2 Best Restaurants in Knokke-Heist, Bruges and the Coast

This smart modern restaurant takes its inspiration primarily from the nearby North Sea, with fishy and seafood stars ranging from the familiar mussels, to rarer menu treats like skate wing, or more indulgent lobster. The adjacent "Bar a Vina" wine bar (open evenings only), under the same ownership, offers tapas-style sharing dishes prepared in the same kitchen, but designed to be enjoyed in slightly less formal surrounds.

The brasserie restaurant beside the coastal promenade in downtown Knokke has a slightly old-fashioned feel, but it serves reliably good, hearty portions of Belgian classics, and some excellent seafood to boot. The latter should come as no real surprise given the location: snag a table on the outside terrace in summer and you enjoy a sea view, and inhale the fresh salty air as you dine.