't Klokhuys is a traditional flemish restaurant in Patershol, Ghent.
't Klokhuys runs out of a narrow Patershol house and is one of the most cited places in the city for Gentse waterzooi. The room seats fewer than 30 people.
Must order: Gentse waterzooi with chicken: the stock is rich, the vegetables are cooked right through.
Tip: Book at least two days ahead; the room is tiny and fills weeks ahead in summer.
Address: Corduwaniersstraat 65, 9000 Gent, Ghent
Le Baan Thai has been the Patershol reference for Thai cuisine for 37 years and holds a 2026 Michelin Bib Gourmand, with green and red curries on a short, exacting menu.
Order: Green curry with chicken: the kitchen makes its own paste daily, and the basil and kaffir lime balance is the dish reviewers come back for.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday; Sunday lunch service is the quietest slot. Tables are small so reserve a few days ahead.
Le Baan Thai has been the Patershol reference for Thai cuisine for 37 years and holds a 2026 Michelin Bib Gourmand, with green and red curries on a short, exacting menu.
Order: Green curry with chicken: the kitchen makes its own paste daily, and the basil and kaffir lime balance is the dish reviewers come back for.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday; Sunday lunch service is the quietest slot. Tables are small so reserve a few days ahead.
Haddok at Kompasplein near the Oude Dokken serves easy lunches with locally sourced ingredients, natural wines and a large waterfront patio.
Order: Seasonal lunch plate: the kitchen focuses on locally sourced ingredients, changing with market availability.
Tip: Open Monday to Saturday; the waterfront patio is one of the best outdoor lunch spots at Dok Noord in good weather.
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.
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.
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.
