For all serious beer drinkers in the vicinity of Utrecht, the Kaf&eacute Belgi&euml has got to be the ultimate drinking hole. It can easily be found by following the sunken canal¹ upstream from the town centre, and it's red neon window sign can easily be spotted on the left hand side just after the roadway rejoins the canal².

The Belgi&euml doesn't claim to have all the beers in Belgium, and does contain a scattering of beers from other countries around the world, but certainly examples of the output of most if not all of Belgium's brewers can be found here. The bar claims to have 196 beers available, some 170 of them bottled, a dozen or so on tap (including a constantly changing selection of guest beers), and a blackboard full of guest bottles too.

The staff are extremely friendly, and very knowledgeable about their product. It is always a good sign when you go to a bar and find the off-duty bar staff drinking on the other side of the counter!

The decor is basic, as a dedicated drinking den should be. Simple chairs and tables are lined up against the walls, which are covered with posters for local events, and scattered with the occasional enormous painting of a beer label³. There are a number of inflateable toys suspended from the ceiling, and some overhead fans gently move the smoke around the speakers, which softly play unobtrusive music⁴. You can borrow a selection of simple board games, although expect to improvise on the chess pieces as quite a few of them have gone missing. There is a dart board, but since you play across some tables, it is only possible to play on those rare occasions when the bar is quiet.

The toilet facilities are, ummm, minimal, and marked by a pervasive smell of stale urine which never seems to go away⁵. If you think you might need toilet paper, then you'll need to know that it is stored behind the bar, so ask for some before you go!

However, you don't go to the Belgi&euml for the facilities, you go there for the drink and conversation. If you want privacy, grab a table and you can drink and chat all night. If you're alone and want a conversation, just sit at the bar for a few moments and it won't take long, even if you only speak English⁶.

Food is available throughout the day and evening, and is plentiful and good value. Coffee and tostis⁷ are always available, a particular boon at the end of the evening⁸ when you have to think about getting home and you need to sober up enough to ride your bicycle or stagger home through the cobbled streets.