Korenlei Twee is a cafe in Graslei Korenlei, Ghent.
Korenlei Twee occupies a prime guild-house building on the Korenlei with direct views of the Graslei across the Leie. Coffee, brunch and light brasserie.
Must order: Cappuccino on the terrace with a view of the medieval guild houses: the most postcard-worthy coffee in Ghent.
Tip: Tables fill by 10:30 on sunny days; weekday mornings before 10:00 are the quietest.
Address: Korenlei 2, 9000 Gent, Ghent
Soup Lounge runs a daily-rotating soup bar where a bowl of fresh soup, a bread roll and an apple costs under nine euros at a central Ghent address.
Order: Soup of the day with bread roll and apple: the combination changes daily and is always based on seasonal.
Tip: The soup runs out by mid-afternoon; arrive before 13:00 to get the full daily choice.
Alice is a light-filled weekend brunch cafe in the Zuid quarter with a following for egg dishes, pancakes and long-table communal seating on lazy mornings.
Order: Shakshuka: eggs baked in a North African spiced tomato sauce with fresh herbs and crusty bread.
Tip: Open Saturday and Sunday only; arrives early or queues develop by 11:00.
Gust is a spiced brunch and lunch bar on Papegaaistraat using ingredients from local farms: the freshness shows in everything from the bread to the eggs.
Order: The farmer's breakfast: the most direct expression of the sourcing ethos and the most-requested dish at Gust.
Tip: Weekend queues form before opening; arrive early or accept a 20-minute wait on a sunny Saturday.
Cafe Labath is the city's best-known specialty cafe, occupying a corner building steps from Sint-Michielsbrug with floor-to-ceiling windows and a big-city.
Order: Flat white with the seasonal single-origin espresso: well-extracted, properly textured milk.
Tip: Open from 08:00 Tuesday to Saturday; the weekday morning slot before 09:00 is the quietest.
WAY is run by Belgian barista champion Charlene De Buysere in a converted warehouse at Dok Noord. Belgium's first Diedrich IR12 roaster sits visible behind.
Order: Filter coffee of the day: WAY rotates single-origins every few weeks with precise tasting notes on each.
Tip: Open weekdays only (08:30 to 16:30); plan a Dok Noord visit on a Tuesday to Thursday morning.
Pain Perdu bakes wood-fired sourdough and runs a sunny rear garden that has made this Walpoortstraat cafe one of Ghent's most loved brunch destinations.
Order: Avocado sourdough tartine with poached egg: the bread is the reason to come.
Tip: The garden fills fast on sunny weekends; aim to arrive before 11:00 to get an outdoor table.
