40 cheap eats places in Ghent, editor-picked. The best low-budget spots in Ghent: the places editors actually return to. All Ghent food.

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The cheap eats list

40 places

Het Trappistenhuis

Het Trappistenhuis is a brown beer cafe south of the city centre run by a beer expert, with over 170 Belgian specialties anchored on the full Trappist lineup.

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Tierenteyn-Verlent

Order A 250g pot of the classic mustard: buy it to take home, or ask for a tasting spoon at the counter.

Tierenteyn-Verlent has ladled its grainy Dijon-style mustard from barrels at the same Groentenmarkt address since 1790. Booking recommended.

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Himschoot

Order Suikerbrood (sugar bread): a sweet enriched loaf studded with pearl sugar, eaten at room temperature.

Himschoot has been baking at the Groentenmarkt since 1880, making it the oldest bakery in Ghent. The original stone-oven recipes produce koeken, sugar bread.

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De Hopduvel

Order Aged Westvleteren 12: when it is in stock, buy one and drink it at the bar in the correct glass.

De Hopduvel is one of Belgium's most respected beer bottle shops, now relocated to Dok Noord with around 900 Belgian beers in stock. The shop-bar allows you.

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't Dreupelkot

Order Old Ghent jenever in a bolleke glass: the darkest style in the house range at the most authentic bar.

't Dreupelkot on the Groentenmarkt is Ghent's legendary jenever bar: 100+ varieties in a dark wood-panelled room, open until 01:00 on weekends.

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Himschoot Bakery

Order Suikerbrood (sugar bread): the pearl-sugar enriched loaf, warmest and cheapest near the Gravensteen walls.

Ghent's oldest bakery since 1880: suikerbrood, koeken and morning buns for under €3 each, eaten standing in the Groentenmarkt near the Gravensteen.

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Mokabon

  • ★ 4.3
  • Café
  • €
  • City Centre

Order Single espresso of the house blend with a Belgian speculaas.

Mokabon has roasted coffee on Donkersteeg since 1937, when Erminio Mazzaro arrived from Italy. Located in City Centre. Reservations advised.

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Where to stay in Ghent

A sample of Ghent hotels from our booking partner, who list 102 here. Live prices and availability open on their site.

Getaway Studios Gent A stay at Getaway Studios Gent places you in the heart of Ghent, within a 5-minute walk of Episcopal Palace... Check dates Quartier Leonard A stay at Quartier Leonard places you in the heart of Ghent, within a 5-minute walk of Van Eyck Swimming Po... Check dates Treck Hostel With a stay at Treck Hostel in Ghent (Brugse Poort), you'll be within a 15-minute walk of Dr. Guislain Muse... Check dates Hotel Campanile Gent When you stay at Hotel Campanile Gent in Ghent, you'll be in the business district, within a 15-minute walk... Check dates ibis budget Gent Centrum Dampoort Centrally located in Ghent, ibis budget Gent Centrum Dampoort is within a 15-minute walk of St. Bavo's Abbe... Check dates La Ducale 'B&B' With a stay at La Ducale 'B&B' in Ghent, you'll be within a 5-minute walk of Castle of Gerald the Devil and... Check dates B&B Hotel Gent Centrum A stay at B&B Hotel Gent Centrum places you in the heart of Ghent, steps from University Auditorium and Hot... Check dates Flandria Hotel A stay at Flandria Hotel places you in the heart of Ghent, within a 5-minute walk of Episcopal Palace and C... Check dates Hostel Uppelink A stay at Hostel Uppelink places you in the heart of Ghent, steps from St. Michael's Bridge and St. Michael... Check dates KaBa Hostel With a stay at KaBa Hostel in Ghent, you'll be within a 5-minute walk of St. Anne's Church and Protestant C... Check dates Europahotel Gent With a stay at Europahotel Gent in Ghent (Rijsenbergwijk), you'll be within a 15-minute walk of Blaarmeerse... Check dates Hotel de Flandre A stay at Hotel de Flandre places you in the heart of Ghent, steps from St. Michael's Church and 2 minutes ... Check dates

Also compare: Zen Hotels in Ghent from USD 140/night · Minor Hotels in Ghent · Holidu in Ghent from USD 78/night

Stays are listed by our booking partners, not editor picks. We earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

Hotsy Totsy

Order A cold Belgian beer and a seat near the stage on a live jazz night: the room holds fewer than 50 people.

Hotsy Totsy has been injecting Ghent with blues and jazz since the 1970s. The Claus brothers' bar hosts live music most evenings from September to June.

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De Echte Gentse Neuzen

Order Classic raspberry cuberdons: eat them within minutes of buying to get the right texture contrast.

The competing cuberdon stalls at the Groentenmarkt are one of Ghent's most famous food rivalries. De Echte Gentse Neuzen sells the authentic cone-shaped.

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Frituur Tartaar

Order Frites with stoverij and the house tartar sauce: under €6 for a full cone that doubles as a meal.

Frituur Tartaar is a city-centre friterie between the monuments and shopping streets, serving Ghent stoverij stew on hand-cut frites with a homemade tartar.

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Cuberdon Stalls at Groentenmarkt

Order Violet cuberdons: a bag of ten pieces eaten on the walk to the Gravensteen, the most Ghentian budget snack.

The competing cuberdon vendors near the Groentenmarkt sell Ghent's signature sweet: pointed purple gum-and-sugar cones at about a euro from rival stalls.

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Himschoot Dok Noord

Order Rozijnenbrood (raisin bread): the house enriched loaf with plump raisins baked into the dough.

The Dok Noord branch of Ghent's oldest bakery brings Himschoot's 1880 recipes into a contemporary warehouse space at the revived port. Morning buns, seeded.

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Take Five Espressobar

Order Espresso macchiato: the extraction is dialled in daily and the ratio is always right.

