Food festivals in Ghent worth planning a trip around, by month.
Food festivals in Ghent worth planning a trip around, by month.
Ghent's ten-day city festival in July fills every square and alley with open-air food stalls, pop-up bars and street food from Belgian and world cuisines.
Eat at the festival: Stoverij at the Vrijdagmarkt: beef braised in dark beer, ladled over frites in the historic market square.
Tip: The festival is free entry; arrive early for the best stall position near Korenmarkt, where the densest food cluster forms.
The Gent Jazz Festival in July runs a food and drink fringe at the Kouter with Belgian artisan producers, pop-up restaurant kitchens and terrace bars.
Eat at the festival: Artisan cheese and charcuterie stalls from East Flemish small producers appearing only at the festival fringe.
Tip: Many evening concerts are free and the food fringe runs late into the night; book the seated dinners well ahead of the festival.
Ghent's Veggie Thursday runs every week: restaurants add vegetarian menus, markets add veggie stalls and the city embraces plant-based eating.
Eat at the festival: Veggie Thursday market stalls near Korenmarkt: seasonal plant-based products not available on other weekdays.
Tip: Visit on a Thursday to access the broadest range of the city's vegetarian-friendly restaurants at their most enthusiastic.
Dok Noord hosts an annual autumn food festival with Belgian artisan producers, pop-up kitchens, craft beer tastings and local farmers each October.
Eat at the festival: Local cheese and beer pairing sessions: raw-milk cheese matched to Ghent craft beers in a guided format.
Tip: Buy a tasting ticket in advance to access the guided pairing sessions; the general market entry is free without a ticket.
Ghent's winter market food village runs from late November across Korenmarkt and Sint-Baafsplein with seasonal Belgian food stalls and heated outdoor seating.
Eat at the festival: Warm jenever punch with Belgian chocolate: the classic winter combination at Sint-Baafsplein after dark.
Tip: The village is smallest and most manageable on a weekday; weekends and public holidays draw the largest visitor numbers.
Ghent's Film Festival in October attracts food pop-ups and themed dinners at venues near the Portus Ganda waterfront and the historic Sphinx Cinema complex.
Eat at the festival: Festival pop-up kitchen at Portus Ganda: a seasonal Flemish menu running only during the twelve festival days.
Tip: Combine a late film with a post-screening dinner at the festival pop-ups; reservations are only needed for the sit-down format.