Ghent and the Leie Restaurants

Ghent has long held a place in the hearts of Belgian gourmands, in part due to the enduring popularity of Gentse waterzooi—a classic Flemish dish of boiled chicken covered in thin strips of leek, carrot, and onion, all swamped in a delicious creamy broth. However, these days the city is causing a very modern stir in the food world thanks to a group of young childhood friends, now chefs, rather cringingly dubbed the "Flemish foodies." Their emergence has turned this old industrial port into something of a culinary destination—the Patershol area is particularly blessed. But away from the glare of Michelin stars, there's still plenty of good, cheap, traditional food to be found, especially of the seafood variety.

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  • 1. D'Oude Schuur

    $$$$

    The reputation of D'Oude Schuur often sees Ghentians make a weekend of their visit just to indulge here. As its name (The Old Barn) suggests, it was once part of a farm, though there’s little rustic about its neat, spare interior. The menu does make the most of the country setting, however, dishing up partridge and pheasant alongside the fussier asides of French cooking. Much of the restaurant's reputation lies in its well-stocked cellar, for which the selection of Burgundy wines is especially celebrated.

    Baarle-Frankrijkstraat 1, Sint-Martins-Latem, Flanders, 9830, Belgium
    09-282–3365

    Known For

    • A fantastic wine cellar of French classics
    • Its country setting, out in the leafy suburbs of the village
    • Some accomplished cooking

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Wed. and Thurs., Reservations essential
  • 2. Oak

    $$$$

    A fair contender for the best meal in Ghent, Oak more than deserves the Michelin star it bagged in 2018. Chef Marcelo Ballardin worked previously in the lauded Vrijmoed before setting up on his own, and demand is high: with just 24 seats, it's wise to book far in advance. Inside, it's pretty intimate, with Ballardin himself often coming out to greet diners. Dinner is a seven-course menu that changes with the seasons. Small portions come exquisitely prepared, with every trick in the gastronomic cookbook used, and its surprisingly simple dishes are huge in flavor, from sumptuous dry-aged beef to halibut drizzled in Champagne sauce. A true delight.

    Hoogstraat 167, Ghent, Flanders, 9000, Belgium
    09-353--9050

    Known For

    • Exquisitely prepared food in an intimate setting
    • Simple food with massive flavors
    • A good-value lunch menu

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sat.--Mon.
  • 3. Publiek

    $$$

    Dishes at this Michelin-starred bistro from established Ghent chef Olly Ceulenaere are intricately prepared with a depth of flavor that belies their often simple ingredients. A small, ever-changing set menu invariably delivers. It's a bit of a walk from the city center, but that hasn't kept the crowds away. Booking is essential, and as you leave, a sign above the door reads "Bugger off quietly."

    Ham 39, Ghent, Flanders, 9000, Belgium
    09-330–0486

    Known For

    • Exquisitely prepared bistro food
    • Boundless culinary creativity
    • Great value considering the quality of the cooking

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon., Reservations essential
  • 4. Rebelle

    $$$$

    The only downside to Rebelle is that it's not exactly convenient. It lies a few miles outside the city center, in the small village of Marke, but it's more than worth the effort to get there. A minimalist makeover of the interior makes room for its inventive three-, six- and seven-course menus, which bring all the color. Save room for the pandan rice pudding. 

    Rekkemsestraat 226, Kortrijk, Flanders, 8510, Belgium
    056-219--450

    Known For

    • Creative cooking in a slick setting
    • Its three-course menu is decent value at €45
    • Friendly, knowledgeable service

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
  • 5. Roots

    $$$$

    This dinky but stylish offering is found deep amid the winding old back alleys of Patershol. Inside it is all rather minimalist and homely—bare wood, stark tiles, cutlery is found in the table drawers—leaving ample room to soak up the creativity of chef Kim Devisschere. Lunch (€28) and dinner (€55) set menus make the most of his ability to turn simple meat, fish, and some of the lesser seen Flemish vegetables into culinary spectacles. There's only 20 settings, so booking is essential.

    Vrouwebroersstraat 5, 9000, Unknown
    09-310–6773

    Known For

    • Incredibly fresh and delicious vegetables, which dominate each dish
    • Wonderful presentation and a friendly atmosphere
    • Well-hidden setting in the back alleys of Patershol

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed weekends
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  • 6. T'Grof Zout

    $$$$

    A seasoned performer. This classy restaurant, run by owners Marniek and Christine, has been dishing up imaginative takes on classic bistro dishes since 1999. A back-garden terrace makes for a quiet escape, while the understated interior sets a refined mood for some sophisticated cooking. 

