Take a boat to dinner? That’s the deal at Jolly Sailor, provided you’re on Ostend’s west bank. Minutes after boarding, with the city slipping behind you, it’s full sail toward this eye-catching spot, drawing in passersby on the quays with its bright white facade and azure awning. Inside, cheerful owner Muriel Teetaert dishes out Hilde Defurne’s ultra-fresh, seafaring dishes, starting with the fish and chips, hoisted here to cult status. That lunch, no hesitation: golden-fried cod tail served with fries and homemade tartar sauce – textbook, and then some! Also on deck: outrageously good grey shrimp croquettes, (almost) worth the trip alone, or skate wing in brown butter, with mashed potatoes and salad, on a par with the perfectly sauteed sole fillets. And to finish? A proper chocolate mousse. A little island of nostalgia worth sailing back for. · Zoé Ripaille

FEELING THIRSTY? Start with a Picon white wine or Nona June non-alcoholic gin (€11 each), then love on to something more serious, like Keyte Ostend triple (€4.50 for a half-pint) or, for a splash of glamor, Herbert Beaufort Carte d’Or champagne (€70 a bottle).

PRICE: Starters €16-21, mains €24-39, desserts €12-24.