Abbey Averbode — Attraction in Scherpenheuvel-Zichem

The Monastery Bar promises an intriguing experience but ultimately disappoints on several fronts. The beer selection, though diverse, does not deliver in quality. Their lager, for instance, has an unpleasantly harsh, bitter taste—not the balanced bitterness of a well-crafted beer, but a jarring flavor that makes it hard to enjoy. While their dark beer fares better, it's still far from remarkable.

The so-called “Paranoia” beer was especially misleading: an alcohol-free option not indicated as such on the menu, and frankly undrinkable.

Food-wise, the bitterballen are passable, but you’ll find far better versions at similar venues. As for the ambiance, the setting lacks the cozy, inviting vibe that one might expect from a place with a “monastery” theme. Overall, this is a bar that may intrigue initially but falls short on both taste...

Nice 2 walk around. The Abby is fully restored, if you take the route true the woods in the direction of the moment we're you can find a store and bistro you'll find some really need mini religious places (I'm an atiëst but it is still nice 2 see). In the store you can buy some really tasty local crafted products. When you visit the Abby and when you walk out the gate across the street there are some ice-cream vendors, it's really known for this and in Dutch we call it 'de lekdreef' (translated = the licking avenue 😂). And if that's not enough you can hike or bike ride around the big woods. It's worth the...

The abbey itself is nicely restored, but as such not worth a detour. The attraction is for walking and biking in the area. For walking, various nice trails through sandy woodlands allow for a great day of interesting walks. Free parking on site. A shop and restaurant are attached to the Abbey. A number of keenly priced Ice cream trucks with excellent artisanal ice cream are stationed just outside the main...