30 bars worth the trip across Belgium, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All Belgium guides.
't Brugs Beertje ★ 4.6 · Bruges
markt · Kemelstraat 5, 8000 Brugge
't Brugs Beertje on Kemelstraat is the reference beer cafe of Bruges, pouring around 300 Belgian beers with five on draft in a small brown room.
Tip: Ask the staff to steer you; the list is encyclopedic. The cheese plate soaks up a Trappist.
De Garre ★ 4.6 · Bruges
markt · De Garre 1, 8000 Brugge
De Garre hides down the narrowest alley off Breidelstraat in Bruges, pouring its 11% house Tripel van De Garre brewed by Van Steenberge in a snug brick room.
Tip: The alley is a doorway-wide gap off Breidelstraat; blink and you miss it. Cash and card both work.
Moeder Lambic Fontainas ★ 4.6 · Brussels
Place Fontainas 8, 1000 Brussels
Moeder Lambic on Place Fontainas runs 46 taps of Belgian and European craft, plus a 200-bottle cellar leaning hard on lambic. Tablet menu, knowledgeable staff, the editorial Belgian beer bar.
Jigger's Coolers and Cocktails ★ 4.6 · Ghent
patershol · Oudburg 16, 9000 Gent
Jigger's is a subterranean cocktail bar in the Patershol, listed on the World's 50 Best Discovery list. The cellar bar uses seasonal produce and locally.
Tip: Open from 17:00 Tuesday through Sunday; the back terrace on warm evenings is one of the most atmospheric drinking spots in Ghent.
Bar Burbure ★ 4.5 · Antwerp
het-zuid · Vlaamsekaai 41, 2000 Antwerp
Bar Burbure in Antwerp on Vlaamsekaai serves cocktails and a 600-bottle wine list built by a Michelin-trained sommelier. The list rotates with the seasons.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The cocktail menu changes quarterly; ask for the sommelier's house pour.
Plumette ★ 4.5 · Brussels
Marolles · Rue de l'Epee 26, 1000 Brussels
Plumette in Brussels Marolles is the intimate speakeasy on Rue de l Epee. The 1930s-styled room pours classic and bespoke cocktails and was Belgium's only bar in the Top 500 World's Best Bars 2025 list.
De Koninck Antwerp City Brewery ★ 4.4 · Antwerp
het-zuid · Mechelsesteenweg 291, 2018 Antwerp
De Koninck Antwerp City Brewery on Mechelsesteenweg pours its full Bolleke range from a brewery taproom that has run since 1833 in the same building.
Tip: Brewery tour adds a poured Bolleke at the end. Reservations recommended for weekend tours.
Le Trappiste ★ 4.4 · Bruges
markt · Kuipersstraat 33, 8000 Brugge
Le Trappiste pours beer in a vaulted 13th-century cellar on Kuipersstraat in Bruges: 27 taps and around 150 bottles, heavy on Trappist and abbey styles.
Tip: Closed Wednesday. The downstairs cellar is the room to ask for; the taps rotate often.
Bar Ran ★ 4.4 · Bruges
markt · Kuipersstraat 4, 8000 Brugge
Bar Ran on Kuipersstraat in Bruges is the city's serious cocktail room, with a deep spirits back bar and disco on the speakers. Walk-in only, no reservations.
Tip: Walk-in only; arrive early on weekends. The bartenders will build off-menu to taste.
L'Archiduc ★ 4.4 · Brussels
Rue Antoine Dansaert 6, 1000 Brussels
L'Archiduc in Brussels' Dansaert has been the jazz temple since 1937. Art Deco interior, live music every Saturday and Sunday at 17:00, cocktails poured from 16:00 to 05:00.
A La Mort Subite ★ 4.4 · Brussels
Rue Montagne aux Herbes Potageres 7, 1000 Brussels
A La Mort Subite in Brussels has been pouring gueuze since 1928 behind the Galeries Saint-Hubert. Long marble tables, mirrored walls, white-shirt waiters, the city's canonical lambic stop.
Dok Brewing Company ★ 4.4 · Ghent
dok-noord · Dok-Noord 4B, 9000 Gent
Dok Brewing Company occupies a converted metal workshop at Dok Noord with 30 taps: their own house brews plus guest taps from Belgian craft breweries. Long.
Tip: Open Thursday to Saturday until 01:00; this is one of the few places in Dok Noord that works as a late-night destination.
Wijnbar ONA Nederkouter ★ 4.4 · Ghent
binnenstad · Nederkouter 71, 9000 Gent
Wijnbar ONA on the corner of Bagattenstraat and Nederkouter is Ona Van Reybrouck and Arne De Wilde's intimate natural-wine spot, opened in 2015, focused on small-grower bottles. A second branch opened on Belfortstraat for tastings and classes.
Tip: Tuesday to Saturday until 8pm only; closed Sunday and Monday. Walk-ins fine early, reserve for after 18:00.
Edelrot Bar ★ 4.4 · Ghent
binnenstad · Belfortstraat 6, 9000 Gent
Edelrot functions as both a natural wine bar and a wild beer bar: the list includes wild-fermented saisons, spontaneous lambics and Belgian farmhouse ales.
Tip: Open from 15:00 Tuesday to Saturday; prices are genuinely fair for the quality of the natural wine selection.
Chubby Cheeks ★ 4.4 · Ghent
binnenstad · Onderbergen 33, 9000 Gent
Chubby Cheeks is a convivial bar-restaurant where a young team serves unusual natural wines by the glass alongside inventive small plates in a relaxed space.
Tip: Walk-ins welcome; Friday and Saturday evenings fill fast and bar seats give the easiest route in without a reservation.
