Bruges might be known for its exquisite medieval architecture, which lines its cobbled streets and canals, its beer, waffles, and chocolate, and its long history of lace making. But these days, there's a burgeoning design scene in the city that is putting a fresh spin on centuries-old traditions – think artisanal bakeries, punk chocolate shops, and cool concept stores. This is where to shop in Bruges.
Back in 1987, Martine Goethals opened L’héroïne on the now-buzzy Noordzandstraat shopping boulevard as the first place in Bruges to champion the Antwerp Six: the collective of avant-garde Belgian fashion rebels including Ann Demeulemeester and Dries Van Noten. Today the gallery-like space is still best known for pieces by those original game-changers, and other notable Belgian talents, from easy-wearing Christian Wijnants cotton dresses to freeform ruched Dries Van Noten pieces and trippy-print bags. But Goethals and her team also support subsequent generations of Belgian designers and brands, stocking floaty tie-dye Just in Case dresses, Raff Collective cashmere jumpers and statement jewellery by Wouters & Hendrix.
Address : Noordzandstraat 32, 8000 Brugge, Belgium Website: lheroine.be Originally created for the 1958 Expo in Brussels, the Belgian waffle is a classic, but not immune to reinvention. Just beyond the 12th-century St John’s Hospital, on the corner of Mary’s Bridge, is Otto Waffle Atelier , an artisanal bakery pioneering a new take on the iconic treat.
Made with oats instead of wheat, and shaped in the form of an embroidery flower (in a nod to Bruges ’s history as a lace-making hub), this iteration is worth the queue that trails along the street. Toppings range from fresh berries to chopped nuts, ice cream and edible flowers. Brussels and Liège have each invented signature versions too, but this is the real deal in Bruges.
Address : Katelijnestraat 1, 8000 Brugge, Belgium Website: ottowaffleatelier.be Started by Francine Jansseune and Astrid Van Pamele – founders of leather bag brand Leather Be and homeware line Méli et Mélo, respectively – Atelier Twee is a concept store stocking a carefully curated selection of accessories and homeware from the duo’s brands and other eco-friendly Belgian producers. The leather handbags, purses, belts and backpacks are all made in the shop and come in striking colours, from plum to Yves Klein blue via classic tan, and there are lines fashioned out of vegan leather sourced from apples.
Leather Be has a Handmade in Brugge accreditation, acknowledging its status as a local business selling artisan products that contribute to the city’s culture. The homeware ranges from colourful ribbed glassware and pretty velvet patchwork cushions to handcrafted candles, and the shop also sells hair accessories and bunches of fresh peonies. (Another name to note is Harald Lamon, who runs woodwork store Lepelhuis , for his artfully hand-carved bowls, spoons and other charming kitchen accessories.
) Address : Callestraat 2, 9270 Laarne, Belgium Website: instagram.com/atelier_twee A trip to The Chocolate Line feels less like a visit to a traditional chocolate shop and more like a party: upbeat music blasts out of the storefront as guests pass by a giant image of a tattooed Snow White, and a life-sized safari truck lists the chocolatiers’ global cocoa-hunting expeditions. Behind a glass wall, the machines busily churn the star of the show: the chocolate.
Some come in adventurous flavours, such as deep beetroot praline, pea and mint, and hazelnut and puffed rice. For a more traditional delicacy there’s Elisabeth on Market Square, a white-and-gold-arched empor-ium devoted to truffle pralines and signature melocakes. Address : Simon Stevinplein 19, 8000 Brugge, Belgium Website: thechocolateline.
be Upon entering Marianne Vandenbussche , it’s not uncommon to see the eponymous artist sitting at her potter’s wheel, apron smudged with clay, greeting visitors with a big smile as she throws one of her creations. Her redbrick studio and shop in the historical Ezelstraat Quarter is a haven of earthenware and experimental porcelain designs. The seabed is her inspiration, hence the coral-like vases and tide-cast shapes in a minimal, earthy palette.
It’s worth leaving hand luggage space for her molten serving bowls and dip-glazed side plates, or artisanal candlesticks in raw speckled clay. Address : Ezelstraat 67, 8000 Brugge, Belgium Website: mariannevandenbussche.com In the 19th century, about 10,000 of the city’s 50,000 inhabitants were involved in the lace trade.
Now, in the quiet St Anna quarter, overgrown with ivy, ‘t Apostelientje is the last shop in Belgium to stock only handmade lace. After ducking under the low doorframe of the old house, visitors will find a maze of tiny interlocking rooms, stocked from floor to ceiling with shawls, headscarves, framed patterns and entire rolls of lace, ranging from 17th-century to contemporary styles. This store is especially good for trims (cuffs and collars) to be added to blouses or evening coats.
There’s more to learn about the city’s craft heritage at the Lace Museum a few doors down. Address : Balstraat 11, 8000 Brugge, Belgium Website: apostelientje.be De Kaasbolle started life as a family-run grocery store, but streamlined into a cheesemonger when it moved to pretty Smedenstraat boulevard.
The owner’s son, Carl Top, took over the business and can now be found behind the counter passionately advising on the vast assortment of carefully sourced cheeses, from the house special, a creamy Lucullus, to a Tartarin Cognac (with Turkish raisins steeped in cognac) and an authentic Greek feta marinade. Address : Smedenstraat 11, 8000 Brugge, Belgium Website: dekaasbolle.be A waffle’s throw from the bustling Rosary Quay, Alfa Papyrus is a haven of cards, scrolls, leatherbound books and gift boxes wrapped in Japanese paper.
Postcards on so many themes – bicycles, fish, nudes, the Belgian royal family – line the length of the store. Towards Market Square is café-cum-cartoon shop De Loge van Marec , which sells prints, postcards and books by cartoonist Marec. In the shadow of Saint Saviour’s Cathedral, Van de Wiele Antiquariaat is the go-to for antique art catalogues, special atlases and illuminated manuscripts.
Its beautifully illustrated prints of Bruges are a classic keepsake. Address : Eekhoutstraat 25, 8000 Brugge, Belgium; Sint-Jakobsstraat 6, 8000 Brugge, Belgium; Sint-Salvatorskerkhof 7, 8000 Brugge, Belgium Website: alfapapyrus.be ; cartoonistmarec.
be ; vdw-auctions.com Benedict Minne is the fourth generation shopkeeper who, with his parents, runs Rombaux , a music store with original 1920s decor, including art nouveau stained-glass windows. It sells a vast selection of jazz and classical CDs and vinyl beneath its chapel-worthy rafters, but the real gems are found upstairs: Minne’s handcrafted acoustic and flamenco guitars, plus a selection of ukuleles and mandolins.
Having studied the art of guitar making in Barcelona , Minne now fashions bespoke models and repairs other string instruments. Address : Mallebergplaats 13, 8000 Brugge, Belgium Website: rombaux.be.
