Belgian Beer Café Vignettes: De Garre, Bruges

Clichés about hidden gems aside, there are hidden gems, and then there are true hidden gems. De Garre is a true hidden gem — literally. The address is simple enough: De Garre 1. But it’s a clue more than anything else. You have to look hard for this place tucked away to the southeast of the Grote Markt in an alley along the Breidelstraat in Bruges. The small passage, wide enough for two people, is a bit like an Edinburgh alley: blink and you’ll miss it.

De Garre is well worth a few trips around the block. Once you find it, you’ll be reluctant to leave this cozy and classy drinking establishment. Dark beams overhead buckle slightly, a testament to their age. Red-framed windows and exposed brick exude warmth, while white tablecloths and classical music add a dash of refinement.

The well-curated beer list consists of more than a hundred beers, covering all the major beer bases: fruit beer, sour and funky beer, and Trappist beer. But the beer you really want is the house beer, the De Garre Tripel. Brewed for De Garre by Van Steenbourg (of Piraat fame), this effervescent Tripel packs in floral-spicy aromas, revealing a complex mix of honeyed banana custard on the palate. Clocking in at 11%, it also packs a bit of a punch. What makes the beer all the more special is its presentation: It comes in a unique thick-stemmed glass and is served with a side of cubed cheese. And not unlike Viennese waiters serve coffee, it all arrives at your table atop a platter covered with a doily.

I’ve yet to close the place down, but rumour has it that Ravel’s Bolero signals the end of the evening — which strikes me as a fitting touch in such an elegant place.

***

*Over the coming months I’ll be posting several short vignettes about my favourite beer cafes in Belgium. Check back periodically for ideas to put on your list — and leave a message in the comments letting me know which Belgian beer café is your favourite!

**

If my work has led you to a new discovery on your travels, if my writing has taken you on a virtual journey from the comfort of your own home, or if my words have simply made you smile, please consider supporting my writing and all that goes into it.

And if that schnitzel’s too expensive, there’s always beer or coffee. Vielen Dank, and thanks so much!

**

Related articles

Beer Cafes and Bollekes: Beer for a Day in Antwerp

Imbibing Beer and Flemish Splendour in Ghent

In the Land of Flemish Red-Brown Ale

Belfries and Beers in Bruges

Where the Wild Beers Are: Brussels and Flemish Brabant

Images by Franz D. Hofer

© 2020 Franz D. Hofer and A Tempest in a Tankard. All rights reserved.