October 29, 2020

Belgian Beer Café Vignettes: Café Vlissinghe, Bruges

Bruges is one of my favourite cities in Europe. Ethereal cobblestone lanes, canals, medieval Flemish architecture, magnificent squares, a towering belfry, secluded parks, and even a few windmills make for an enchanting ambience you won’t find in many other cities. And there’s no shortage of churches and museums for those who like a shot of culture as a prelude to their beer. Speaking of which, Bruges’ narrow alleys conceal many a hidden oasis where you can relax from the hard work of sightseeing and eating all that Belgian chocolate.

Café Vlissinghe

One such place is Café Vlissinghe in the St. Anna district. Founded in 1515, Vlissinghe is the oldest tavern in Bruges at 505 years young. It’s also one of the more charming places you’ll find for a drink in a country renowned for its charming drinking establishments, the kind of place that didn’t adopt modern beer taps and towers until the 1960s. (Prior to that, the publican had to go to the cellar to tap each beer from the barrels stored there.)

Old portraits and engravings line the walls underneath a ceiling held aloft by heavy wooden beams, and an old-fashioned heating stove exudes good will. Legend has it that the first owners of Café Vlissinghe, “Old Teunis and his wife,” lived to be a hundred years old and died on the same day. Their portrait still hangs on the wall to the far upper-right of the fireplace. An oil-on-wood painting in the arch above the entry to the dining room bears witness to the region’s maritime history while offering hints about whence the building’s original proprietors came (Vlissingen in the Netherlands). If calming, diffused light in a dark-paneled room isn’t your thing on an afternoon with not a cloud in the sky, head for the sunny courtyard out back.

Meals are hearty and satisfying, running the gamut from simple bistro food like quiche, spaghetti, and croque monsieur to scampi salad and tapas with boudin blanc. The beer menu here isn’t as extensive as it is at places like ’t Brugs Biertje on the other side of town, but it covers all the national greatest hits with a sprinkle of local flavour (Halve Maan, Fort Lapin).

A relative newcomer to the Bruges beer scene, Fort Lapin is located just north of Bruges’ town center. Fort Lapin’s tart and dry No. 5 Kriek is not as complex as a wild-fermented kriek, but it delivers a hibiscus-like zing along with a fresh cherry character. If you’re looking for a refreshing alternative to the fruit bombs sold by Lindemans, this fits the bill on a warm day.

When you’re done soaking up the ambience of Vlissinghe, be sure to explore the quiet alleys of St. Anna along with the windmills along the canal before returning to the center of the action.

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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!