Staminee de Garre (Beer Bar), Brugge

Located in an indiscreet alley between the Burg and Markt is Staminee De Garre. It's defintely a local hang out probably due to the fact if you aren't looking for it, you would never find it. All you need to say is, "a house tripple" and you will be given one of the best glasses of beers you've ever had even by Belgium standards. These beers are so potent that you can only order three glasses max before you are cut off. They don't serve food, but have snacks and if there are no seats on the main floor then there is more room upstairs. Altogether, there are probably about 35 seats and if there is no room you must come back later.

Dress Code: Casual

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This tucked away gem is perhaps the most charming of all the cafes in town with courteous table service, classical music and a restrained air that says taste, not quaff. This was my initial impression of the candle lit affair. I spent my first two visits alone and wondered what it would be like if I could have a lovely lady in tow. Well, I got a chance to bring Doreen there on this most recent trip but also had three VTers along for the ride. So, it wasn't the romantic occasion I had envisioned and turned more into an all out drinking session (well, the beginning of one anyway!). We started with the essential house brew which is a marvelously drinkable pale ale with a nice hoppy dry finish. I managed to have two while the others went on how you couldn't drink more than one. I finished up with the Hercule Stout from Ellezelloise, a huge black beer with dense tan head which was full of dried fruit and coffee overtones finishing slightly dry and bittersweet. You get small plates of cheese free with each beer but we ordered a bigger serving as well as some salami to help cleanse our palates as well as keep us fortified for a long day of sampling.

If all that heavy 13 degree beer is too much for you, you can try a small one.
We discovered you could have a half Garre as well!

The Garre: a pub with 127 local beers, 4 draft beers and 5 real trappist beers!

Dress Code: ordinary but oh so cosy pub.
it might take a while before you have a seat!
it is a favorite pub to many.
if you are polite, then do what we did, offer you free (seat-s) to pple who just entered.
you might be surprised how nice conversations you can have with totaly strangers!

Having a beer at the Garre!
Down an alley off Breidelstraat between the Markt and De Burg.
Of it's housebeer (e.g. a Garre, Gouden Draak) you are only allowed to drink 3 maximum because it is 13 degrees!
It is a lovely small pub with a good range of beers.
Closed on Wednesday.
You can find this pub in the Garre van Cornée, that is at less then 2 minutes walk from the market square.

Dress Code: No dress code.
You will hear a lot of local dialect here as this pub is a bit hidden to the eye of the tourist and frequented by lots of locals.

When I was in Bruges in October 2002 with my NZ friend Rose visiting, we made an appointment with Evelyn, an American award writer, who stayed in Europe (and Bruges) for a couple of weeks.
This pub is a very tiny pub in a very tiny alley... so before you know you pass it!
It is at 20 steps from the marketsquare in a little alley called Garre van Cornée.

Dress Code: Everything is ok!

Coming soon