“I don’t care!” screams the mantra of Et Alors from Ostend’s seafront. And it’s easy to see why, because this place has it all: a terrace where new friendships are forged as if by magic, and an Art Deco-style lounge bathed in natural light, where huge floor-to-ceiling windows frame artworks that get switched up annually. Here, even a simple latte (€5) or a cucumber lemonade (€4.80) instantly feels like part of the performance. While the focus is firmly on the drinks, the food still manages to make itself heard (grilled black pudding, €9, comforting baked Camembert, €18) – even if it is only served in the afternoon. But when the sun goes down, that’s when the real magic kicks in. We’re still riding the high of a legendary apéro: a vivid Picon with white wine (€11), a puckering whisky sour (€12) and a wine list with wayfaring Iberian influences. Props to the crisp macabeu orange wine (€6) and the red Les Sorts Jove from Celler Masroig, a syrah-grenache blend that leaves quite the impression on a night out in Ostend (€9). Whatever the season, this place delivers. · Anika Kane