Cafe Damberd is a late-night jazz cafe in an 18th-century pub late-night spot in City Centre, Ghent.
Cafe Damberd is an 18th-century pub on the Korenmarkt that has run as a jazz and world-music cafe for over thirty years, with live sets from jazz to funk and reggae.
Must order: Belgian draft beer over a Wednesday or Thursday jazz set: the small room makes the band feel inches away.
Tip: Open until midnight every night; Wednesday to Sunday from 11:00 means it works for a long afternoon-into-night stretch.
Address: Korenmarkt 19, 9000 Gent, Ghent
't Dreupelkot on the Groentenmarkt is Ghent's legendary jenever bar: 100+ varieties in a dark wood-panelled room, open until 01:00 on weekends.
Order: Old Ghent jenever in a bolleke glass: the darkest style in the house range at the most authentic bar.
Tip: The bar has no seating on busy nights; standing with a glass of jenever at the dark wooden counter is the intended experience.
Jigger's medieval cellar bar in the Patershol stays open until 03:00 at weekends, serving seasonal cocktails and 500+ spirits in a candlelit setting.
Order: Jigger's seasonal cocktail: specials change monthly with locally foraged ingredients.
Tip: Arrive by 21:00 to guarantee a seat; the bar fills to capacity after 22:00 with no walk-in option on weekends.
Dok Brewing Company in Hal 16 at Dok Noord is open until 01:00 Thursday through Saturday: 30 taps including house craft IPAs and Belgian guest beers.
Order: Dok house IPA on draught: hop-forward, always fresh from the serving tank.
Tip: Thursday evening is the quietest late session; the Friday crowd is younger and louder from midnight but the beer quality stays constant.
De Dulle Griet on the Vrijdagmarkt has 500 Belgian beers and stays open late on weekends: the shoe-collateral Max glass ritual is the late-night centrepiece.
Order: Delirium Tremens in the Max glass: surrender your shoe as collateral, as tradition demands.
Tip: The terrace on the market square is open late on warm evenings; the brown-cafe interior fills fast after midnight.
Waterhuis aan de Bierkant is a canal-side brown pub with 170 Belgian beers and 14 on draught, open until midnight, with a Graslei waterside terrace.
Order: Gruut Amber on draught at the waterside terrace: the most Ghentian beer in the most Ghentian spot.
Tip: The terrace lights up after dark and is one of the best spots in Ghent for a late canal-side beer in warm weather.
Missy Sippy near Sint-Niklaaskerk has live blues and roots music and stays open until 02:00 at weekends, with a New Orleans-inspired menu until late.
Order: Pulled pork slider with a house cocktail: the late-night kitchen is open until the final set.
Tip: The best nights are Thursday through Saturday when live acts play; the kitchen stays open until the final set ends.