De Hopduvel ★ 4.4 · Ghent
dok-noord · Dok-Noord 7, 9000 Gent
De Hopduvel is one of Belgium's most respected beer bottle shops, now relocated to Dok Noord with around 900 Belgian beers in stock. The shop-bar allows you.
Tip: Open Tuesday to Saturday; the bottle selection changes when distributors deliver. Ask the staff what arrived that week.
Den Engel ★ 4.3 · Antwerp
historisch-centrum · Grote Markt 3, 2000 Antwerp
Den Engel in Antwerp is the city's best-known brown cafe, anchoring Grote Markt 3 in a building that runs back to the 14th century. Cafe trading on the spot since 1903.
Tip: Open daily until 01:00 weekdays, 03:00 weekends. Closer to the Stadhuis side, the bar is busier than the back terrace.
Paeters Vaetje ★ 4.3 · Antwerp
historisch-centrum · Blauwmoezelstraat 1, 2000 Antwerp
Paeters Vaetje in Antwerp sits in the cathedral's shadow on Blauwmoezelstraat. The list runs deep across Belgian abbey, Trappist and lambic styles.
Tip: Order a Westvleteren 12 if it's in stock; the cellar list rotates weekly.
't Poatersgat ★ 4.3 · Bruges
vlamingstraat · Vlamingstraat 82, 8000 Brugge
't Poatersgat on Vlamingstraat in Bruges hides down a small gate into a candle-lit medieval cellar, with a long Belgian beer list and a warm vaulted room.
Tip: Look down for the gate or you walk straight past it. Quieter on weeknights than the Markt bars.
Groot Vlaenderen ★ 4.3 · Bruges
vlamingstraat · Vlamingstraat 94, 8000 Brugge
Groot Vlaenderen on Vlamingstraat in Bruges is an elegant cocktail bar in a grand room, with a winter fireplace and a quiet courtyard out back.
Tip: The courtyard out back is the warm-weather seat. Closed early in the week; check before you go.
Le Cirio ★ 4.3 · Brussels
Rue de la Bourse 18, 1000 Brussels
Le Cirio in Brussels has been pouring the half en half (white wine and sparkling) since Francesco Cirio opened in 1886. Belle Epoque interior beside the Bourse, marble tables, no music.
Le Poechenellekelder ★ 4.3 · Brussels
Rue du Chêne 5, 1000 Brussels
Le Poechenellekelder in Brussels sits opposite Manneken Pis with a marionette-decorated interior. The carte runs 180 Belgian beers including lambics, gueuze and the full Trappist range.
De Dulle Griet ★ 4.3 · Ghent
vrijdagmarkt · Vrijdagmarkt 50, 9000 Gent
De Dulle Griet has over 500 Belgian beers and one famous ritual: surrender a shoe to the bar when ordering the Max, a 1-litre glass of Delirium Tremens.
Tip: Open from noon Tuesday to Saturday and noon Sunday; the shoe ritual is enforced. Arrive early on Friday evenings for a seat on the square.
't Dreupelkot ★ 4.3 · Ghent
groentenmarkt · Groentenmarkt 12, 9000 Gent
Pol's tiny jenever bar on the Groentenmarkt serves more than 200 jenevers, including around 50 made in-house. The low-ceilinged brown bar has barely changed.
Tip: Open from 16:00 daily; cash only, the room holds around 25 people and fills fast.
Hotsy Totsy ★ 4.3 · Ghent
binnenstad · Hoogstraat 1, 9000 Gent
Hotsy Totsy has been injecting Ghent with blues and jazz since the 1970s. The Claus brothers' bar hosts live music most evenings from September to June.
Tip: Open Tuesday to Saturday from 18:15; closed Sunday and Monday. Summers are lighter programming; September to June is the season.
Gruut Stadsbrouwerij ★ 4.3 · Ghent
binnenstad · Rembert Dodoensdreef 1, 9000 Gent
Gruut is Ghent's city brewery using a medieval herb recipe with no hops: five beers (white, blonde, amber, brown and Inferno) brewed and served on site.
Tip: Brewery tours run on Saturdays; the tasting includes all five house beers. Book ahead in summer.
Vinogradoff Wine Bar ★ 4.3 · Ghent
graslei-korenlei · Ajuinlei 15, 9000 Gent
Vinogradoff specialises in natural and biodynamic wines from Eastern Europe, with by-the-glass pours from its bar-shop on the Ajuinlei near the Korenlei.
Tip: An evening that starts at Vinogradoff and continues to Korenlei dinner follows the best natural wine and food arc in Ghent.
Cafe Labath Evening Bar ★ 4.3 · Ghent
binnenstad · Oude Houtlei 1, 9000 Gent
By day a specialty coffee bar, Cafe Labath transitions to wine and Belgian beer by early evening at its corner near Sint-Michielsbrug in the centre.
Tip: The bar atmosphere is most relaxed Tuesday evenings; weekends fill from 19:00.
Café Quinten Matsijs ★ 4.2 · Antwerp
historisch-centrum · Moriaanstraat 17, 2000 Antwerp
Quinten Matsijs is Antwerp's oldest pub: a 1565 inn on the corner of Moriaanstraat and Hoofdkerkstraat with stained glass, beer steins on every shelf and a 250-year-old tonspel board still in play.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. The kitchen runs until 21:30, so eat early; the Flemish stew in Trappist beer sauce is the room's case.
Patine Wijnbistro ★ 4.2 · Antwerp
het-zuid · Leopold de Waelstraat 1, 2000 Antwerp
Patine in Antwerp's Zuid is a wine bistro on Leopold de Waelstraat. The list runs natural and orange wines; the kitchen builds small plates around them.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The bar seats six; reserve a table on busier nights.