21 Best Bars in Ghent and the Leie, Belgium

Brewer Annick de Splenter's prolific brewpub has lost none of its ability to surprise. Based in an old galley, relics of the building's former life remain, with various cow statues proliferating around the bar. Gruut's beers are made to a medieval recipe, using herbs, not hops; the result is a more subtle, lighter-tasting brew than the usual Belgian offering. Tastings (€15) can be arranged; you can even add a boat trip to your visit (€33). If you have the time, spare some for its "beeralchemy" sessions (€28) and the chance to brew your own herb beer to take home; it's easily done in an afternoon and the session includes tastings.

This superb cocktail bar re-creates a 1920s speakeasy vibe. The drinks are uniformly excellent, with homemade bitters and infusions decorating an ever-changing menu that has something of a gastronomy vibe, while the outdoor waterside terrace is cozily hidden. While so many of Ghent's cocktail bars err on the tacky side, Jiggers is an oasis of cool, though at around €15 a drink, it doesn't come cheap.

This LGBTQ+ center has information on gay and lesbian bars, events, and organizations, and also offers help and advice (website in Dutch). On the ground floor, the A-Pluss bar and café has a fine selection of gins, a new street terrace, and live music on weekends.

Jazz, soul, and funk musicians from all over the world have found their way to Damberd's late-night sessions, held in one of the oldest bars in Gent.

Look for the "Special Oudenaardes" sign out front. This is one of the oldest bars in the city and also among the more unusual. The building's gabled exterior comprises two 17th-century brick houses that were once part of a much larger terrace. That they survived at all, having weathered various wars, is miraculous. Inside, it's a typical Belgian brown bar, with an excellent beer selection and a lively atmosphere. In summer, the terrace fills up fast.

A wonderfully atmospheric old brown café, "The Bagpipes" has great beer, a fine selection of single-malt whiskies, and occasional live folk music events.

In this quintessential Ghent pub, there are more than 500 kinds of beer, but the specialty is the 1.2-liter Kwak (a blond 8.5% beer), complete with traditional hourglass-shape glass and stand—ask for a "Max." If you brave this beer, though, you must leave one of your shoes as a deposit when you order.

It's a bit of a distance from the center of town, but well worth the excursion. This microbrewery and taproom is the largest and most experimental in Ghent, with 30 beers on tap. Set in the old Dok Noord complex, around 10 to 15 are brewed on-site, and many are only ever made once. The choice is almost overwhelming. Hour-long brewery tours and tastings (€18) can be booked in advance, and the building also has independent street-food stalls inside, with barbecue joint RØK particularly recommended.

Back in the plague-ridden early 1500s, this fine estaminet was the city's main source of clean drinking water. As the years went by, it morphed from water house to brothel to barbershop, and finally an inn. Today, it remains one of the city's iconic "brown bars." Come here for the selection; with several beers on tap, including a few of their own house brews and hundreds of bottled beers, it's pretty much perfection. Its small waterside terrace fills up quickly in fine weather, though.

A local institution, this jazz club has been operating since 1962, with regular concerts in its vaulted basement of blues, roots, and jazz music. Everyone from Chuck Berry and Curtis Mayfield to Jerry Lee Lewis has played here, and inside you'll find a small museum about its history.

Down a narrow alley one block back from the Leie, this atmospheric brick-walled music club is the city's premier jazz venue, with live shows most nights.

A little slice of New Orleans on the Leie. Missy Sippy may lie square in the historic center, in the shadow of the Sint-Niklaaskerk, yet it still feels like a back-alley discovery, dishing up thumping blues and roots bands alongside a decent selections of Belgian brews and bourbons.

There are concerts as well as dance nights at Charlatan. Music starts up at 10, and entry to most events is free. The lineup includes alt-rock, electro, and lots of DJ nights.

A solid bar overlooking the Grote Markt, with a rather slick interior. It opens early, closes late, and drinks are accompanied by a small sharing plate of popcorn, olives, and chips. Its selection of whiskies and local beers is also pretty good. 

To taste a potent Flemish and Dutch specialty, head to 't Dreupelkot (sister bar to Het Waterhuis Aan De Bierkant), which produces its own jenever—a liquor similar in flavor to, and said to be the precursor of, gin. Here, it's all homemade and comes in a multitude of flavors, including vanilla, chocolate, and even cactus. The owner is also a character of the eccentric variety. A "barometer" behind the bar indicates his mood at any given time—it rarely points to "happy."

One of the oldest bars in Kortrijk sits on the banks of the Leie. The city has changed around it, and what was once a typical Belgian "brown bar" (its pale walls stained by years of tobacco smoke) in a run-down area is now one of the hipper locations on the riverfront for a beer. It has a nice terrace in summer.

Yet another beer specialist, with around 300 to choose from, although this one is located in a 15th-century cellar and with an atmosphere a tad livelier than its more laid-back rivals.

For those who can't face the trek out to the microbrewery, this central taproom run by Dok Brewing Co. is a great way to sample their craft creations.

Perched on the eastern edge of the town square, this decidedly bijou escape has the look and air of a modern gentleman's club, while the terrace outside gazes over to the stately town hall. A decent wine and tapas menu accompanies some fine people-watching. 

A charming little bar on the main street into town with a good choice of local beers, cocktails, and mostly South African wines. It also does a small lunch menu (€25), which changes daily. Bar snacks are ambitious (think cod ceviche and pizza with figs) and there's a great terrace at the back.