De Garre

De Garre is hidden down a narrow alley off the Breidelstraat between the Markt and the Burg — easy to miss, which is part of its appeal. The bar occupies two floors of a medieval building and specialises in Belgian ales, with a list that runs to hundreds of options. The house Tripel is the reason most people come, but the full menu rewards exploration.

The atmosphere is warm and genuinely convivial — a mix of locals and visitors who have found the place through recommendation rather than accident. Arrive early in the evening in summer to get a seat. The alley entrance is easy to find on a map but less easy to spot on the street; look for the narrow passage between Breidelstraat numbers 1 and 3.

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De Garre serves its own house beer, Tripel van de Garre, at 11.5% ABV — served only in 25cl glasses and limited to three per person per visit. The bar enforces this limit with quiet seriousness. The beer is extraordinarily good: full-bodied, complex, and dangerously drinkable for its strength.

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