This was my sister-in-law’s third attempt to dine here. She had high hopes for this place. It was a very rainy morning and we(4 adults and 1 child) walked from our air bnb not too far from the town center to have breakfast. When we arrived, we were relieved to get out of the pouring rain. Unfortunately, the owner said there was no availability and no way to tell how long it was going to take. She said, «A day like today when it’s rainy, people stick around and drink coffee for a lot longer and it’s impossible to tell when a table will be available.» True, but we could have ordered coffees and waited 15 – 20 minutes until a table opened up… no? Mind you, it was pouring outside. We got the impression that she just did not want to bother with us. We went back out into the pouring rain and found another place. Highly disappointed and will not bother coming back the next time we are in Bruges.
Kerri-Ann L.
Place rating: 5 Romford, United Kingdom
We fell in love with this quaint café and returned two mornings out of our three in Bruge. The family are so friendly and welcoming — there is such a warm atmosphere. The food is also excellent! There is not an extensive choice but the bagels and eggs are well worth going for. Also the hot chocolate too was delicious! I would recommend to any other visitors highly.
Francesca T.
Place rating: 5 New York, NY
I saw how popular this place was on Unilocal so we decided that we had to come here during our visit to Bruges. It’s literally the cutest place ever, tucked into a small cobblestone alleyway. I think it’s owned by a local family and they decorate the place like an actual doll house. The walls were bright and pink with small tables laid with flowers. We ordered bagels and fruit that came with jam and I also got a hazelnut milk latte, which was divine. It’s a very couple-y place so it’s nice to come with your significant other. We didn’t come for tea but the menu for that looked amazing as well. Definitely a must-visit in Bruges — I’m obsessed!
Colleen M.
Place rating: 5 Manhattan, NY
Great experience at Gingerbread Tea Room. Amazing service, we went around 10 and asked if we could make a lunch reservation, the owner said no but she could keep us in mind. Went back around 1:30 and a table was reserved for us! Great selection of teas, we got the English breakfast. Mom ordered the quiche of the day(Leek and Bacon), Dad ordered a poppyseed bagel with eggs and sundries tomatoes and I got the fruit waffle with whipped cream. All were huge portions but absolutely delicious. We finished every bite! If we had more time in Brugge I would certainly return. Tips: 1. Go before 2 so you can still get the lunch fair. 2. Dont expect this to be a typical English«Afternoon Tea». It’s tea with a side of waffles, the Belgian way!
Eat R.
Place rating: 5 Scottsdale, AZ
Very good breakfast. We ordered the bagel with fruit. They have great fresh preserves and great local service.
Michelle P.
Place rating: 4 Wiesbaden, Germany
Great food and really good prices. You get a little sweet cake or tart with every coffee and tea. The bagels were delicious but I don’t recommend a plain one. I had the bacon omelette bagel and the they did not butter the bagel so the flavor came solely from the eggs(which were yummy). Make a reservation! It fills up fast.
Rachel R.
Place rating: 4 Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Ginger Bread is a totally cute tea room. Tricky to find though, as the wee Unilocal marker isn’t in quite the right place, it’s actually on the other side of the road and on Sint-Amandsstraat, despite the marker making it look like it’s on Geldmundstraat. If I hadn’t read the reviews beforehand, I’d probably have walked past as tea rooms are ten a penny in Brugge and it doesn’t look all that special from the outside. Just very, very pink. Which it is, it’s all pink with art nouveau artwork on the walls. We arrived at 11.30am, which is a problematic time for the menu. We were informed that we’d just missed breakfast(stops at 11.15am), but upon perusing the menu it seems that lunch doesn’t start until 12pm(and then there’s yet another menu selection from 2pm). In fact, we were restricted to one page of sweet bagels and sweet waffles which are served all day. Waffles it was! Boyfriend went for the Mikado, or a waffle with ice cream and warm chocolate sauce, and I followed my hero Leslie Knope’s lead in ordering a waffle with chantilly cream. The waffles themselves were ok, they definitely didn’t beat Chez Albert’s(which were listed as Liege, and Ginger Bread’s were Brussels, maybe that’s the difference?). And at 6.50−9 euros they were pretty dear. Yet I’m prepared to forgive the high prices and the average waffles because the service was just so lovely. The woman, who I presume is the owner, is the sweetest and the other staff were just as friendly. It makes me warm inside just thinking about them. So, go to Ginger Bread, just don’t go between 11.15 and 12!
