Can you recommend a good restaurant in Bruges?

October 21, 2006 4:29 PM

Can you recommend a good restaurant in Bruges? Am visiting for 2 days and want to make the most of the four eating out opportunities. Would prefer local cuisine and not too expensive, but any cuisine and budget considered...
posted by janecr to food & drink (8 comments total)

- Den Gouden Karpel at the Fish market. A classy seafood restaurant that also has a shop at the rear. Medium priced. I recommend everything on the menu.

- A brilliant place for their immense selection of beers and awesome lasagna is L'estaminet at the Astrid Park. (no website, adresse=Astrid Park 5). This is a beer garden/jazz cafe with good decor and cool bartenders. Highly recommended.

- There's a great place for lunch in Bruges: 10 euros for 2 delicious courses. Forgot name and street, but go to the Irish Pub (don't eat there) and notice the two entrances. Exit the Pub from one door walking around the block as if to enter through the other door, and the restaurant I'm talking about is on that corner. It has a "10 euros/set lunch" sign in its window. Only valid between 12-2 pm.

- Eat some mussels in white wine sauce. Even in a super touristy place on the main square, the mussels and fries will be delicious.

Bon Appetit. :)
posted by ruelle at 6:06 PM on October 21, 2006

Unfortunately I don't know the name of the restaurant involved, but a brief Bruges restaurant story: A few years ago in Bruges, I walked by a nice restaurant that faced out on a small-ish plaza near the center of the city and saw what was pretty much the coolest thing ever. The guests at each table had steaks and such and they were cooking them on individual, pre-superheated lava stones that were set at each place. I was in awe.

I was leaving that afternoon so I didn't get to go back and try it, and have been thinking about it ever since. One day I hope to find that place again.
posted by TunnelArmr at 6:44 PM on October 21, 2006

- Eat some mussels in white wine sauce. Even in a super touristy place on the main square, the mussels and fries will be delicious.

Seconding this. Moules frites is a touristy kind of cliche, but it's something you shouldn't miss. Some places do em in beer instead of white wine.
posted by juv3nal at 6:52 PM on October 21, 2006

We were in Bruges two months ago. We didn't really go out of our way to find restaurants, but everywhere we ate was fantastic. Even the cheapo tourist place on the main square (overlooking the big tower) was great - a delicious rabbit stew and some Kwak beer. There's a great bar, if you head from the main square with the tower in it towards the other square it's down an alley on the left. Fantastic beer.
posted by handee at 2:50 AM on October 22, 2006

I was there a couple of years ago and had wonderful sunday lunch of Moules Frites at Breydel-De Coninck which is on Breidelstraat. A waitress in a bar recommended it to us, and it was fantastic.
posted by jontyjago at 9:05 AM on October 22, 2006

Den Gouden Karpel was closed for lunch last Thursday, so I bought what was labelled as a crab cocktail from the shop and ate it on a bench overlooking a canal. It was disgusting! Seemed to be surimi, with a few muddy-tasting shrimp. I certainly would not pay out for a meal from them.

Do have fun. Bruges is pretty tiny and some attractions closed for the winter at the end of September, so you may want to look at making an expedition from there, maybe by bicycle.
posted by Idcoytco at 1:59 PM on October 22, 2006

Make sure to eat rabbit. Another Belgian specialty is "Eels in the green", if you like fish. Drink beer. Oh, and dont' forget, to drink some beer! Be cautious as the beer may be quite strong.
posted by Goofyy at 7:20 AM on October 23, 2006

We liked the restaurant at Hotel Erasmus. They have an extensive beer selection and a whole beer-based food menu.

After moules et frites, don't miss getting waterzooi or Flemish stew.
posted by turbodog at 3:09 PM on October 23, 2006