The best thing in Ostend
We regularly 'do' a here at Barts Boekje Belgium weekendWhether midweek, a week, or just a day. Because it always feels a bit like a holiday, surrounded by the (always just a little more stylish) friendly, Burgundian Belgians. If we get to choose (and we do), we head to the Flemish coast. Ostend in this case. An industrial city by the sea, the best of both worlds. Anyway, Ostend really has it all: from the beach to the best restaurants. Our favorites in Ostend.
Visiting Ostend in the autumn? Then be sure to check out this article as well!
When we set our sights on Ostend, we knew immediately that we wanted to make a reservation at Café Mosselhuis. The Mosselhuis on Nieuwstraat has always been an old-fashioned, nostalgic, cozy eatery and is also known to star chef Willem Hiele. He took over the restaurant he knew from his childhood, and under his wing, the Mosselhuis was given a second life, without losing any of its brown café vibe. No fine dining here, just honest, no-nonsense cooking with whatever the North Sea has to offer that day. There is a fixed seasonal menu, but be sure to keep an eye on the specials: they change daily, depending on what the fishermen bring in. It doesn't get fresher than this. Naturally, we went for the Plateau Madeleine, named after his grandmother, featuring fish salad, langoustine tails, home-smoked haddock, whelks, unpeeled prawns, and his famous bisque. And a glass of white wine to go with it. After that, all we really felt like was a nap on the beach. No sooner said than done.
Just one more then! And at La Bohème. The café the city was missing: you pop in for a cocktail, a glass of wine (they have some fine wines, by the way) or a beer, and linger for small dishes to share, such as charcuterie, croquettes, and tasty dips. Great for afternoon drinks, but it gets just as lively in the evening. Or, as the Belgians would say: ideal for a long aperitif.
La Bohème is the little sister of panoramic bar Et Alors on the seafront.
A regular coffee spot in Ostend. In this trendy coffee bar on Christinastraat, they serve specialty coffee, but you're also in the right place for matcha, an iced latte, or a good piece of cake. We noticed that the locals happily order two pieces of pastry or croissants here, so we do the same! The coffees are served with plant-based milk as standard. And there is a small library, so if you happen to forget your book, just grab one from the shelf. They also have a lovely terrace. Please note: they are open from Wednesday to Sunday, from 9 am to 17 pm.
Formerly a regular pub, now a cozy bistro. Charlotte and Bruce breathed new life into Bar Bristol with a blue counter, cheerful awnings, and a nostalgic feel.
No stuffy restaurant fuss, just good food, a glass of wine, and a local atmosphere. Bruce and Boris provide a delicious menu: always fresh, always surprising. Charlotte and Femke ensure a cozy atmosphere, the right music, and wines that pair perfectly. Everything here exudes craftsmanship, tradition, and respect for nature, with local products and a healthy dose of character. Sustainable, honest, and above all, incredibly tasty.
Yes, of course you also have to sleep when you go away for a weekend, so we'll start with that. Because when life gives you Ostend, you would do well to book a room at what we think is absolutely the nicest and coolest hotel in the city: Upstairs Hotel. The hotel is housed in a striking building: it is black and high, and that looks out of place. A good thing, absolutely. Normally we see enough already. The Upstairs Hotel is what you call 'urban', metropolitan and cool, loosely translated, and reminiscent of the Meatpacking District in New York. It is also a creative hotel: for example, there is a slide in the middle of the hotel. Because it is possible. What is absolutely not included is breakfast: the breakfast buffet is very extensive and more than good! In short: an industrial-cool hotel just two steps from the sea?
Restaurant Passe-Vite in Ostend is a fresh and clean establishment. Exactly what you can really look forward to during a fresh and clean get-away weekend on the Flemish coast. The menu matches the looks of the business: most of the dishes are healthy and tasty without fuss. With your fresh mint tea you get a bottle of orange blossom syrup – how nice! Don't you say anything? That is syrup that smells like perfume and is an incredibly tasty addition to your tea. Lunch tip, go go go!
De Charlou is a really lovely place. The cozy restaurant is located in a building from 1930 and the staff is super friendly. The heart of the establishment is the open kitchen, where the chef-owner herself stands at the stove and has everything tightly under control. She works with the Josper grill, a charcoal oven that gives meat and fish that delicious grilled edge, while everything on the inside remains incredibly tender. Delectable lamb crown, beef fillet, or chicken, straight from the grill. The menu is short, supplemented with daily specials on the blackboard. Start with a few small dishes to share, such as octopus or bone marrow, and then go for a main course from the Josper. Add a good glass of wine, and you'll immediately understand why everyone who has been here once wants to come back. No-nonsense food, as they call it themselves, and that is true.
ZAZ Cuisine It does exactly what a business ought to do these days: a stylish interior with (mouthwatering!) marble-look walls, steel window frames in contrasting black combined with salmon-pink, cuddly chairs. Check, check, check! On the table? A bit of everything! But especially fish (and that’s exactly what we love). Zaz Cuisine sources the majority of the ingredients served from the sea (after all, it’s just a few meters away), and the rest comes from the local area too. Like the tea, for instance: it is made especially for ZAZ Cuisine by the herb shop around the corner.
Hello positive vibes all over the place! When we walk into Lizette in Ostend, we are welcomed by at least six smiles. And they go from ear to ear. And then you have us. Although we have to say that, even if we want to be critical, the food itself is also very good. We had a pumpkin-carrot-sweet-potato-coconut soup. TASTY! To top it all off, Lizette only employs people with disabilities. In short: looking for the goodwill factor in Ostend?
Of course we love to eat and drink our way through the city, but to catch our breath it is nice to experience some culture. That's possible in Ostend: there are no fewer than 57 more or less hidden places in the city with the most beautiful murals. Surprise! Artists from all over the world have left their signatures on random walls in Ostend. You can locate this urban art using a map. Do you find reading maps difficult? You can also use Facebook Messenger as a guide. Ha! The chatbot not only provides directions, but also provides substantive information about the various works using text, photos and videos. The tour is completely free and starts at the information office of Toerisme Oostende vzw. The Crystal Ship walk
We already said what the place to be is in the field of culture, and we sent you onto the paths and avenues, if the weather is bad you will probably want to take shelter (for a few hours) at the Art Museum by the Sea, abbreviated Mu.ZEE. The museum shows modern and contemporary visual art in Ostend and is a treat. Mu.Zee
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