The southern edge by the Lake of Love and the Begijnhof, with the De Halve Maan brewery on Walplein and old-school tearooms nearby.
Tanuki in Bruges has cooked Japanese food on Oude Gentweg near the Minnewater for decades, turning out sushi, sashimi and multi-course menus in a serene room.
Signature: Sushi and sashimi, Seven-course Japanese menu
Order: The multi-course menu; the kitchen also handles vegetarian sushi well.
Tip: Near the Lake of Love at the south edge of the centre. Book for the sushi counter.
't Nieuw Walnutje on Walplein in Bruges, by the De Halve Maan brewery, has run since 2017 under siblings Glenn and Lynn Vanden Broucke, serving Flemish tapas.
Signature: Flemish tapas, Classic recipes worked modern
Order: A spread of the Flemish tapas; affordable and built for sharing.
Tip: On the Walplein square steps from the brewery, so an easy pairing with a Halve Maan visit.
Carpe Diem near the Begijnhof in Bruges is an old-school tearoom and bakery: dark wood, stained glass, copper, and some of the best waffles in town.
Signature drink: Coffee and Brussels waffles
Tip: Order a waffle with the coffee. It sits on the route between the Minnewater and the centre.
Tonka on Walplein in Bruges is a calm tearoom near the De Halve Maan brewery, pouring coffee and tea alongside homemade cakes. A quiet stop in a busy corner.
Signature drink: Coffee, tea and cakes
Tip: Pair it with a brewery visit on the same square. The cakes are the draw.
Sukerbuyc on Katelijnestraat in Bruges makes its chocolates in the workshop behind the shop, so you watch the pralines finished, with a tearoom alongside.
Tip: The attached tearoom serves a proper hot chocolate. The workshop is visible from the counter.
Worth the queue: Pralines from the workshop behind the shop
Pol Depla on Mariastraat in Bruges has made chocolate since 1958 and produces the Brugs Swaentje, a praline tied to the Gruuthuse history of the city.
Tip: Ask for the Brugs Swaentje, the praline the shop is known for. Near the Church of Our Lady.
Worth the queue: Brugs Swaentje praline
The Old Chocolate House on Mariastraat in Bruges pairs a praline shop with a tearoom, where you stir your own hot chocolate from warm milk and cocoa buttons.
Tip: The make-your-own hot chocolate is the order; pick your chocolate by cocoa percentage. Near the Church of Our Lady.
Worth the queue: Build-your-own hot chocolate
Carpe Diem near the Begijnhof in Bruges is a long-running bakery and tearoom, with a case of cakes and pastries and some of the city's best waffles.
Tip: Buy a loaf or a pastry at the counter, or sit in the wood-panelled tearoom for a waffle.
Worth the queue: Brussels waffles and pastries
Bar Bulles at Hotel Le Foulage on Oostmeers in Bruges pours selected wines, cocktails and a strong champagne range, with small Bulles Bites plates to share.
Signature pour: A glass from the champagne range
Wine focus: Wines, champagne and cocktails
Food: Bulles Bites small plates
Tip: The champagne list is the reason to come. Open every evening from 17:00, last orders 23:15.
FritBar on Katelijnestraat in Bruges is a modern frites bar opened in 2020, frying its Belgian fries in vegetable oil with twenty plus toppings and gourmet burgers on the side.
Try: Loaded Belgian frites
Tip: The pulled pork or chili cheese loaded cones turn frites into a full meal. Vegetable-oil fry means vegans can join in.
Frituur De Gentpoorte on Gentpoortstraat in Bruges is a neighbourhood chip shop near the old city gate, with crisp frites and Flemish snack-bar classics.
Try: Belgian frites
Tip: Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. A local frituur, so prices and queues beat the Markt kiosks.
De Halve Maan on Walplein is the last working brewery in central Bruges, family-run since 1856, brewing Brugse Zot and Straffe Hendrik via the 2016 pipeline.
Order: A Brugse Zot Blond fresh at the brewery bar, or a Straffe Hendrik Tripel for more weight.
Tip: Book the tour ahead in summer; it ends with a beer on the rooftop. The pipeline runs 3.3km to the bottling plant.
FritBar on Katelijnestraat in Bruges is a modern frites bar that opened in 2020, frying its Belgian fries in vegetable oil with twenty plus toppings, a cheap, filling meal near the Begijnhof.
Try: Loaded Belgian frites
Tip: A plain cone with sauce stays under 10 euro. Loaded versions with pulled pork or stew make a full lunch under 15.
Frituur De Gentpoorte near the old city gate in Bruges is a local chip shop where frites and snack-bar classics cost less than the tourist kiosks.
Try: Frites and frituur classics
Tip: Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. A frikandel or a stoofvlees-topped cone keeps a cheap meal Flemish.