Belgium's food supply chain is short — the entire country is smaller than some American counties. But even by Belgian standards, a new wave of Bruges restaurants is taking local sourcing seriously.

Den Dyver on the Dijver has been pairing Belgian beer with food for years, but their ingredient sourcing is increasingly local. Vegetables from farms in the West-Flanders polders, meat from Flemish breeds, fish from the North Sea coast 20 minutes away.

De Stove on Kleine Sint-Amandsstraat changes its menu with the seasons — not as a marketing gimmick, but because the chef (only eight tables, one cook) buys what's best at the market that morning.

The weekly market on the Markt (Wednesday and Saturday mornings) is where you see the local food chain in action. Farmers from the surrounding countryside sell directly: seasonal vegetables, cheeses, eggs, honey, and bread.

For cheese specifically, look for Passendale (a mild, holey cheese from the village near Bruges) and Herve (a strong washed-rind cheese from the east). Both are available at the market and at better cheese shops.

Belgian grey shrimp (grijze garnalen) from the North Sea are a delicacy that rarely leaves the country. They're tiny, sweet, and hand-peeled. A krokette (croquette) filled with grey shrimp is one of Belgium's greatest dishes.

West-Flanders hop shoots (hopscheuten) are available in spring — March to April only. They're rare, expensive, and delicious: a vegetable that tastes like asparagus crossed with artichoke.