"Marcelo Ballardin's one-star kitchen on Burgstraat cooks the most personal menu in Ghent — reserve weeks ahead for an anniversary."
About OAK
Marcelo Ballardin was born in Brazil to an Italian family, cooked across several countries, and settled in Ghent to open a restaurant that answers to no single tradition. OAK sits at Burgstraat 16 in the old centre and holds one Michelin star plus a 16.5/20 from Gault&Millau. The menus run from EUR 129 to EUR 159, and the cooking pulls together North Sea seafood, Italian technique and South American ingredients — a seared langoustine with a chimichurri of fregola and mandarin is the dish people come back for.
The Kitchen
Ballardin's Italian-Brazilian background is the spine of the menu rather than a marketing line. The signature langoustine arrives quickly seared in a powerful sauce built from its own heads and shells, set against a personal chimichurri made with fregola and mandarin; elsewhere the kitchen works North Sea clams and, in a nod to his roots, wild manioc from the Amazon. The international makeup of the brigade shows in dishes that move between Asian seasoning and Belgian produce without losing focus.
The format is three tasting menus — Discovery at EUR 129, Experience at EUR 139 and the Chef's Menu at EUR 159 — all before drinks, with the Chef's Menu the only option for parties of five or more. The wine pairing is thoughtful rather than showy. What separates OAK from the wider field of one-star Belgian tasting rooms is how clearly it reads as one cook's biography on a plate, which is also why it has held its star and climbed the Gault&Millau scale.
The Room
OAK is a small, contemporary room: pared-back, warm-lit and quiet enough for easy conversation, with tables spaced for privacy rather than turnover. The mood is relaxed and the service friendly, in keeping with the open kitchen and ingredient-led cooking. Dress is smart-casual; no jacket is required, and neat denim is fine. Because the room is intimate and the menus take their time, an evening here feels like an occasion without any of the stiffness of a formal hall.
Best for an Anniversary
Book this room for an anniversary because it gets the balance right: a small, quiet space that flatters two people, a tasting menu long enough to make a real evening of it, and cooking distinctive enough to give you something to talk about between courses. The warm service keeps things personal rather than performative. For more rooms in this register, see the best restaurants for an anniversary and our full Ghent dining guide.
Not for
Not for a large group looking to share plates — parties of five or more are limited to the fixed Chef's Menu, and there is no a la carte to graze from.
Frequently Asked
Is OAK worth it?
Yes. OAK holds one Michelin star and a 16.5/20 from Gault&Millau, and Marcelo Ballardin cooks a genuinely personal menu rather than a regional template. Signatures such as seared langoustine with a fregola-and-mandarin chimichurri show range without gimmickry. At EUR 129 to EUR 159 for the tasting menus it sits at the fair end of one-star pricing in Belgium, and the small room makes it feel like an event.
How hard is it to book OAK?
Moderately hard. OAK is a small room and takes bookings directly through its own website, so weekend tables and special dates go several weeks out. Midweek lunch is easier to land on shorter notice. Parties of five or more are offered only the chef's menu, so book early and confirm the format if you are a larger group.
What is the dress code at OAK?
Smart-casual. OAK is a relaxed contemporary room rather than a formal dining hall, so there is no jacket requirement and neat denim is fine. Most guests dress up a little for the tasting menu, particularly in the evening. The mood is friendly and unstuffy, in keeping with the open, ingredient-led cooking.
What is the average meal price at OAK?
The tasting menus run EUR 129 (Discovery), EUR 139 (Experience) and EUR 159 (Chef's Menu) per person before drinks. With wine pairing, plan for roughly EUR 220 to EUR 280 a head. There is no a la carte at dinner; the set menus are the format, and dietary requirements are handled with notice.
Is OAK good for an anniversary?
Yes. The room is small and intimate, the multi-course tasting makes a proper evening of it, and Ballardin's cooking gives you plenty to talk about between courses. Book a few weeks ahead for a weekend table. See our best restaurants for an anniversary for more rooms in this register.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at OAK
Direct via oakgent.be
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Practical Information
AddressBurgstraat 16, 9000 Ghent
NeighbourhoodOld centre (Burgstraat)
CuisineContemporary tasting menu
Tasting MenusEUR 129 / 139 / 159 pp
Dress CodeSmart-casual
ReservationDirect (oakgent.be)
MichelinOne star
Gault&Millau16.5/20
