3 Best Restaurants in Leiestreek Villages, Ghent and the Leie

Hidden away among the museum streets of Deurle, this brasserie is best known for its "grandma cooking." Expect veal kidneys lashed with sharp Ghentish Tierenteyn mustard, a hearty stoofvlees of stewed pork cheeks with a side of rough-cut apple sauce, and beef from the Basque Country. 

An old favorite among locals. Its village-center location, spilling onto the cobbles beneath the church, sets a convivial scene. Inside, the "The Old Farm," as it's known, is nothing of the sort; it was originally built some 300 years ago as a rectory, then repurposed as a school before settling as the town inn. Opt for either a sharing menu (all oysters, chicken wings, and mussels) or the usual brasserie favorites, with big steaks, beery stews, and the addition of the lesser-seen "lobster Belle Vue" (a more costly take on a prawn cocktail) catching the eye.

As its name (The Weird Lobster) suggests, lobster is the specialty here, prepared every which way on special menus that recur on Thursday and Sunday. Otherwise, go for the more local fare. The game is especially good, with dishes such as saddle of hare or pheasant embracing its surroundings but giving dishes an elegant twist.