Oostende

Oostende the only true 'City at the Sea' you will discover over 9 kms of great sandy beaches that invite you to delightful sunbathing and a refreshing dip in the North Sea, alternated with a brisk walk along the promenade. But this bathing resort has a lot more to offer besides just the sun, the sea and the beach. After a delightful dip in the sea you will be ready to discover a city that offers you a sea of possibilities. Docked in the marina, the Mercator is a 3-masted 1930s ship that now acts as a floating museum. The Mu.ZEE displays Belgian art from the 1830s onward. The neo-Gothic–style Church of St. Peter and St. Paul has soaring spires and distinctive stained-glass windows. Near the harbor, Fort Napoleon is a 5-sided fortification built in 1811. You will be able to thoroughly enjoy sports and relaxation, strolling and shopping, music and museums, Beer, etc. ...

Van Bulck Beers, Karel Janssenlaan

Open: Daily 17.50 - 23.00

The brand new Van Bulck brasserie in Ostend is based on a culinary food pairing experience with their organic beers and wines, as well as on a unique food sharing experience with friends and family where a gastronomic evening is central. The menu is a varied composition of high-quality sharing dishes and beautiful presentation! Romantic for a couple or for a group cozy and informal dining. Everything is possible: without rules or regulations, with fingers or fork! They serve small snacks, cold and warm (starter) dishes and delicious desserts, freshly prepared daily. The cool interior also fits in nicely with the industrial look of the hotel.

A bit about the brewery, Van Bulck guarantees Belgian organic beers of the best quality. Their beers are traditionally brewed with only certified organic ingredients and meet the required standards to bear the European organic label. This means that at least 95% of the raw materials used come from organic farming. In other words, the hops and grain are grown without chemical-synthetic crop protection agents and fertilizers. The same strict standards apply to the fruit and herbs used in the brewing process.

Café Botteltje, Louisastraat 19, B-8400

Open: Tues - Sun 11.30 - 01.00. Mon 16.30 - 01.00

A great Old fashioned place with a British pub feel to it, with a cosy interior lots the atmosphere is "Brown Cafe" but modern and clean, cosy and woody, and quite relaxing if it is not too crowded, plus knowledgeable staff that know and like to talk about beer. Excellent beer selection of 16 draft taps and over 300 bottle's that includes a large selection of gueuze/lambic. They serve typical Flemish/Dutch snacks like bitterballen or kibbeling, plus a regular menu. Definitely the place to visit in Oostende.

De Zeegeuzen, Kapucijnenstraat 38

Open: Wed - Sun 16.00 - 02.00

A very good rustic brown café (an old fisherman's cafe), very cosy, friendly people, a pleasant ambience, their choice of music is fantastic and they have a smoking area in the back. Time has clearly stood still here and that in itself is their charm. A limited beer list, but good local craft beers on it. When you go you should try their house beer "Zeegeuze" for sure, it's a beer with a secret ingrediënt? (ideal for people who want to get acquainted with the Geuze/Lambiek style). The food is delicious and the service is very friendly.

Lafayette Music Bar, Langestraat 12

Open:Daily 14.00 - 01.00

This is quit a famous pub in the Ostend entertainment district (once the local of soul legend Marvin Gaye during his time in the city). In this little atmospheric 'brown' bar, were the resident DJ plays well curated American soul and jazz music from the 70’s, providing a very nice place for drinking beer and relaxing in a cosy atmosphere, this place ideal for loooong evenings 🤪 However they have an above average selection of Belgian beers with 8 taps and 70+ bottles, including some traditional geuze plus all the Trappist beers on stock. The staff are friendly and provide efficient service.

Manuscript, Langestraat 23

Open: Daily 14.00 - 02.00

This bar has been one of the best "brown bars" in town since 1991 located in the heart of Ostend's entertainment district across the road from Lafayette Music Bar (above). Here you can choose from and enjoy practically all the Belgian beer styles from 71 different beers, including their own exclusive house beer: a thirst quencher with a slightly salty taste. A real North Sea beer! PoppoLou and PoppoLou "Extra Hoppy" 6% abv. Musically, Manuscript focuses on rock, blues and jazz. Every month there are concerts with local bands and big national/international artists such as The Delta Saints, The War on Drugs, The Goo Goo Dolls, Steve Conte and Steve Wynn etc(concerts always start at 21.30). Great friendly staff all go to create an incredible atmosphere for you to kick back and enjoy some great tunes and a few good beers, what more can you ask for?

Kroegske, St Paulustraat 80

Open: Daily 11.00 - 14.00 & 18.00 - 00.00

Located quite close to the cathedral square, this is a cute and classic Ostend pub, especially the facade is designed in a cool and colourful way full of Weird murals. This very small brown pub attracts many, let us say ’colourful’ locals as well as Flemish artists. There is an outdoor area with lots of with flowering plants in handbags, you sit in a small fenced area. Inside it is cosy and cluttered with all types of interesting old things and tight with just enough room to peruse the small beer list, they have special Belgian beers from time to time but in itself, this is not a beer pub. The owners are elderly people who have probably fulfilled their lifelong dream here. Overall a fascinating, and quirky pub that everyone should visit.

Bierrestaurant Heerlijk, Nieuwpoortsesteenweg 893

Open: Wed - Sat 11.30 - 14.00 & 17.30 - 21.00 Sun 11.30 - 21.00 Closed: Mon - Tues

A modern restaurant serving super, very tasty dishes that have beers recommended with each course matched perfectly with the food, such as a stew of pork cheeks with Rodenbach, freshly prepared steak tartare or a chocolate mousse with Trappist beer. Their passion is reflected in a monthly 5-course menu with matching beers, a true culinary delight for the eye and taste. Extremely sweet and helpful staff, who will if asked will immediately provide a nice explanation as to why the beer is paired with a specific dish. They have 8 large fridges with all the Trappists in and more than 100 specialty beers, as a beer lover can enjoy a few hours here. Also nice that dogs are welcome. Ideal to end a day at the coast. Recommended 🤪

Jilles Beers & Burgers, 60 Albert I Promenade

Open: Thurs - Mon 17.30 - 20.30 Closed : Tues - Wed

As grand as the sea and cosy as home, that's Jilles Oostende. Located on the  promenade below Hotel Andromeda, an American style Burger bar, modern and spacious. They have 8 draught beers taps and about 50 bottles. They even have their own house beer Rostekop brewed by Fort Lapin. A large selection of different burgers of high quality. I'm not sure you can go here only for beers. I think you have to eat. The beer selection is pretty decent with a lot of the more lesser known Belgian breweries. Nice service, but the prices are a bit steep?

Stadsbrouwerij Oostende 't Koelschip, Van Iseghemlaan 101

Open: Daily 10.00 - 18.00

A brewery with beer store located 2 min from Casino/Kursaal and in sigh of the Tourist Information Office and not far away from the North Sea dyke. The place is pretty messy, with the brewery on the ground floor and the shop on the first. You have to go through a part of the brewery before reaching the stairs up to the shop. Upstairs look's like a living room, which is probably what it originally was, including comfortable sofas and other pieces of furniture, lined by shelving with the beers put on display, a kind of ‘beer boutique’ as it were. Anyway, semi-large selection od beer, but most of it is pretty standard. The owner can be very friendly or pretty rude, depending on his mood (hangover?🥴). Prices are very high, IMO. Oostende is not Brussels...