Grote Markt restaurants, Brugge

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I'm a bit confused as to whether Cafe des Arts and Cafe des Artistes are the same? Anyway, Cafe des Arts is in Grokte Market, in the strip of restaurants there. The service was fine, and the food was good--mussels au gratin, mussels et frites, and dessert. Their fries were particularly good, some of the best I had in Belgium.

Favorite Dish: I only had one meal there and can't provide comparisons.

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An unassuming seafood restaurant, just off Grote Markt, is a favourite of locals. It is named after Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck, two leaders of a Flemish uprising against the French. A seafish-aquarium, wooden ceilings, elegant décor and reasonable prices set you immediately in a good mood. The house speciality is first of all a wide selection of mussels and lobster for amazing prices. The place seems to be new but very charming!

Favorite Dish: With its proximity to the sea providing a bounty of fresh seafood, It is a great place to try one of Belgium’s national dishes, moules frites - mussels with french fries.
The specialties, such as mussels, eels and lobsters are prepared with garlic sauces that enhance the flavor of the seafood, but you must remember: "don't breathe on anyone for 24 hours"...
The whole bill was less than 100 € for three and we had mussels and boullabaise with Brugs Blond. The tip of 16% is automatically added into the bill, so don’t feel obligated to add a tip. But if you are satisfied with the service, you can leave a few euros for the waiters.

Open from noon-3pm and 6-9:30pm, closed Wednesdays

This restaurant is in a prime location on the Markt. It serves a lot of local cuisine and has the atmosphere to match. There are both tourist menus, specials, and individual items available. My wife had the chicken broth while I had the herring and then Flemish beef stew. Although the service was a little slow, the food was very good and the staff was friendly. The prices did not seem like they were too high for the tourist menu and specials. For being where it is, this is a good thing. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone who visits Brugge. Portions were very adequate.

Favorite Dish: I liked the Flemish beef stew. It was cooked in dark beer and came with applesauce.

Don't even know the name of it, but it is on the main square directly across from the Belfry tower, where there is a whole line of restaurants...you might think that because it is on the main square it might be too touristy, but I know locals that prefer that restaurant over many. Look at the picture carefully and it is the one at the very end with the YELLOW umbrellas out front--that is how you will recognize it because it is the only there with yellow umbrellas.
EXCELLENT FOOD

I have no favourite. Brugge is just one of them towns where everywhere you go serves good food. I think it's better than in Brussels, at least you get more value for money. The cheap restaurants in Walplein are good for those of you who likes pasta instead of Belgian but also serve local fare, whilst loads of places in the Grote Markt serve the great Belgian dish mussels and chips along with steaks etc. Both have great views of the city while you eat.

All of the restaurants in Brugge are great. Spend your evenings wandering in the old central part of Brugge, you'll stumble across your own favorite restaurant.

Favorite Dish: The Frites are good. Drink Kreik.