    Gasthuisstraat 20, Geraardsbergen, Flanders, 9500, Belgium
    054-423--546

    Known For

    • A quiet little oasis within the town
    • Good cooking and a friendly welcome
    • Modern takes on classic dishes

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues. No dinner Sun. No lunch Sat.
  • 7. 'T Oud Sashuis

    $

    An enticing café-bar with a long history and, many say, the best setting on the Leie. It lies next to the old sas (a drawbridge over the lock), and this was where the bridge controller once lived. The café even contains a small museum of maritime paintings and relics of a time when these waters were among the busiest in Belgium. Now it's just a great spot to rest up when strolling the riverbank between Ooidonk and Deinze. Try the pate, which has been flavored with the house Schobiak beer.    

    Hellestraat 20, Deinze, Flanders, 9800, Belgium
    0476-810--114

    Known For

    • A welcome rest stop while walking the Leie
    • House-brewed beers
    • A blissful setting by the water's edge
  • 8. Bakkerij De Vesten

    $

    You'll find an absolute sea of bakeries selling mattentaarts, the iconic local curd pastry that errs decidedly on the sweet and dry side. Everyone has their favorite bakery, though the more mean-spirited might argue there's little difference in quality. Nevertheless, this artisanal bakers high up on Vestin is well-loved by locals, and makes a fine pick-me-up when walking the Muur.   

    Vesten 92, Geraardsbergen, Flanders, 9500, Belgium
    054-412--313

    Known For

    • Friendly staff
    • There's a nice selection of other cakes
    • The finest mattentaarts in town

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon. and Tues.
  • 9. Balls and Glory

    $$

    This now ubiquitous "fast food" meatball joint has found plenty of love across Belgium but it all started here in Ghent in 2012 with a simple pop-up. The idea is simple: pick from a choice of large meatballs (as well as a veggie option), served with either stoempe (Belgian-style mash and vegetables) or salad. Communal tables and bowls brimming with apples tick the right boxes, while the meatballs themselves have an array of fillings, from a mushroom and truffle to the classic liégeoise style. It just works!

    Jakobijnenstraat 6, Ghent, Flanders, 9000, Belgium
    0486-678--776

    Known For

    • Darn fine meatballs
    • Bowls of free fruit on tables
    • Free jugs of water---a rarity in the parched restaurants of Belgium

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 10. Bar Gidon

    $$

    This café-bar on the market square is popular among cyclists, as any glance at its walls—festooned in photos, jerseys, and memorabilia from the Tour of Flanders—will tell you. Owned by a former professional rider, Frederik Penne, it's a good spot to grab a coffee, a beer, or a few ideas for places to pedal in the area. 

    Markt 11, Geraardsbergen, Flanders, 9500, Belgium
    047-591--602

    Known For

    • Good beer selection
    • Great atmosphere and decor
    • A noisy spot to watch any cycling race
  • 11. Bar Proef

    $$

    Sometimes you're just in the mood for a solid bar-brasserie meal, and this well-loved spot on the corner of the Vlasmarkt is as good an option as any in the city. Inside, its publike interior has been decked out in hip but cozy sofas and long tables. To the rear sits a neat terrace that sometimes has music. The menu is replete with brasserie standards: steaks, pastas, ham and mustard, eel in green sauce. It's like a haven to all things comfortable.   

    Vlasmarkt 45, Dendermonde, Flanders, 9200, Belgium
    052-526--244

    Known For

    • A nice spot to sit outside in the sun
    • The menu is as comfortable as an old sweater
    • The choice of drinks is vast

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed.
  • 12. Bistro Andre

    $$$

    This charming redbrick eatery on the corner of Collegestraat rings all the right bells. There is nothing too adventurous here; French and Flemish crowd-pleasers are the order of the day, from cordon bleu and stoofvlees to fillet of Mechelse koekoek (a local breed of chicken from Mechelen). But the result is pleasing and the quality consistent. 

