Gourmet trip to Flanders: These are the places to savor

The best addresses in the region

Flanders is not only famous for its Old Masters and picture-perfect cities, but also for its fantastic gourmet scene, which offers so much more than "just" chocolate, fries and beer. CC author Kiki Baron has eaten her way through the gourmet region.

When I think of Flanders, my mind's eye wanders through numerous historic cities - Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent, to name the most famous. They were flourishing trading centers 500 years ago. They were also cities of art. And you can still see and experience that today. Then my gaze zooms in on restaurants and pubs - modern, traditional and rustic. On my first visits many years ago, I was amazed at the high-quality cuisine. Even banal village taverns served crusty sourdough bread and homemade paté. And even back then, I'm talking about the 1980s/90s, haute cuisine was celebrated in chic restaurants. Nowadays, you're spoiled for choice when it comes to fine dining. I also really like Belgian beer. When I go to a pub in Flanders and order a beer, the waiter points to a dozen taps behind the counter and shows me the menu, which lists another 50 or more different bottled beers. "Which one would you like?" Some beer bars not only have a wide range of Belgian beers on offer, but also a different glass hanging from the ceiling for each brew. The numbers vary, but according to Visit Flanders, no fewer than 1,500 unique beers are brewed in "small but brave Belgium". In 2026, the art of brewing beer will be celebrated year-round as an intangible world cultural heritage. Before we get down to business, a few words about the Flemish people: I have always found them to be very sociable, relaxed and fun-loving. That's the Burgundian heritage, says my Dutch husband. Indulging in the good life, that's what it means. Good food is part of it. And a beer in the morning on the café terrace.

Three stars for the Bourys

The small town of Roeselare in West Flanders is probably only known to a few travelers. But there is a brick villa here that has it all in the truest sense of the word. It is home to the Boury , a three-star restaurant run by the family of the same name: Tim Boury, Inge Waeles and Ben Boury. It is an oasis of classic, attentive hospitality, where Chef Tim is in the kitchen every day. Not least because of his many regular guests from the region, he also offers an extensive à la carte selection in addition to the menu. "So you can decide what you want to eat and how much," he says.

The Michelin-starred chef also cultivates the lunch culture that is typical of Belgium. And so, on a spring day, we sit and relax until half past four in the afternoon, enjoying the eye and taste drama with matching wines. If I've counted correctly, there are 18 artfully arranged dishes, each one an eye-catcher and an explosion of flavors at the same time. There is caramelized pork belly, crème brulée with duck liver, ceviche of yellowtail mackerel with leche de tigre and saddle of hare. You shouldn't drive after all these exquisite wines, which is why we travel by train on this culinary journey through Flanders and take a cab from each stop. It works perfectly. After all, we're not in Germany.





Fries for gourmets

Next stop is Ghent. A powerful city-state in the Middle Ages, it is now a young, lively city thanks to its many students. The highlight in terms of art is the Ghent Altarpiece in St. Bavo's Cathedral. On display here is "The Adoration of the Lamb of God" by the van Eyck brothers. Unveiled in 1432, it still stands in the same place. Hopefully, because the painting is the most frequently stolen work of art of all time. We go for a portion of Vlamse Frites at Frituur Tartaar. I haven't eaten such delicious fries in a long time: delicately crispy on the outside, the soft potato is deliciously nutty and the sauces are homemade. All the ingredients come from hand-picked producers.





In the evening, star cuisine is once again the order of the day at Vrijmoed . The restaurant impresses with its classic elegance, while Michael Vrijmoed's creations are avant-garde in style. He attaches great importance to using his organic ingredients nose-to-tail. He teases flavor out of what others throw away, whether meat and fish waste, vegetable waste or sprouts, and turns it into art on the plate thanks to modern kitchen technology. The menu, with a choice of four to seven courses, includes plenty of seafood. For example, line-caught sea bass with mussels, flavored with yuzu. A vegetarian menu is also available. Or you can go for the delicious meat dishes. I choose baked sweetbreads with black truffles and gnocchi. A poem ...





