11 editor picks in Ghent.
11 restaurants in Ghent, editor-picked for restaurants open monday. Open on monday, the day most kitchens go dark. All restaurants in Ghent.
Roots is a Michelin-listed gastro-bistro in Patershol where chef Kim Devisschere's West Flemish heritage drives menus that change with the seasons.
OrderSix-course dinner menu with wine pairing: West Flemish seasonal sourcing at its fullest expression.
TipBook at minimum three weeks ahead; this is one of the most consistently difficult tables to secure in Ghent.
Bib Gourmand-rated Bar Bask occupies a converted gas station at the edge of Dok Noord, with a wood-fired Basque asador for txuleta, turbot and lobster.
OrderThe txuleta from the charcoal asador, available when the kitchen has sourced the right cut, which is most.
TipCounter seats facing the open kitchen give the best view of the fire and the kitchen's rhythm.
Pakhuis occupies a converted warehouse behind a historic alley in central Ghent. The soaring glass-ceiling interior holds a kitchen that has stayed focused.
OrderThe oysters: the kitchen sources them daily and the quality is the most consistent in the city.
TipWeekday lunch is the most relaxed way in; Saturday evening needs a booking made well in advance.
't Klokhuys is an authentic Patershol brasserie with mirror-and-blackboard interiors, serving stoverij, waterzooi and zurkelplets without compromise.
OrderThe Gentse stoverij, a dark-beer beef braise that defines the dish better than most kitchens in the city.
TipGroups of 15 or more can book Monday evening rates; for smaller parties, any other weekday works well.
Gust is a trendy breakfast and lunch bar with ingredients sourced directly from local farmers: the freshness shows in everything from bread to eggs.
OrderThe farmer's breakfast, which is the most direct expression of the sourcing ethos and the most requested dish.
TipWeekend queues form before opening; arrive early or accept a wait of 20 minutes on a Saturday.
Et Alors near the Graslei brings Parisian bistro energy to Ghent: animated room, seasonal French-Belgian food and a weekend brunch worth booking.
OrderThe weekend brunch menu, which brings the Parisian concept into the sharpest focus.
TipBook at least a week ahead for Saturday or Sunday brunch; the reputation has outgrown the walk-in capacity.
Haddok near the Oude Dokken waterfront at Dok Noord serves contemporary Belgian brunch and lunch plates with water views and a convivial mood.
OrderThe weekend brunch menu, when the kitchen is fully focused and the water view is at its best.
TipThe terrace tables facing the dock fill first in good weather; phone ahead to request one.
Modest is a central Ghent brunch spot with a seasonal menu that stays sharply focused on quality and never tries to overcomplicate its offer.
OrderThe brunch menu on weekends, which is when the kitchen is operating at its most concentrated.
TipArrive before noon on Saturday to avoid the peak queue; the weekday lunch service is considerably calmer.
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.
OrderThe daily bean-based special, which gives the kitchen its identity and sits at the core of every menu.
TipGrab a terrace table facing the castle if available; the view repays a slightly longer lunch.
A popular student lunch hotspot in central Ghent serving vegan and vegetarian plates that change daily with the organic supply. The kitchen keeps prices.
OrderThe daily lunch special.
TipBusy at peak university hours from 12:30 onward; arrive just before noon for the best selection.
Greenway on Nederkouter is one of Ghent's original vegan pioneers, serving a rotating menu of plant-based wraps, bowls and hot plates in a fast-casual format.
OrderThe plant-based burger: the kitchen's confidence in a format it has been perfecting since its founding.
TipKitchen closes earlier than most restaurants; aim to arrive before 18:00 for the full hot-food range.
