In Visé, just before Flanders slips into the Netherlands, a former sailing clubhouse has been given a second life on the banks of the Meuse. With Maastricht on the horizon on one side, and barges bobbing gently on the other, this peaceful, bucolic water-world feels suspended between two currents. And it’s here that Géraldine Sarlet and Franck Circhiaro launched their floating eatery, firmly anchored to the bank with a terrace that ticks every box and a dining room that’s unpretentious but beautifully tuned. As for the plates – made to be shared (or not) – Franck’s cuisine feels like he’s taken a crash course in Ottolenghi, following the neo-canteen playbook from A to Z: manchego sliced so thin you’d swear it was Tête de Moine; ham from Teruel, meltingly tender like a long, hot summer’s day; from-scratch sundried tomatoes (the juice alone is worth the detour) paired with plump burrata; and a brioche bun loaded with shredded beef so juicy it dribbles down your t-shirt. Linger, savor the moment and watch the sun set from the Liège province into the shadow of Flanders, carried by a warm breeze and the promise you’ll be back. Because when winter rolls in, the canteen trades its summer ease for cozy fondue nights and roasted free-range chickens to share on Sundays – like in a chalet on Lake Geneva, minus the traffic jams. · Carlos Cotalosse

FEELING THIRSTY? A few craft beers like the Hazy Pale from Norm Brewing micro-brewery (€5 for 330 ml), reasonably priced cocktails including a very drinkable Sprezza made with nero d’avola vermouth (€7.50), and natural wines like La Vie Ça Va from Guilhem Barré (€38 a bottle).

PRICE: Plates €10-22, desserts €5.50 to €9.