Our favorite restaurants in Ghent, Belgium

Ghent is a lively city with a fantastic variety of restaurants to suit every taste and budget. Whether you’re in the mood for a quick lunch or a romantic dinner, Ghent has plenty of options. We’ve explored many spots and are excited to share our favorite restaurants in Ghent, all personally tested and tasted by us. 😉

1. Godot
2. Barouche
3. Chapeluur
4. Wasbar
5. Bocca
6. Astro Boy
7. Mission Masala
8. Bicho Malo
9. Le Homard Rouge
10. Je m’en fish
Where to stay in Ghent

1. Godot

Godot is one of our favorite restaurants in Ghent. We’ve been coming here for years! If the sun is shining, you can choose to sit outside on their large terrace, which is the perfect spot to unwind en enjoy some people-watching.

For € 24,90 you can enjoy a lunch with soup, main course of your choice and a coffee or tea. The big advantage is that you can choose your own main course, allowing even vegetarians and picky eaters to enjoy a tasty lunch.

If you’re looking for some recommendations, make sure to order the bruschetta mix to share. This is the perfect appetizer if you ask us. As a main course, we recommend the linguine vongole. Such a delicious dish! During the summer they often have baby lobster as a suggestion, this one is also one of our favorites. We have tried just about every dish here and have never been disappointed. There are also many options for vegetarians, which is always nice!

Where: Hooiaard 8

Pro tip
Don’t forget to order a Cosmopolitan here! The bartender really knows his way around the bar, and it shows when tasting all those amazing cocktails.

2. Barouche

Barouche is the place to be if you’re looking for some amazing, home-made pita with a twist. You can create your own pita here, filled with chicken, bacon, falafal or even berloumi (a type of local cheese that has a lot of resemblance to the well-known halloumi). In addition to the filling, you can also choose your own sauce. You can choose between curry mango, the Barouche Signature Sauce or even a vegan sauce. There is something for everyone! We haven’t tried the vegan sauce just yet, but we can vouch for the (little bit spicy) Signature sauce, as well as the curry mango that really goes well with the chicken filling.

Barouche also offers some original sides, such as roasted cauliflower and sweet potatoes. If you’re not into pita, you can also order a platter with the same fillings and sauce (but without the bread). They are open 7/7, so plenty of time to stop by!

Where: Kortemunt 8

3. Chapeluur

Just a stone’s throw away from Barouche you will find Chapeluur, the perfect spot to grab a quick but delicious lunch. This trendy croquette bar offers more than 20 different croquettes, both classics and originals. Where normally you’ll come across “regular cheese croquettes”, at Chapeluur you’ll be amazed at all the different possibilities and flavors. From mac & cheese and pizza to pulled meat and salmon, there are so many original choices! On top of that, they all come with funny names like “gold digger” and “shrimply the best”. 😂

There’s also the possibility to choose some sides and sauces to go with your croquettes. If you’re looking to try out as many different flavors as possible, make sure to go for the small mix as an appetizer! That way you can get a good sense of what you like the most. We tried quite a few croquettes here ourselves, and have compiled a top 3: the local beer beef stew, the shrimp, and the salmon croquette are the winners! Make sure to try the potato wedges as well, they’re delicious! For sauce, you can’t go wrong with the truffle mayo. 😋

Where: Kortemunt 3

Fun fact
Godot, Barouche, and Chapeluur are all within walking distance of each other. Why not have a cocktail at Godot, followed by lunch at Barouche or Chapeluur? 😉

4. Wasbar

A place that has stuck with us since our student days is Wasbar. You can have breakfast, lunch or dinner here and do your own laundry in the meantime. Talk about multitasking! Wasbar has a wide selection of bagels, both cold and hot, and they also have a daily soup. As a hot bagel, we really really recommend the Curry Kentucky, filled with grilled chicken, cheddar and curry sauce. The hot bagels are served with potato waffles and truffle mayo, delicious! Prefer a cold bagel? Then definitely try the Avocado with hummus, arugula, tomato and… avocado. This bagel is vegan by the way!

What we really like about Wasbar, is the cozy atmosphere. Although it has risen in popularity in Belgium (they now have locations in all major cities in Flanders), it still feels like a really “local place”. They started out as an idea in the 2013 TV Show “Topstarter”, where people could win € 25000 if a jury of entrepreneurs (and the Flemish government) chose their idea as most original or if it solved a problem that no-one had a solution for.

Luckily for us, Wasbar (where people can eat and drink whilst waiting for their laundry to finish) won first place, so now we can all experience their amazing bagels! Don’t forget to bring your laundry.

Check the locations here.

5. Bocca

Bocca is an amazing pastabar with a wide selection of pastas. To start, you need to choose your pasta: penne, spaghetti, whole grain spaghetti or whole grain fusilli. Next up, is the sauce: bolognese, four cheeses, curry, pesto,… Or two sauces? Anything is possible! You can choose to top it off with toppings such as bacon, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, rocket salad, smoked salmon,… Or combine them all if you’re really hungry! Our favorite sauce is Bocca, a slightly spicy creamy tomato sauce. Yummy! The curry sauce is also highly recommended. If we’ve had the Bocca signature too many times in a short period of time, we pick the curry sauce as a close second.

