Gust is a seasonal farm-to-table restaurant in Binnenstad, Ghent.
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 dishes: Seasonal farmer's breakfast, Farm produce plates
Must 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.
Address: Papegaaistraat 55, 9000 Gent, Ghent
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.
Karoot on Phoenixstraat builds hearty vegetarian and vegan comfort food around the carrot, running a friendly low-key dining room in the centre.
Signature: Carrot-based seasonal dishes, Plant-based comfort plates
Order: The seasonal carrot-based signature plate, rotating monthly to show the kitchen's vegetable-forward vision.
Tip: Portions are filling; the kitchen is sized for sharing and lends itself to two-person lunches over a split plate.
Pakhuis occupies a converted warehouse behind a historic alley in central Ghent. The soaring glass-ceiling interior holds a kitchen that has stayed focused.
Signature: Oysters, Moules frites, Smoked salmon
Order: The oysters: the kitchen sources them daily and the quality is the most consistent in the city.
Tip: Weekday lunch is the most relaxed way in; Saturday evening needs a booking made well in advance.
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.
Karoot on Phoenixstraat builds hearty vegetarian and vegan comfort food around the carrot, running a friendly low-key dining room in the centre.
Signature: Carrot-based seasonal dishes, Plant-based comfort plates
Order: The seasonal carrot-based signature plate, rotating monthly to show the kitchen's vegetable-forward vision.
Tip: Portions are filling; the kitchen is sized for sharing and lends itself to two-person lunches over a split plate.
Et Alors near the Graslei brings Parisian bistro energy to Ghent: animated room, seasonal French-Belgian food and a weekend brunch worth booking.
Signature: Weekend brunch, French-inspired lunch plates
Order: The weekend brunch menu, which brings the Parisian concept into the sharpest focus.
Tip: Book at least a week ahead for Saturday or Sunday brunch; the reputation has outgrown the walk-in capacity.
Pakhuis occupies a converted warehouse behind a historic alley in central Ghent. The soaring glass-ceiling interior holds a kitchen that has stayed focused.
Signature: Oysters, Moules frites, Smoked salmon
Order: The oysters: the kitchen sources them daily and the quality is the most consistent in the city.
Tip: Weekday lunch is the most relaxed way in; Saturday evening needs a booking made well in advance.
