White asparagus from the Mechelen-Ghent growing belt, poached in salted water and served with browned butter or Hollandaise sauce: the signature spring dish of Flemish brasseries from late April through May.
Where to eat it: 3 restaurants across 1 city.
White asparagus cultivation in Flanders dates to the 16th century when the sandy soils of the Mechelen-Sint-Katelijne-Waver belt were found to produce the most tender and mildest spears in Belgium. The season lasts only six weeks; the arrival of white asparagus at Ghent's Groentenmarkt signals the start of spring in the city's kitchen calendar. Flemish white asparagus are earthed-up to prevent the sunlight that would make them turn green; the result is sweeter and less fibrous than the green variety. Every Patershol brasserie adds it to the menu in season.
Common allergens: Dairy (Hollandaise), Egg (Hollandaise)
Tip from the editors. White asparagus has a tough outer layer all the way to the base; peel more aggressively than you think necessary or the base will be stringy.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Two Michelin stars in central Ghent: chef Michaël Vrijmoed pushes Belgian produce through fermentation and global technique, with a dedicated Purs vegetarian.
Order: The Purs vegetarian tasting menu, seven courses built around single seasonal vegetables.
Tip: Book the 7-course format on a Friday evening, when the kitchen serves its most ambitious version of the menu.
One Michelin star in a loft-style bistro on Ham street: Olly Ceulenaere champions lesser-known Belgian vegetables and local produce at every turn.
Order: The five-course dinner menu, where the vegetable-led cooking is most focused.
Tip: Lunch is three courses from €55 and usually has last-minute availability where dinner books out weeks ahead.
Bib Gourmand-rated Bask converts a former petrol station into a fire-lit Basque asador, with turbot, txuleta and guinea fowl from their own farm.
Order: Txuleta from the Basque-style charcoal grill, served to share with market vegetables from their own farm.
Tip: Book the counter seats facing the asador for the full show; the smoke and theatrics are the point.
More cities are in research. Want vlaamse asperges (flemish white asparagus) covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.