When you think of Belgium and alcoholic beverages, the first thing to come to mind is probably beer. For obvious reasons, Belgian beers have become famous all over the world and they’re probably the easiest drink to find all over the country. When visiting Belgium, it’s therefore absolutely necessary to stop by a traditional bar or bruine kroeg if you prefer and taste some of its best barley juice. Yet what if, God forgive, you don’t like beer? Or what if you do like it but you’re simply not in the mood? Well, no worries, Belgium’s got you covered as well.
Beer might well be our specialty, that doesn’t mean we don’t like a classy glass of wine every now and then or a whimsical cocktail when we feel like it. And as Belgians really like good food and good drinks, we’ve got a lot of specialty bars on offer in those categories as well.
And to honor those, Gault&Millau likes to put them in the spotlights once a year. Not only do they choose the best wine menu and the best sommelier in the country, this time they also elected the best cocktail bar in Belgium. So, where to go? Well, for the best wine menu you’ll have to head to Bruges and, more specifically, to Sans Cravate. While the best sommelier can be found in Ghent at Vrijmoed.
Bar Arthur Orlans
But now onto the category we’re so curious about: the best cocktail bar. The honour of that title goes to Bar Arthur Orlans in Brussels. The place is situated in the popular and quite well-known Dansaert quarter and has one very particular characteristic. Instead of just offering a regular cocktail menu, every beverage is fine-tuned to the taste of the person who’s ordered it. Whether you like your drink a little more bitter or with a touch of salt, everything’s possible.
Of course, such a personalized cocktail also comes with a price. That’s why you’ll pay about 15 to 19 euros for a cocktail, which definitely isn’t cheap but sometimes, you can treat yourself, right? And with names like The Holy Ghost or Gardens of Babylon, one can’t help but to be intrigued. Oh and for those who prefer a non-alcoholic beverage, don’t worry, there’s something for you as well. For 10 euros, the bartender will make you a fully personalized mocktail like you’ve never tasted them before. Cheers!
