Bruges is known as the “northern Venice” for the narrow cobblestone streets, charming houses, and endless canals and bridges. If this isn’t intriguing enough, let’s talk about the chocolate, waffles, fries and beer!
There are an overwhelming amount of chocolate shops throughout Bruges, and honestly I struggle to think any could truly not be good but my favorite and go to spot is The Old Chocolate House. Established in 1997 as a family business, this family prides themselves on using only the top quality ingredients. The shop is on the smaller side with prepackaged items as well as a large array of chocolates to mix and match to make your own box. My favorite are the truffles and chocolate covered caramels.
And while I have not personally visited the chocolate line myself, it is worth mentioning this shop. The chocolate line was voted best chocolate shop in Belgium by Gault & Millau. The shop provides the experience of seeing the entire production process: from roasting, peeling, and crushing beans into chocolate. The cocoa beans are also unique as they are specific to The Chocolate Line, whom own a cocoa bean plantation in Mexico.
Now that we’ve established chocolate is amazing and a must in Bruges, what else can it be enjoyed in? Waffles of course! While it’s not a must to drizzle chocolate on top of the waffle, it absolutely a great option!
My two favorite waffle spots in Bruges are Lizzie’s Wafles and House of Waffles. A little background information, there are two types of waffles: Liege waffles and Brussels waffles. Leige waffles have a dense, chewy texture that have a carmine’s sugar taste while the Brussels waffles are delicate and airy. Honestly you can’t go wrong either way and I recommend trying both!
Lizzie’s Wafles only serves Brussels waffles but as their window says “extra large homemade.” I don’t think I saw a waffle as large as Lizzie’s while in Bruges! They are of course large enough you can share with someone or indulge a little extra and get your own! My go to toppings are strawberries, chocolate and whipped cream. House of Waffles serves both Brussels waffles and Leige waffles and after trying them both, my advice is to also try both! Truly, I couldn’t pick between them. The added bonus at House of Waffles is the toppings can be sweet or savory. For instance I had one with chocolate and ice cream and the other with egg and avocado. A little fun fact: the chef has acquired two Michelin stars in his career…so if you need the extra convincing, make note!
My last must eat food while in Bruges is of course fries…and a piece of advice, don’t call them French fries! That’s right Belgium claims to have created fries before the French and they merely stole the idea and coined the term French fries, I’m definitely not want to argue but I am one to eat them. Now while certain restaurants pride themselves on being fry bars and serving fries loaded with all sorts of toppings, the traditional and my go-to is the plain fries with mayonnaise. If you have time to sit down, I personally loved the fries at De Halve Maan Brewery. But if you’re in a rush or just want to keep exploring, I recommend stopping at the two green stands in Markt Square!
Now yes, I mentioned De Halve Maan Brewery and I didn’t talk about the beer? Let’s circle back. The best places to have beer?
After all Belgium is KNOWN for beer. De Halve Maan Brewery is extremely popular as it offers tours of the brewery, along with indoor and outdoor seating for food and drinks. I recommend taking the tour, learning about the unique facility and beer and then taking the time to enjoy some refreshing beverages after, as they truly are on the top of the list for Belgium beers.
My other favorite spot to grab a beer is at De Garre. While De Garre can be tricky to locate, tucked down a narrow alleyway, the house beer, De Garre Tripel is well worth the search. Served in a unique thick stem Garre glass, with a tasting of cheese on the side to enhance the beers flavor. The cafe itself is quaint, with wood beams and brick walls, perfect for getting cozy.
Bruges will not leave you hungry or thirsty but simply happy. This beautiful city has so much to offers and the food and drinks are just the starting point.
