What it is: Garre is Flemish, meaning “crack” or “crevice.” Here it refers to the location, hidden down a narrow passageway off the main square—if any café that’s been beloved by tourists and Belgian beer enthusiasts since 1984 could ever really be called “hidden.” De Garre offers more than 100 Belgian beers plus a wide selection of jenevers and liqueurs. If you don’t know right where it is, it’s easy to walk past the narrow alley that leads to its front door multiple times before finally finding it—an almost literal hole in the wall. Few find themselves here by accident.
Why it’s great: Bruges is popular with all sorts of tourists, but especially with those in search of chocolate, lace, and beer. Being hidden from the hordes of day-trippers is part of the allure—though it’s even more atmospheric in the candlelit evenings, once the tour groups have all left for the day. De Garre plays classical music—there are no TVs—and every beer arrives with its corresponding glass, along with a small bowl of gouda cubes, on a tray with a doily. A glass or two of the house tripel and more of that cheese, and you’ll soon be planning how soon you can get back to Bruges.
Hours: noon–11:30 p.m., Sunday–Friday; 11:30 a.m.–11:30 p.m., Saturday
Address: De Garre 1, 8000 Bruges, Belgium
Web: degarre.be
