ROK BBQ is a barbecue restaurant in Dok Noord, Ghent.
ROK BBQ smokes beef brisket, pork ribs and lamb shoulder in a wood-fired pit at the Dok Noord complex. The outdoor tables and the smell of the smoke make it.
Must order: Brisket plate: a half-pound of 12-hour smoked beef with pickles, white bread and smoky house sauce.
Tip: Sold out of specific cuts by mid-afternoon on Saturdays; come before noon for the full menu.
Address: Dok-Noord 4, 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.
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.
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.
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.