Samuel C.
Place rating: 5 Richmond Hill, Canada
We had the salmon bagel and Spanish ham bagel. Portions are massive. Also delicious. Had to wait a little bit for the lunch service to start since we went at an awkward time around 10ish but we sat and drank our coffees while we waited. Definitely paid off though. Bagels were delicious.
Ulyana T.
Place rating: 5 Seattle, WA
We came at 8:30(wrong open hours on Unilocal) and they were still closed so we were back at 9am.(Really wanted to to their famous crisp waffles). So worth the come back!!! This place is such a gem. Superior and fast service. Amazingly prepared and beautifully presented food. Generous food and drink menu selection. We ordered waffles with whipped cream, waffles with fruit salad and chocolate sauce, and bagel with citrus infused ricotta cheese with abundance of fresh sweet Strawberries. Our plates were clean at the end of breakfast. Served on elegant Victorian style dishes. Both inside and outside seating is comfort. Bathroom is super clean. The café has a home feeling. Everything speaks coziness. The chef personally came to check on us. Go there to begin your morning right!
Linda B.
Place rating: 5 Ratingen, Nordrhein-Westfalen
Nach einem Abend mit viel zu viel belgischem Bier brauchten wir ein gutes, spätes Frühstück und das haben wir im Ginger Bread bekommen. Es ist ein kleiner Familienbetrieb, der sehr liebevoll geführt wird. Die Atmosphere war sehr heimelig und entspannend, der Service sehr, sehr nett und das Essen klasse. Es gab hausgemachte, frische Suppe und üppig belegte Bagels. Hier hat es uns an nichts gefehlt.
Lauri P.
Place rating: 5 Vancouver, Canada
This adorable family run tea room is perfect for brunch, afternoon tea or just dessert. The brunch bagels come loaded with fruit, and I mean an obscene amount. The elderly lady was so kind and patient in explaining the menu and making sure we were happy in our choices. We chose a Victoria cake(since there are no calories on vacation), and even though we were so full it was uncomfortable, we ate it all. It was THAT good.
Julie G.
Place rating: 5 Austin, TX
Fabulous drinks, tasty treats, served with equally sweet service. Spring for a hot chocolate with speculoos.
Tash S.
Place rating: 5 Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Bruges is a wonderful town, and this is one of its highlights! Undoubtedly the best waffles I have ever eaten! Not only that, the service was wonderful. The owners/managers were attentive and friendly from the moment we walked in the door. All of our hot drinks were served with a mini cake slice, which was both tasty and a nice touch. When I had finished my(insanely delicious) waffle, I ordered a second cup of tea which also came with a mini cake slice. When the waitress brought it to our table and noticed that my boyfriend had eaten his slice already, she dashed back to the kitchen and brought him another. My only piece of advice for this little place is: don’t share. You’re going to want that whole waffle to yourself, trust me.
Andy S.
Place rating: 4 Bruges, Belgium
Don’t expect eggs n bacon– this is what we in the uk would call ‘continental’- cold meats, cheese, jam etc.- but all produce seemed ultra fresh and tasty, and the service and welcome was excellent, with a friendly ‘family’ vibe.
Kayley N.
Place rating: 4 Tulsa, OK
What a great little spot to stop, rest your feet, and nibble on something tasty! I love that it’s located on a side street so it’s not too crowded with tourists. But, being a tourist at the time, my mom and I found it anyway! We both feasted on Belgium waffles, mine with powdered sugar only while Mom went full throttle with the whipped cream on hers. They must have been good because we both cleaned our plates. The staff was wonderful, the place clean, and the atmosphere delightful.
Peggy S.
Place rating: 5 Chicago, IL
Fantastic breakfast this morning. Delicious warm bread, homemade jam and scrambled eggs. Also fantastic service! Thank you!
Michael S.
