Bruges Restaurants

Bruges has a fantastic selection of eateries, reflecting the Flemish love of both cooking and eating, and visitors will find that eating out and sampling the local cuisine is an integral part of the whole Bruges experience. Belgians tend to eat earlier than many other European countries and consequently, restaurants open around 18:00 and close before 22:00.

Local cuisine

Bruges local cuisine is the same as that of the region of West Flanders to which it belongs and includes some influences from France, but a good deal more from the Netherlands. Among the most famous Flemish dishes, youll find waterzoo,i which is a soup-like dish containing cream and vegetables combined with either fish or chicken. Other popular dishes include paling in't groen, which is eels cooked in herbs with vegetables, and choesels, which is offal cooked in lambic beer. Flemish beef stew is also a staple which appears on the table in many a restaurant or Brugen home. For dessert, strudel is a favourite, while chocolate creations also feature heavily.

Where to eat

Restaurants in Bruges tend to err on the expensive side, although food and service is invariably of a high standard. You can head for a classy restaurant if its a full three-course affair that you are looking for, or settle for something a little simpler and less formal at one of the citys many cafs and bars. In the summer, the restaurants with open-air terraces are popular spots and youll need to get there early to be sure of getting a table.