Bruges Brugge - Amsterdam Bruges and Brussels - page 372

12:00-14:00 & 18:00-21:30, closed Sun-Mon, reserve ahead, ter-
race in back in summer, Sint Jakobsstraat 14, tel. [phone]).
Bistro den Amand, with a plain interior and a few outdoor
tables, exudes unpretentious quality the moment you step in. In
this mussels-free zone, Chef Arnout is enthusiastic about vegeta-
bles as his busy wok and fun salads prove. It's on a busy pedestrian
lane a half-block off the Market Square (€30 three-course meal,
€20 plates; Mon-Tue and Thu-Sat 12:00-14:00 & 18:00-21:00,
closed Wed and Sun; Sint-Amandstraat 4, tel. [phone], An
Vissers and Arnout Beyaert). Reservations are smart for dinner.
The Flemish Pot (a.k.a. The Little Pancake House) is a hard-
working eatery serving up traditional peasant-style meals. They
crank out pancakes (savory and sweet) and homemade wafels for
lunch. Then, at 18:00, enthusiastic chefs Mario and Rik stow their
waffle irons and pull out a traditional menu of vintage Flemish
specialties served in little iron pots and skillets. Seating is tight
and cluttered. You'll enjoy huge portions, refills from the hovering
“fries maiden,” and a good selection of local beers (€26-30 three-
course meals, €16-24 plates, Wed-Sun 12:00-22:00, closed Mon-
Tue, reservations smart, family-friendly, just off Geldmuntstraat at
Helmstraat 3, tel. [phone]).
Lotus Vegetarian Restaurant serves serious lunch plates (€10
plat du jour offered daily), salads, and homemade chocolate cake in
a bustling and upscale setting without a trace of tie-dye. To keep
carnivorous spouses happy, they also serve several very good, polit-
ically correct (a.k.a. organic) meat dishes (Mon-Sat from 11:45,
last orders at 14:00, closed Sun, cash only, just of north of Burg
Square at Wapenmakersstraat 5, tel. [phone]).
The Hobbit, featuring an entertaining menu, is always busy
with happy eaters. For a swinging deal, try the all-you-can-eat
spareribs with bread and salad for €16.50. It's nothing fancy, just
good, basic food in a fun, traditional grill house (daily 18:00-
24:00, family-friendly, Kemelstraat 8-10, reservations smart, tel.
050-335-520).
To m is D i in e r is a trendy, stark little “bistro eetcafé” in a quiet,
cobbled residential area a 10-minute walk from the center. Young
chef Tom gives traditional dishes a delightful modern twist. If you
want to flee the tourists and experience a popular neighborhood
joint, this is it—the locals love it (€17 plates, Thu-Tue 18:00-24:00,
closed Wed, north of Market Square near Sint-Gilliskerk at West-
Gistelhof 23, tel. [phone]).
Market Square Restaurants: Most tourists seem to be eating
on Market Square with the bell tower high overhead and horse
carriages clip-clopping by. The square is ringed by tourist traps
with aggressive waiters expert at getting you to consume more than
you intended. Still, if you order smartly, you can have a memorable