BOON is a vegetarian bistro restaurant in Groentenmarkt, Ghent.
BOON sits at the castle end of Burgstraat and serves a vegetarian lunch and early dinner menu in a room that feels like a design studio. The rhubarb soda has.
Must order: The seasonal salad composition: grain base, roasted root vegetables, ferment and herb oil.
Tip: Lunch only on weekdays; closes in the early evening. Popular with museum-goers from the Gravensteen.
Address: Geldmunt 6, 9000 Gent, Ghent
Bar Bask does one thing: charcoal-grilled meat and fish in the Basque tradition. A short card changes with market supply, anchored by txuleton dry-aged beef.
Order: Txuleton for two: a massive bone-in Basque rib-eye, charred outside and rare within.
Tip: Portions here are large; two sharing the txuleton with one starter is the right call.
Et Alors near the Graslei on Jan Breydelstraat serves sweet and savoury crepes with seasonal bistro plates, transitioning to wines and cocktails by evening.
Order: Ham-cheese crepe with mustard: simple, made with good buckwheat batter and the right amount of crisp edge.
Tip: Morning coffee and crepes work well here before the Graslei tourist crowd arrives around 10:00.
Greenway is the most central fully vegan fast-casual restaurant in Ghent, with a rotating menu of wraps, bowls and hot plates made entirely from plants.
Order: Vegan bowl of the day: grain, roasted veg, legume and herb sauce, filling and under €12.
Tip: Busiest between 12:00 and 13:30; go just after 11:30 or after 14:00 for a quieter seat.
Lokaal built its reputation on a menu that is 80 per cent vegetarian but never feels restricted. The daily changing board of seasonal Belgian small plates.
Order: Seasonal small plates board: three or four dishes from the list, chosen to share, changes weekly.
Tip: One of the few kitchens in Ghent with a serious gluten-free breakfast; check the board when you arrive.
Karoot keeps a short seasonal menu of Belgian farm-to-table dishes in a low-key neighbourhood room. The lunch formula is a two-course set with soup and main.
Order: Soup of the day: always made from what the kitchen has just unpacked from the weekly farm delivery.
Tip: One of the better lunch bargains in the city centre; the two-course format runs until 14:00.
Soul Kitchen is the standard-bearer for vegan fine-casual cooking in Ghent, running a changing tasting menu entirely from plants. The kitchen treats root.
Order: Four-course plant tasting menu: the most complete argument for serious vegan cooking in the city.
Tip: Book two weeks ahead for a weekend table; this is Ghent's best vegan kitchen and demand is consistent.