    Wijngaardstraat 38, Geraardsbergen, Flanders, 9500, Belgium
    054-415--083

    Known For

    • Classic Belgian cooking
    • A friendly local welcome
    • Gigantic portions

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Tues. and Wed.
  • 13. BOEF Oudenaarde

    $$

    Perched over the road from the river, this waterfront café-restaurant is a popular brunch spot, dishing up warm soups, casseroles, and plenty of breakfast treats, from shakshouka to salmon brioche. Even its coffees are on the indulgent side: latte with honey and stroopwaffel, anyone? 

    Tussenbruggen 20, Oudenaarde, Flanders, 9700, Belgium
    055-603--952

    Known For

    • Friendly staff
    • A good lunch spot with some hearty eating
    • Nice views over the river and across to the historical buildings

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
  • 14. Boon

    $$

    This health-conscious café majors in vegetarian and vegan treats, largely in the form of plate-sized salads, quiches, and soups. It's a charming location, having been sculpted out of an old ice-cream parlor; the Art Deco moldings lend it a distinguished air and there's a quiet courtyard at the rear. 

    Geldmunt 6, Ghent, Flanders, 9000, Belgium
    0477-770--181

    Known For

    • Healthy eating in a nice café setting
    • The veggie-dumpling soups are particularly good
    • Great coffees

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun.
  • 15. Brasserie Keizershof

    $$

    Here, you'll find the kind of food typical of a Flemish table, with plenty of steaks and classic stews accompanied by less local dishes, just in case, with an array of pastas. Staff are friendly and will happily translate the Dutch menu, but bring an appetite because portions are huge. It can get quite busy, though, especially at noon, since the restaurant's size makes it popular with tour groups.

    Vrijdagmarkt 47, Ghent, Flanders, 9000, Belgium
    09-223–4446

    Known For

    • Hearty Flemish food and a friendly face
    • Good for large groups
    • A pretty good beer selection

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon., Reservations essential
  • 16. Brasserie Vinois

    $$$

    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. 

    Philippe de Denterghemlaan 31, Deurle, Flanders, 9831, Belgium
    09-282–7018

    Known For

    • Its quiet location
    • An interesting sharing-plates menu
    • A covered terrace that escapes the rather echoey interior

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Mon.
  • 17. D'Ouwe Hoeve

    $$$

    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.

    Dorpsstraat 48, Deurle, Flanders, 9831, Belgium
    09-282--3252

    Known For

    • Charming village location
    • The terrace makes for a pleasant escape in warm weather
    • A good standard of cooking
  • 18. De 7 Zonden

    $$

    This place is well hidden from the street, as you enter what is seemingly a mall. But that quickly gives way to a whimsical open-air terrace and a rather cozily lit bar-restaurant. The food decidedly leans towards Italian, though the menu is flecked with the odd Flemish specialty and heaving piles of mussels. A small but polished selection of local beers accompanies big portions and a good atmosphere. 

    Leiestraat 22, Kortrijk, Flanders, 8500, Belgium
    056-280--905

    Known For

    • Wonderfully discreet location
    • Good Italian and Flemish comfort food
    • Surprisingly excellent value, with most dishes less than €20

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed weekends
  • 19. De Trog

    $$

    A beautiful old mansion house is the home of this charming organic bakery and café. Its courtyard terrace is a pleasant spot on a sunny day, though the menu is typically geared towards cold weather: think heavy pastas and Flemish staples alongside a few salads. Its stoempe (veggie mash) and sausage is hearty in all the right ways. 

    Plein 12, Kortrijk, Flanders, 8500, Belgium
    056-202--018

    Known For

    • The terrace is delightful
    • Interesting daily specials
    • Sweet treats like pain d'epice

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Sun. and Wed.
  • 20. Deboeveries

    $$$$

    North Sea sole is the specialty here, fried and served with frites or grilled with a side of dijonnaise. It might not sound like the most sophisticated of dishes, but it is cherished among locals. The rest of the menu veers towards fine steaks, game, and the more rustic cuts often found in fine French cooking, including veal kidneys and crispy sweetbreads with wild mushrooms. The setting is charming, whittled into an old farmstead, and the garden makes for a pleasant retreat during the warmer weather. 

    Lijnstraat 2, Flanders, 9831, Belgium
    09-282–3391

    Known For

    • A "luxury" afternoon menu that changes with the seasons
    • Great service
    • The quality of its sole

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Wed. and Thurs. No dinner Tues. and Fri.

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