A la Mort Subite, Brussels

The unusual name of this most authentic beer bar traces its origin to the early 1920s, when regular customers, who worked at the nearby National Bank, used to kill time playing dice games when business was slow. The loser was called "le mort", and when one of the players was urgently needed in the office, the game was ended by playing sudden death, both with the game and their drinks. At that time, the bar was still called 'La Cour Royale', but the owner decided to rename it to 'À la mort subite' and did the same for the gueuze beer he served.

This old-world tavern looks right out of a movie: tall ceilings, mirrored walls, pillars with gold relief, great decor and furnishings – including a cool long serving bar and creaky wooden booths. The servers "look the role" in their crisp white and black suits and they play the role, too – just make sure to grab their attention and to ask for some recommendations. There are no big distractions, such as wi-fi or TVs showing football matches or live music, so the focus can be on the beer and the company.

While the choice of food may leave something to be desired, the beer selection is satisfactory. You have a pretty wide choice starting with their own Gueuze (a must-try), Frambozen (raspberry brown ale), Péche (a special apricot flavored beer), Faro (lower-alcohol, sweetened with brown sugar candy), Kriek (cherry-flavored and tough on the palate, as it should be), plus the usual Belgian standbys (Orval, Duvel, Chimay, Westmalle) and a few that are slightly harder to find in other bars (try the dark Grimbergen with a plate of cubed gouda – it's one of life's simple pleasures). They also serve wines and some foreign beers and spirits, as well as non-alcoholic drinks.