Ruby

The goldmine that is the Zuid neighborhood has done it again, unearthing a nugget that’s more than of the precious sort. The wine diggers from Amber Bottle Shop have joined forces with the team at Café Baron to pave the naturopathic way near the buzzy Marnixplaats, in a wine bar splashed with ruby red all over, from the neon sign to the wall tiles from Palet by Studio GdB, the lovingly worn PVC patio chairs outside and the crimson red painting behind the bar, from which hordes of bottles are sifted out – like Bergweingarten, an Alsace sylvaner from Pierre Frick (€57), or Comfortably Numb, a juicy Catalan grenache noir / grenache blanc combo from Fruita Analogica (€40). On top of that, a nice little selection of 3 Fonteinen bottled brews (oude gueuze from €9-14 for 375 ml), special lambics (from €38-47 for 750 ml) and even a DOK beer rotating on tap (€5 for a half-pint). To wash down with boards chockablock with spianata romana, spicy capocollo and guanciale for a little slice of Italy (€5 per 30 grams), or cubes of extra-mature Flandrien Vieux cheese and local brie (€5 per 60 grams)… Ruby, Ruby, Ruby! // Kiko Zushi

THE BULLET-PROOF BOTTLE: Bubble Rainette, a riesling-muscat blend from Muller-Koeberlé (€48 €), best served extra chilled.