Ghent and Bruges

Places I've enjoyed in Gent are:

Dulle Griet
Het Waterhuis
't Galgenhuisje (with great Frittes nearby by Filip)

Check out Castle Gravensteen and St Bavo's Cathedral

And in Bruges:

't Brugs Beertje
de Garre
De Halve Maan
Cambrinus....


So many more...

Prost!

 

For Ghent I would add De Geus Van Gent

All the places Bierman9 mentioned for Bruges are great, but I would emphasize that de Garre is a can't miss. The de Garre Tripel is best in class, and getting a glass (or two or three) of it with the accompanying cheese cubes is a quintessential Belgium beer experience.

Also in Bruges is 2Be, aka the Beer Wall, very nice place.

 

Ghent:


DOK Brewing Company (outskirts of the city – 30 taps modern style taproom, very wide range of styles, guest taps, food)

Bar Beenhouwer (16 taps, best selection in town, choice and less common Belgians, highlights of modern European craft)

Edel Rot (primarily a wine bar but the beer selection is very well chosen including rarer Belgian sours – Antidoot, Boerenerf, Druug, excellent food)


Note that Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant has been slipping for some time. Dreupelkot next door is fully touristic these days but has excellent homemade fruited Jenever if that interest you. Dulle Griet is not bad but a fully tourist aimed experience, Café Folklore whilst having zero craft beer is an unchanged in 40 years local boozer.


Have fun, Ghent is a lovely city. I quite like Bruges despite it being all tourist these days, whilst often in Ghent, I’m rarely in Bruges.


Bruges:


’t Brugs Beertje (changed a bit but still an institution of course)

De Halve Maan (far better than one would expect with the crowds, their BA Quad is excellent)

Le Trappiste (located in a Meddieval cellar, loads of taps, selection has gone a bit more commercial but still worthwhile)

 

Ghent:
- Tourist traps: Waterhuis aan de bierkant, Dulle Griet, 't Galgenhuisje
- Great places: see above AncientBrew's post + Trollekelder + Eetkaffee Multatuli (great food and beer menu, underway from city center towards Dok Brewery)

Bruges:
- Great places: see above Bierman9's post + Rose Red + Le Trappiste (cellar) + De Kelk + Volkscafé Sint-Jakobs (60s & 70s vibe) + 2 breakfast places: Books & Brunch and Kottee Kaffee (non-beer related).

 

By law all businesses in Belgium accept both card and cash payments.

 

I hit a place in Gent in '22 (Frites Atelier) that wouldn't take cash. Don't know if it was a leftover rule from Covid, or what.... but, no burger for me!!

Prost!

 

May have changed since COVID, but when I was at De Garre in 2018 it was cash-only

 

Correct, but not all accept credit cards.

 

It's been a few years, but I felt that Planck (sp?) housed on a barge and the brewery Gruut were worth a visit though a bit outside the center. I thought that the Gruut Wit was quite good.