill if the service was good.
- ReservationsBook the well-known restaurants for dinner, especially at weekends.
- BeerBelgians drink beer with food. Each beer has its own glass, so expect a different shape for each.
- WaterTap water is safe. Ask for a carafe, because restaurants may otherwise bring bottled water.
Signs of a place to walk past
A menu with photographs of every dish at the door.
Staff outside calling people in on the Markt.
Waffles and ice cream piled with toppings in a window facing the main square.
Eating in Bruges: questions people ask
What food is Bruges known for?
Stoofvlees, beef stewed in beer, is the local plate, with mussels, frites and waterzooi close behind. Chocolate and beer are the best-known products.
Where is the best place to eat in Bruges?
For Flemish cooking, De Vlaamsche Pot. For beer, 't Brugs Beertje or the old Café Vlissinghe. For chocolate, The Chocolate Line.
Do you need to book restaurants in Bruges?
For dinner at small, well-known places, yes, especially at weekends. Beer cafes and chocolate shops take walk-ins.
How much do you tip in Bruges?
Service is included. Rounding up is welcome but not expected.
Is Bruges expensive for food?
The terraces on the main squares are. A side-street restaurant, a lunch menu or a cone of frites costs far less.
Which beer should you try in Bruges?
Brugse Zot, a golden blond, or Straffe Hendrik, a stronger tripel. Both are brewed in the old center by De Halve Maan.