Bruges restaurants
 

Bruges seems to have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to good restaurants. Can anyone refer me to their favorites from first-hand experience?

Den Dyver
Tom's Diner
Bhavani

Our favorite "upscale" restaurant is Den Gouden Harynck. One of the best restaurants in town and tends to have primarily a Belgian clientele.
http://www.goudenharynck.be/

Our favorite casual restaurant is Bonheur on Smedenstraat 44. Near central Bruges, but not quite in in the thick of all the tourist action. It's pretty and quiet. Good food, very moderately priced. It can get busy, but we usually manage to find a table without reservations (for lunch). Near 'tZand. Closed Wednesdays.

We were there in October for two nights and ate lunch at Jan Van Eck Tearoom and Carpe Diem (near the Beguinage). Both are good choices for lunch. For dinner we went to De Torre (Langstraat) and Gouden Karplen near the old market. The latter is mainly fish and was very good and very busy. All of these were great choices. Many people do like Den Dijver but when we stopped by to review the posted menu we were repulsed by nasty odors at the entrance.

One of the best restaurants that we ate in was a tiny upscale bistro called Bistro Topaas - oude Gentweg 7, B-8000 Brugge, Tel 050/ 33 34 81. Now this place has perhaps six tables and is freqented by locals - the owner was intrigued to know how we found out about it.
The husband waits the tables, the wife cooks and can she cook! The food is a French/Belgian mix with Spanish influences as the owner is an expert on sherries. He delighted us with examples and samples of Spanish sherry that I had never imagined. He shattered my bias that all sherry is sickly-sweet and brilliant red.
However don't let this aside dissuade you. The food is superb. Our amuse bouche was an asparagus mousse with crayfish and a few sprigs of cress. Sandra's entre was pata negra (wild boar) salad accompanied by white sherry. I had foie gras with onion confiture and toast and a glass of muscadet.
Sandra's main course was a dinner steak served with a dollop of foie gras, cress salad and roast potatoes.
I had barbuie (small sole) mashed potatoes and salad. The owner suggested glasses of wine which went well.
Our dessert was shared and involved dark, rich, decadent Belgian chocolate -need I say more?
The price was reasoanble - under E100 for the two of us including wine. I doubt if you will find this place reviewed elsewhere and I know you wouldn't be disappointed.
The only other recommendation that I can make about Brugge restaurants is to look for Bouillabaisse(fish soup)on the menus. It is a full meal and can be quite outstanding.
http://users.telenet.be/bistrotopaas/

We liked "Brasserie Belle Epoque" (this was 1994-if it is still there) at Zuidzanstraat (across from T'Zand). Very period in atmosphere and wonderful Flemish menu including both chicken and fish waterzooie (stew) as well as some delicious rabbit dishes. We ate there 2 nights and I remember at the time, the prices were comfortable as well as the ambience.

Thanks to Robjame for the recommendation for Bistro Topaas. It is just around the corner from our hotel (Manoir Red!, formerly De Snippe, and a real gem). We had an excellent dinner there and shared with the owner Robjame's posting. He was appreciative.

The bistro has a new website at
www.bistrotopaas.be and their e-mail address is: [email protected]. It is in Flemish but the owner is fluent in English.

Cheers,
BigBlue

Glad you enjoyed Bistro Topaas. I want to go back! What did you have?

I've posted my travel blog about recent trip to Brugge including restaurant reviews. We are not meat-eaters but there are a host of good fish restaurants to choose from. Take a look at www.xanga.com/urbino

Nini mentioned Carpe Diem for a delightful lunch...second the motion..it's on the short street connecting the Beguinage/Minnewater area to Katerina Straat, the main street leading into the Centrum (about a 10-15 minute stroll).

Also, the best Belgian weaffle/ice-cream offerings in town is L'Lauren, on main street between RR station and the Centrum.

Stu T.

above, meant "waffles" not "weaffles" , although I imagine of the Belgians offered "weaffles", they, too, would be scrumptious!
Stu T.