Place rating: 4 Surfside, FL
This a cute little café on a side street. We stopped in for afternoon tea, yet I was the only one that ended up having tea. My daughter had the Dame Noire and milk. The dame noire is a chocolate ice cream sundae with an awesome chocolate sauce, chocolate nibs and whipped cream. Was it good? Let’s just say that my daughter didn’t speak for like 5 minutes. My wife had the gingerbread hot chocolate with crème brûlée flavor and a Belgian waffle with whipped cream. The hot chocolate has the chocolate chips at the botton which melt in the hot water. I had the Elissa tea(lavender, mint and other flavors) and a strawberry and cheese sponge cake. The cake was very moist. The service was excellent. Very efficient, friendly and attentive. There are two issues with this place. First there isn’t too much seating. Secondly they don’t accept credit cards.
Léa D.
Place rating: 4 Lyon
Une adresse repérée un peu avant de partir, et vers 13h affamés après être montés tout en haut du fameux beffroi de Bruges, nous avons trouvé sans problème ce petit salon de thé, dans une petite rue commercante près de la grande place. Tout de suite la vitrine nous invite à rentrer, avec les nombreux gâteaux et la jolie déco on né regrette pas notre choix! L’accueil est un peu stressé, mais un grand sourire, gérer par une famille il semblerait, la mère et la fille en salle, le mari ou le fils en cuisine? oui j’aime inventer la vie des gens que je né connais pas! Enfin la carte, très girly comme tout le reste, propose que de bonnes choses, et surtout un buns à 8 euros, parfait pour nos petits budgets! Avec trois choix dont un végétarien, je choisis celui au chèvre et miel, accompagné d’une petite salade. Ce n’est pas le plat du siècle mais c’est fait maison et que des produits frais. Apparemment on a eu beaucoup de chance, tous les suivants né trouveront pas de table disponible, et le service du midi est uniquement jusqu’à 14h, le salon reste ouvert mais pour le gouter uniquement. D’ailleurs pour bien finir, je n’avais plus vraiment faim, mais l’annonce d’un carrot cake me fit changer d’avis! J’aurais aussi pu craquer pour le brownies chocolat et chocolat blanc, le cake aux pommes, le cheese-cake speculoos ou un de leur fameux chocolat chaud qui me faisait de l’oeil depuis la table de nos voisins! Toujours dans des assiettes toutes mignonnes et avec beaucoup de soin on nous apporte la commande. Le gâteau est bon, mais trop de fruits confits pour moi, et il ressemble plus à ces gâteaux allemands de noêl qu’à un carrot cake. N’empêche que je n’ai pas laissé une miette! nb /pas de CB ni chèque acceptés!
Marine B.
Place rating: 5 Paris, France
Perfect for a brunch! You can opt either for a formula(most are around € 8, either sweet or savory; luxury formula at € 19 with way more to eat) or for a homemade cake and a drink. Everything we had was homemade and delicious, including the drinks(amazing hot chocolate with real chocolate in it, not powder cocoa!)
Camie T.
Place rating: 5 Seattle, WA
My husband and I stopped into Ginger Bread for breakfast one morning and were lucky enough to get a table without having made a reservation. This little Mom & Pop café offers excellent food and service to match. The owners are so welcoming and made us feel like we were sitting in the kitchen of their home. I’ve never felt such a warm and cozy feeling from a restaurant before. Had we been in Bruges one more day, we would have returned to Ginger Bread. I’ve been dreaming of their cappuccinos ever since our visit!
Peter S.
Place rating: 3 Woodland Hills, CA
We had waffles with ice cream with tea, unfortunate it was slightly disappointing, especially after reading the reviews online. The waffle was not fresh, it was was cold, hard all over and dry inside. The tea came with fresh leaves in a nylon bag, but it was very strong and bitter in taste. Ice cream was very good. Nicely decorated and friendly staff.
Renee M.
Place rating: 4 Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Lovely cozy family run tea room. As with everywhere in Belgium customer service is not perfect(I eventually got up myself to get some menus) but here it’s actually not that bad. On Sunday they don’t do brunch so they stop serving breakfast after 12. They do serve fresh waffles all day. We asked for waffles with fresh strawberries and chocolate even if that was not on the menu and it wasn’t a problem. They served us quickly and with a smile on their faces. The coffee was good too and the orange juice fresh. I would also like to compliment on the décor. It was quaint and lovely. Pink walks, art nouveau posters and the plates and cups matched the theme. Some of my favourite music, jazz, was playing in the background. Overall a very pleasant experience and I’d highly recommend the ginger bread tea room