Ghent is often described as Belgium’s coolest city. But what would you pick as Ghent’s coolest bar? Hard to decide, there are so many. But Bar Mirwaar under the shadow of the Gravenstreen castle could be the coolest of the bunch.
It’s run by Toon Vlerick, who also plays guitar in a local band. He took over from the previous owners who had created a relaxed old-school bar with soft lighting, mirrors and benches covered in red velvet.
It’s a half-hidden bar that is stamkroeg to a mix of artists, campaigners, digital nomads and journalists. Not really a place for drunken stag parties, shall we say.
You can drink a Ghent craft beer while listening to something rare from the previous owners’ collection of 3,000 rare vinyl records stacked behind the bar. Or maybe catch a concert by a local band.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