You can't rave enough about Flemish cuisine. We also find it in a villa district in the Zwin nature park near Knokke-Heist. At Carcasse we meet the cheerful Timon Michiels. The young chef specializes in meat, ham and sausages and has teamed up with the famous Belgian master butcher and meat producer Hendrik Dierendonck. Vegans and vegetarians should close their eyes if they enter the restaurant at all. In the middle of the room, in a glass refrigerator, hang ribs, legs, fillets and T-bones. The menu describes the taste of the Côte à l'Os (prime rib) based on the different breeds of beef. Unique, I would say. We let ourselves be persuaded to try more than our stomachs would like. But every bite here is a delight, an experience of intense flavor, juiciness and tenderness. The thickly marbled ribeye wagyu melts in the mouth.





Art on the wall - and on the plate

Next Stop Bruges. The picturesque city, criss-crossed by canals, is crowded even in the cold season. But as always with a UNESCO World Heritage Site, visitors are on the usual routes and tend to ignore the quiet alleyways. The Réliva is located in one of these. Styled in a modern style with lots of wood and some historic walls left unplastered, this small restaurant is run by chef Lien Vandeputte and her partner Cedric. He serves and explains the numerous wines on offer. Most of them come from unknown winegrowers who produce organic and natural wines. Lien's cuisine is based on produce from local farms and market gardens, fishermen and hunters. Depending on what is freshly delivered, the self-taught chef is inspired anew every day. The dishes impress with their variety of flavors. They are as colorful as the modern art on the wall.





Brunch in the countryside

This time in Antwerp, we didn't get a table at our favorite restaurants Hertog Jan and The Jane . The grand finale is a Sunday brunch at Antwerp's finest hotel - the Botanic Sanctuary. I can't remember ever having enjoyed such an exquisite and extensive selection of hot and cold dishes, accompanied by champagne and wines, in such a stylish setting. Whether oysters, langoustines, crabs or shrimps, artichoke salad, truffle pasta or grilled roast beef, the grandiose buffet is so sumptuous that we can hardly try everything. We should leave room for cheese and sweet treats. At neighboring tables, there are merry groups of locals. They are doing what I described at the beginning: indulging in the good life. Why do they always say live like God in France?





HOTEL TIPS

Ghent
NH Collection Ghent
Ghent does not have 5* hotels to offer, but this newly renovated hotel with spacious, stylishly furnished rooms from
25 m2 of living space has, apart from the remarkable price-performance ratio, an advantage not to be sneezed at: an underground garage with 120 parking spaces and e-charging stations.
www.nh-hotels.com

" Marriott Ghent "
Best address in the old town: spread over several historic buildings, this hotel is exceptionally close to the banks of the Leie. The modern rooms come in bright tones with bold color accents. The executive suite with rooftop terrace and the cozy junior suites under original ceiling beams are charming.
www.marriott.com

Knokke Heist
La Réserve
After a 10 million euro renovation, the hotel near the casino and beach was reopened in summer 2023. As the only 5* hotel on the coast, it now boasts a cool, light and airy interior, with a wellness oasis and heated pool. As an ambassador for Flemish cuisine, Peter Goossens is now in charge of the spacious brasserie "La Rigue" after selling his three-star restaurant Hof van Cleve. www.lareserve.be

Bruges
Duke's Palace
The history of the 5* Duke's Palace with its 135 rooms and suites dates back to the 15th century. The newer part of the hotel overlooks the small, enclosed park, where you can enjoy breakfast on the terrace. The Heritage Junior Suites and the Royal Suite "Maria von Burgund" with its high stucco ceiling offer a historic ambience. The largest retreat at 95 m2 is the Garden Suite with private terrace. www.hoteldukespalace.com

Antwerp
Botanic Sanctuary
A medieval monastery is now home to the only LHW hotel in Flanders. "Botanic" can be taken literally, because when you enter the luxurious building, you feel like you're in a botanical garden. In this noble ambience, you have the pleasure of being able to choose from starred restaurants. Also legendary: the fabulous Sunday brunch.
www.botanicantwerp.be