If you’re on a backpacker budget, it’s always handy to know some of the highly rated cheap eats in a new city. In beautiful Bruges, there are several good restaurants where you can find value for money food that tastes delicious. From traditional Belgian frites, authentic Flemish food to worldwide cuisines, there are plenty of cheap eats in the city where you can grab a cheap lunch or dinner. One thing to be wary of though: the cobbled streets are brimming with tourist traps and expensive restaurants. If you want to sample traditional Flemish dishes as well as other cuisines in Bruges without breaking the bank, then here’s where to eat in the Belgian city...
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DE HALVE MAAN
This famous family run brewery in Bruges serves up delicious food as well as quality Belgian beer. We recommend stopping by for lunch to indulge in the soup of the day. The soup is the most affordable dish on the menu at €6 - and it’s absolutely delicious. If you want to upgrade your meal, for €6.50 you can order the cheese and ham soup which also comes with a traditional Belgian beer - bargain! This yummy budget lunch also comes with a crusty baguette for dipping. Enjoy your lunch outside overlooking the canal, or on colder days get a cosy table next to the fireplace.
If you stop by for dinner, then don’t miss the flavoursome beef stew, a traditional Flemish dish served with a dark beer sauce and french fries (€18). Or a spaghetti Bolognese for €14.
BOCCA
Satisfy your pasta cravings at this authentic Italian takeaway just a couple of minutes walk from the city centre. Bocca isn’t just one of the cheapest places to eat in Bruges, but it’s seriously tasty, too. It’s all pasta on the menu here, but the different sauce options are endless making it one of the best places to grab food on the go for cheap! Whether your favourite way to eat pasta is with a cheesy white sauce, nutty green pesto or meaty Bolognese, you’ll more than likely find your top choice on the list. Opt for the small, medium or large pasta pot (€4, €5, €6), choose your sauce and then add any extras like Emmental cheese, parmesan, bacon or sun-dried tomato. For a quick and easy lunch or dinner option Bocca nails it for being cheap and delicious.
GANZESPEL
Ganzespel is the place to go for an authentic Belgian meal in a more cosy and romantic setting. The tables are all set up in the restaurant of a B&B with an open fire, friendly service and a fantastic selection of Belgian beers. We recommend trying the stew, a traditional dish sold in every local restaurant around Bruges, but every dish on their menu is homemade, fresh and delicious. If you decide on the daily special, it comes with a tasty vegetable soup to start which is great value for a place like this in Bruges! If you’re after a taste of real Belgian cuisine and a nice evening out with your friends or a loved one, head to this charming hidden gem.
OYYA
For a filling dessert in Bruges, don’t miss the warm Belgian waffles at Oyya. Not only are the waffles here affordable, they are freshly baked every day and you can choose from a variety of toppings, perfect for those with a sweet tooth. Think chocolate, whipped cream, strawberries, bananas, ice cream, cherries and even nutella. Not only do they look like Instagram goals, these waffles are seriously indulgent and the best in the city. Only quality ingredients are used to make for the perfect crunchy waffle on the outside and soft texture on the inside. This means they may not be the cheapest waffles in the city, but certainly value for money. Oyya also serves up homemade ice cream (which is amazing and only about €3.20) and frozen yogurt, perfect for a summer’s day pick me up.
THE BAUHAUS
Head to the traditional Belgian beer bar, The Bauhaus, for an affordable dinner accompanied by some traditional Belgian beer. Just underneath the St Christopher’s Inns hostel, this bar serves up hot tasty pizzas for just €5 - and it’s a decent size pizza too. This is incredibly cheap compared to prices around the rest of the city, especially considering this authentic beer bar is one of the best spots in Bruges to hang out in the evenings if you’re looking for a real local Flemish experience. The Bauhaus is always buzzing with locals and tourists alike who come to sample the beers.
RIBS N BEER
On Monday’s you’re in for a treat at Ribs n Beer as it’s ALL you can eat! For just €20 each you’ll get a beer along with as many ribs as your heart desires, each one perfectly cooked and covered in either a spicy dried rub or a sweet and sticky sauce. If you’re a lover of ribs and this sound up your street, be sure to book in advance or you’ll probably not get a table! Met a few people in the hostel and want to go out for a fun meal where you know you won’t leave feeling hungry? If there’s 6 or more of you, you can enjoy nachos and the unlimited ribs on any day of the week! Enjoy the beer, the vibes and, of course, the best ribs in Bruges. So just how much do you think you can you eat?
THE POTATO BAR
You can’t come to Bruges and not order a hefty portion of Belgian frites. Did you know that the Belgians actually invented frites? Head to the Potato Bar for your fix of frites - where everything on the menu features potatoes. This is one of the more trendy cheap eats in the city where you can enjoy your frites loaded with all sorts of sauces and toppings (you can even put mussels on top of your fries). Prices depend on the size of your portion (small €3, medium €3.90, large €4.80) and then you can pay extra for sauces/toppings. A tasty lunch at the Potato Bar will only set your bank balance back at around €6-8 overall.