Where to drink well in Ghent by the glass and the bottle: natural, classical, and worth the cab fare.
Wine bars in Ghent. natural, classical, and the grower-focused rooms worth the cab fare.
Edelrot is a natural wine bar and bottle shop next to the Belfort tower, focusing on low-intervention, natural-process and skin-contact wines by the glass.
OrderAsk the bar team to pour a glass from the current natural skin-contact white: the house selections change.
WineNatural wines, wild beers, artisanal non-alcoholic
TipOpen from 15:00 Tuesday to Saturday; the bottle shop inside allows you to buy what you tried. Prices are honest for natural wine.
ONA is a wine bar near the Kouter square with a carefully compiled list of authentic European wines from smaller producers. The format is intimate: a few bar.
OrderAsk for a producer flight: three glasses from one region, poured side by side to show terroir differences.
WineArtisanal European wines, smaller producers
TipOpen Wednesday to Sunday from 16:00; the Sunday noon opening makes it an unusual afternoon wine destination.
Chubby Cheeks is a convivial natural wine bar where interesting small-plate dishes are designed to match unusual bottles. The card runs from funky orange.
OrderNatural orange wine by the glass with a small cheese plate: the house pours rotate weekly.
WineNatural wines and small plates
TipA Gault and Millau HIP pick; the menu changes frequently so the best visit is a return one.
Bar Terroir sits steps from the vegetable market square, sourcing wines from small estates and pairing them with artisan cheeses and charcuterie plates.
OrderCheese plate with a Loire valley white: the bar curates the pairings and they rarely disappoint.
WineSmall-estate grower wines and artisan cheese
TipThe private room with a Ghent towers view seats up to 15; book it for a wine dinner group.
Vinogradoff is a wine shop and bar specialising in natural and biodynamic wines from Eastern Europe: Georgia, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Czech Republic alongside.
OrderGeorgian amber wine in a traditional qvevri style: skin-fermented, oxidative and unlike any European.
WineEastern European and natural wines
TipShop-bar hybrid; most visits start with the staff recommending a region and end with buying a bottle home.
Win is a compact natural wine bar on Burgstraat near the Gravensteen castle, with a weekend brunch menu and an afternoon coffee service in a renovated room.
OrderAfternoon glass of the current house natural red with home-made madeleines: the most Ghentian pre-dinner.
WineNatural wine and brunch cafe
TipOpen Wednesday to Saturday from 10:00; the brunch format on weekends is popular, book ahead.
Hey Frankie is a neighbourhood wine bar open Fridays to Sundays near Vrijdagmarkt. The list is natural-wine focused: growers who farm without pesticides.
OrderWeekend natural wine pairing glass with bar snacks: the team selects from what arrived that week.
WineNatural wine and wine shop
TipOpen only three days a week; the Friday evening slot before a Vrijdagmarkt dinner is the sweet spot.
Allegro Moderato has one of the few wine terraces in Ghent with direct views of the medieval guild houses, focusing on Belgian and French grower wines.
OrderBelgian natural wine by the glass with oysters: the Korenlei terrace turns this into a postcard.
WineBelgian and French wines with canal views
TipThe terrace fills fast on summer evenings; book a table and stay for dinner to hold it.
Volta's wine list is one of the most ambitious in Ghent, matching modern Belgian cooking with grower wines from across Europe in a converted turbine hall.
OrderAsk the sommelier for the glass of the day: the team changes the by-the-glass selection nightly.
WineModern European wines at a fine restaurant
TipWalk-in seats at the bar are easier to get than a table booking; the park setting adds to the atmosphere.
Roots is a farm-to-table Patershol bistro that treats its natural wine list as seriously as its food. Priced at €€. At Vrouwebroersstraat 5.
OrderWine pairing with the seasonal menu: four to five small pours matched by the kitchen to each course.
WineNatural wine pairing at farm-to-table bistro
TipOne of the best-value wine pairings in Ghent; the pairing adds around €25 to a €45 tasting menu.
Steendam 66 runs a wine lounge attached to its Gault and Millau-listed bistro. The by-the-glass selection pairs with the short, seasonal lunch menu.
OrderLunch wine pairing: two or three glasses matched to the daily menu, with commentary from the team.
WineCreative wine pairings at a fine-dining lounge
TipThe lounge bar is easier to access than the dining room without a reservation.
Guided tour · 2.5 hours
Join an entertaining local guide on a culinary and historical journey through the charming streets of Ghent. A culinary adventure through Ghent you will never forget!
1.5 hours
Join this workshop in Ghent to taste 3 Belgian beers, prepare waffle dough and bake Belgian waffles. Then enjoy your creations with toppings of your choice and eat as ...
Private tour · 2 hours
Private tour of the historic center including a food tasting: the best pralines, Belgian chocolate, the famous Ghent cuberdons, and other specialties.