And yes, we also discovered this place during our student days. Don’t let that discourage you from visiting, though. The place is fancy enough to have a romantic dinner, whilst still being really affordable!

Check the locations here.

6. Astro Boy

Astro Boy is a trendy Japanese eatery that offers both traditional and fusion dishes. It is the perfect restaurant in Ghent to enjoy some delicious Japanese sharing dishes in an intimate setting. They also have an amazing offer if you’re coming in with 6 people or more, where you can get everything that’s on the menu (including some extras) for a fixed price.

We have tried pretty much everything here and can both confirm that literally every single dish is delightful and bursting with flavor, so you cannot make wrong choices. Still curious about our favorite dishes? What stood out the most for us were the okonomiyaki and the mussels with kimchi butter. Okonomiyaki is a Japanese pancake topped with katsuobushi. We don’t want to take away too much from the experience, but the okonomiyaki dish was alive. 😳 The mussels were amazing as well. We recommend ordering a side of rice with the mussels, because you’ll regret leaving all that kimchi juice behind if you don’t let the rice absorb it!

The food, atmosphere, and service were all top-notch. Whether you’re in for a romantic dinner or a night out with friends, Astro Boy is the place to be!

Where: Kongostraat 2

7. Mission Masala

If you’re new to Indian food, Mission Masala is the perfect place to explore this flavorful cuisine. They serve up Indian sharing dishes with a Western twist, an incredible introduction. On top of that, everything is super delicious! You can’t go wrong. 😉

We really recommend ordering The Mission Menu. With this you have the option to go for meat or veggie (or both!), the perfect opportunity for tasting a bit of everything and enjoying a mix of incredible flavors. The menu includes some tasty appetizers and several dishes to share as main courses. We were pleasantly surprised by the quantities and how good everything tasted. The price was great, too – just € 80 for two people.

Our favorites of the night? The Oh My Gobi, crispy cauliflower tossed in a sticky mix of soy and chili sauce. Lots of flavor, with a “bite” that was just right. The star of the show! Kelvin loved the Sticky Goan Ribs as well – so juicy and yummy, the meat fell completely off the bone. And don’t miss out on their amazing cocktails, either. Mission Masala offers a wide range of original cocktails that complete the whole experience. Make sure to order one with one of their signature, homemade rums! Mission Masala is the go-to place for a cozy night with friends and loads of tasty flavors.

Where: Bij Sint-Jacobs 19

8. Bicho Malo

One of our favorite restaurants in Ghent for a romantic date night is Bicho Malo. This intimate restaurant offers delicious Mexican sharing dishes. The restaurant recommends at least 5 dishes for a party of 2, but feel free to disregard that advice and order even more. 😉 They have a wide selection of veggie, fish, and meat dishes, and really everything sounds delicious! It’s always great fun to open the menu and discover the original new dishes they came up with this time.

The last time we came here we shared the ceviche of cod and shrimp, the marinated pork rib with pineapple, the baby corn with parmesan, two veggie tacos, and the vongole soaked in tequila. Everything was so tasteful, even the baby corn pleasantly surprised us! This seems like a simple dish but explodes with flavor – a great way to kick off our date. The sauce combined with the freshly grated cheese on top was just incredible. The veggie tacos were definitely the star of the night, so be sure not to miss these!

We are convinced that you cannot make wrong choices at Bicho Malo, each dish is carefully prepared and bursting with flavor. Just keep in mind that the prices are on the more expensive side, we wouldn’t come here weekly (unless we won the lottery 😂). But for a special occasion, Bicho Malo is definitely the place to be!

Where: Serpentstraat 11

9. Le Homard Rouge

Another one of our go-to spots for a romantic dinner is undoubtedly Le Homard Rouge. With its charming, intimate setting and delicious food, Le Homard Rouge truly has everything for a successful romantic evening. No wonder it is one of our favorite restaurants in Ghent! The prices are slightly more expensive, but the quality of the food makes this more than worth it. The restaurant’s specialty is surf and turf, and the lobster here is outstanding. You can opt for a three-course menu (like we mostly do), but it is also possible to order a la carte.

From the classic lobster Belle-vue to more special combinations like grilled lobster with ginger and cilantro or roasted lobster with sage and lime butter, you can’t go wrong with any of their delicious lobster dishes! If lobster is not your thing, you should definitely try their Ribeye. We promise you won’t be disappointed!

Where: Ketelvest 9

Fun fact
There’s an aquarium in the corner of the restaurant full of lobsters, so you’re certain they’re as fresh as can be! 😉

10. Je m’en fish

For fish lovers, Je m’en fish cannot be missed. This place is just around the corner of the famous shopping street “Veldstraat”. Its location is great if you’re looking for an amazing meal after an intense shopping day.

This seafood bar offers lots of creative, innovative, and fresh dishes that you can share. From oysters to salmon to scallops, you really can get anything here! The whole menu looks delicious, every time we come here we have a hard time deciding what to eat. Everything we have already ordered here was really delicious, so order several dishes and enjoy the delightful flavors. If you really want a recommendation: the clams in white wine and cream are really mouthwatering and our go-to!

Where: Koophandelsplein 32

Where to stay in Ghent

Edgar Guesthouse — Getaway Studios Gent | €

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