Take Five is a compact espressobar with a jazz soundtrack and a loyal following of specialty-coffee drinkers in the city centre. The baristas pull clean.

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Rococo

Order Whatever is on draught: the focus here is atmosphere, not the beer list.

Rococo is Betty's candlelit bar on the Patershol cobblestones. The single room is lit entirely by candles; the atmosphere is intimate and the conversation.

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Frituur Bij Sint-Jacobs

Order Frites with stoverij sauce: the Gentse beef stew sauce on twice-fried frites is the dish locals defend as the city's defining street snack.

The Sint-Jacobs friturkot has stood on the Friday Market square for generations: double-fried frites and the city's Gentse beef stew sauce served.

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Stoverij Street Stalls

Order Stoverij with frites and bread: the trifecta of Ghent food culture in a single bowl.

During Gentse Feesten and weekend markets, temporary stalls around the Groentenmarkt and Vrijdagmarkt sell bowls of Gentse stoverij: the deep amber beef.

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Gentse Bolus at the Market

Order Fresh warm bolus from the market tray: the caramel coating is still tacky and the dough inside is pillowy.

The Gentse bolus is a sticky caramel-coated spiral bun unique to Ghent. Market bakers sell them warm from trays at the Saturday and Friday markets. The Baba.

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Knees to Chin

Order Banh mi with Vietnamese pork: the house roll that started the Knees to Chin following in Ghent.

Knees to Chin serves Vietnamese banh mi rolls and rice noodle bowls under €12 in a compact fast-casual format near the Kouter and Sint-Baafsplein.

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Bloch 1899

Order Cheese roll: a dense, savoury roll with a strong Gruyere filling, sold warm from 07:30.

Boulangerie Bloch has been baking at this Sint-Pieters address since 1899, with an Alsatian-influenced range: diverse breads, quiches and cheese rolls.

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Peaberry Coffeebar

Order Cold brew in summer; the house espresso blend is clean and not over-roasted.

Peaberry sits at the foot of Sint-Baafskathedraal: a compact, vegan-friendly coffee bar serving specialty brews, bread rolls and fresh salads daily.

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Koffeine

Order Iced latte in summer: the house espresso holds its character over ice.

Koffeine is a warm coffee bar tucked behind Sint-Baafsplein with iced lattes, americanos and a short food menu of banana bread and seasonal pastries.

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IzyCoffee Dok Noord

Order Pistachio latte: IzyCoffee's most-ordered drink.

IzyCoffee took over the Dok-Noord 7 warehouse unit when OR Coffee vacated, building a 100% arabica menu plus signature pistachio latte and pandan iced coffee.

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OR Coffee Sint-Pieters

Order Aeropress with the house Colombian: a clean, sweet cup that travels from bean to cup in under five minutes.

OR Coffee's Sint-Pieters lab is the original Ghent location, serving slow brews and breakfast sandwiches in a bright room near the university campus.

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Trefpunt

Order Belgian draft beer with a free Monday concert.

Trefpunt is a music and theatre cafe run by the non-profit that launched the modern Ghent Festivities in 1970, hosting concerts almost every evening.

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Bobonne Cuberdon

Order Multi-flavour cuberdon selection: try the blackcurrant and violet alongside the classic raspberry.

Bobonne is a vintage-styled cuberdon stall run by Nele in the middle of the historic centre. The stall stocks the classic raspberry and a range of other.

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Cafe Damberd

Order Belgian draft beer over a Wednesday or Thursday jazz set: the small room makes the band feel inches away.

Cafe Damberd is an 18th-century pub on the Korenmarkt that has run as a jazz and world-music cafe for over thirty years, with live sets from jazz to funk.

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Lokaal

Order Whatever the week's organic delivery has inspired; the kitchen announces the menu via their social channels.

Lokaal is a vegetarian tea room and restaurant on Brabantdam with owners Arno, Jelmer and Bliki sourcing from nearby organic farms and rotating the menu.

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Pain and Compagnie

Order Mini lemon tart: sharp pastry cream in a crisp shell, the most popular single item in the case.

Pain and Compagnie bakes French-influenced loaves and sells them alongside croissants, mini tarts and savoury quiches at its Kalandeberg cafe.

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Peaberry Coffeebar and Bakery

Order Vegan scone with raspberry jam: plant-based but properly flaky, one of the better vegan pastries in Ghent.

Peaberry sits at the foot of Sint-Baafskathedraal and combines vegan-friendly pastries with specialty coffee. The bread rolls, scones and salads alongside.

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Het Spijker

Order Ghent draft beer on the back terrace overlooking the Leie at dusk.

Het Spijker is a local pub set in a former granary, with a lounge on the second floor and two terraces: one facing the city centre, the other on the Leie.

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De Frietketel

Order Frites with vegan curry sauce: the most-ordered combination at this plant-based frituur.

De Frietketel on Papegaaistraat is a fully plant-based frituur and Belgian Vegan Awards Best Fast Food winner, with vegan frites, sauces and snacks.

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De Frietschap

Order Vol-au-vent with frites: creamy chicken ragout in puff pastry alongside a cone of double-fried frites.

De Frietschap is a neighbourhood frituur that serves homemade stoverij, meatballs in tomato sauce and vol-au-vent alongside the standard frites range.

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Lekker Gec

Order The daily lunch plate, which changes with what the organic suppliers have delivered that morning.

Lekker Gec has been serving organic vegetarian cooking in central Ghent long enough to qualify as an institution. The daily plates track the season.

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BOON

Order The daily bean-based special, which gives the kitchen its identity and sits at the core of every menu.

BOON is a vegetarian lunch bar across the street from the Castle of the Counts with a bean-forward menu that takes vegetable cooking seriously. The casual.

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