Ghent Restaurants and Dining

(Ghent, East Flanders, Belgium)

With Brussels so close by, many people choose to check out some of the capital's restaurants and least once or twice during their stay in Ghent. However, unless you are particularly interested in visiting Brussels, there is really no need to leave Ghent on a quest for fine dining, since the city will more than meet the tastes of most people's palates, with more than 300 restaurants and bars spread around the actual city centre.

The most popular restaurants and eateries in Ghent do specialise in Belgian and Flemish fare, although the city has clearly recognised that this may not be for everyone and an increasing number of international dining options have arrived in recent years, including a number of Chinese and Indian restaurants and takeaways.

What to Eat

Flemish cuisine successfully combines the best elements from French and German dishes, as is renowned around Europe.

Many restaurants in Ghent choose to specialise in Flemish dining and serve dishes based around mussels and other seafood, spare ribs and pork, with seasonal Belgian winter stews being a definite highlight.

Look out for Ghent's acclaimed 'waterzooi' which is an extremely popular creamy dish using either chicken or fish and fresh vegetables.

Where to Eat

A number of Ghent's best restaurants welcome children, who often dine for free. The Korenmarkt is always a good place to find some of the most noteworthy and affordable dining options, along with many cheap eats, including takeaway pots of mussels and fries (á volonté).

Close to the Korenmarkt and just a ten-minute walk to the south-east is the student ghetto, based around St. Pietersnieuwstraat and Overpoortstraat. Many of the cheapest eateries and cafes in Ghent can be found here, while a number of good budget bars and fast-food restaurants are located along the Veldstraat, close to Hoomstraat and the Universiteitstraat.