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.
Signature dishes: Bean-based vegetarian plates, Daily lunch specials
Must order: The daily bean-based special, which gives the kitchen its identity and sits at the core of every menu.
Tip: Grab a terrace table facing the castle if available; the view repays a slightly longer lunch.
Address: Geldmunt 6, 9000 Gent, Ghent
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.
Signature: Weekly-changing vegetarian plates, Organic tea selection
Order: Whatever the week's organic delivery has inspired; the kitchen announces the menu via their social channels.
Tip: The tea selection here is serious; combine the lunch with an afternoon spent in the nearby SMAK museum.
Bado Bado brings a touch of authentic Indonesia to the oldest neighbourhood of Ghent, with the kitchen mastered by the owner's wife Siska. The rice table.
Signature: Indonesian rice table, Satay, Nasi goreng
Order: The rice table, which gives the widest cross-section of the kitchen's authentic Indonesian range in one.
Tip: Reservations are advised; the room is small and the word-of-mouth following keeps it full on weekends.
Gust is a trendy breakfast and lunch bar with ingredients sourced directly from local farmers: the freshness shows in everything from bread to eggs.
Signature: Seasonal farmer's breakfast, Farm produce plates
Order: The farmer's breakfast, which is the most direct expression of the sourcing ethos and the most requested dish.
Tip: Weekend queues form before opening; arrive early or accept a wait of 20 minutes on a Saturday.
Haddok near the Oude Dokken waterfront at Dok Noord serves contemporary Belgian brunch and lunch plates with water views and a convivial mood.
Signature: Weekend brunch plates, Seasonal Belgian dishes
Order: The weekend brunch menu, when the kitchen is fully focused and the water view is at its best.
Tip: The terrace tables facing the dock fill first in good weather; phone ahead to request one.
De Frietketel won Best Fast Food at the Belgian Vegan Awards in 2019: a fully plant-based frituur with a wider snack range than any competitor.
Signature: Vegan frites, Vegetarian snacks
Order: Frites with vegan curry sauce: the most-ordered option and clearest expression of this plant-based frituur.
Tip: Good option for mixed groups where one person is vegan; the fried snacks are convincing even to sceptics.
Modest is a central Ghent brunch spot with a seasonal menu that stays sharply focused on quality and never tries to overcomplicate its offer.
Signature: Brunch plates, Seasonal lunch menu
Order: The brunch menu on weekends, which is when the kitchen is operating at its most concentrated.
Tip: Arrive before noon on Saturday to avoid the peak queue; the weekday lunch service is considerably calmer.
