113 Best Bars in Belgium

This stylish cavelike bar is a spin-off from neighboring restaurant Le Greco and has a bountiful selection of Greek wines, tapas, and cocktails. 

This typical brown café (old-style bar, all dark wood and nicotine-stained walls) has been operating since 1929, and little has changed. It's been in the same family for three generations and serves up a good selection of beers, particularly some unusual gueuze and kriek (lambic beers) at a decent price—much to the delight of its dedicated locals.

The atmospheric Pelgrom is found in the vaulted brick cellars of an old 16th-century tavern beneath the Burgher House museum. Be warned: it's a bit of a tourist trap, given its medieval setting, but novelty value alone helps you to see past the group tours and steep prices.

A wonderful blend of bookshop (largely in Italian), café, wine bar/shop, and live music venue. It's as much a cultural center as it is a bar or kitchen, with plenty of artsy events held across the year (check out its calendar). But there's a great selection of Italian wines.

This speakeasy-style bar nestled on the outskirts of the Marolles is tiny, chic, and the kind of place that you stumble over and don't forget.

This British-style pub is the only game in town when it comes to finding a simple bar. Its friendly owner is an avid motorbike fan, as the decor suggests, and there's a good choice of beers (including Chimay, of course). Just about every local face in town will be in there at some point, and it even does karaoke nights if you're inclined to belt out a number.  

A tiny but mighty wine bar that is usually packed. You'll be lucky to squeeze in, but if you do, you're in for a treat; there's a great range of natural wines in particular, plus a rotating cadre of guest chefs who have put together some interesting pop-ups in the past.

Ring the bell and wait to be ushered past the old paintings, voodoo temple, and weird Gothic, slightly steampunk clutter (owner Don "Willy" Retsin considers it to be a museum of sorts, but then he also claims to be a vampire…) of this former Masonic lodge-turned-secret bar. The live music has a Latin vibe, though the occasional performance from its P. T. Barnum-esque owner is worth the wait. Havana-style rum punches dominate the drinks menu, but the real star is the decor: kitsch, unique and utterly memorable.

Sounds has been dishing up contemporary jazz along with decent Italian food since 1986, and it shows no signs of losing its rhythm. It also does plenty of good, regularly offering its space to gigs in support of local nonprofit organizations.

A focal point of Pakt, a revamped warehouse district near Berchem station, this brewpub serves its own beers alongside around 100 well-chosen brands from the cream of Belgian and global brewing.

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.

Global street food paired with fine wines is the name of the game at this cozy wine bar with an urban vibe.

Another to add to the growing number of natural wine bars in the capital. Together with Titulus, this bar and neighboring shop stock some 400 references from France, Italy, Spain, Georgia, and what owner Matthieu Vellut calls "punk wines"—those you're not even sure are a wine! The bar also runs tasting nights and courses.

The first of what is now a flood of natural wine bars in the capital. This cozy, chic shop-cum-bar in the Matonge area even has its own label, made on the owners' vineyard in France's Loire Valley, where they all grew up. With bottles from around €17, it's good value (natural wine usually has a high markup), and staff will cheerfully talk newbies through the selection of some 400 references. They also serve up some excellent sharing plates.

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. 

There's, unsurprisingly, a proliferation of Irish bars around the EU area. This is certainly one of the better lit and more modern. It's also a friendly spot to watch sports or even grab some posh fish-and-chips. Needless to say, it is packed to the gills with expats.

Timeless hospitality and great beers are the name of the game at this quaintly old-fashioned café---one that is part historical pub, and part antiques shop.

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.