Roots — Ghent
Roots is the Ghent restaurant that the city's chefs eat at on their nights off, which is the most reliable recommendation in any food city. The kitchen operates on a genuine farm-to-table philosophy — not as a marketing concept but as a practical framework that shapes every decision, from which vegetables are served to how the fish is sourced and what happens to the parts of the animal that the menu does not feature.
The seasonal menu leans heavily toward seafood and vegetarian preparations, reflecting both the kitchen's genuine interest in plant-based cooking and the extraordinary quality of North Sea fish that Belgian cuisine can draw on. A summer menu might offer langoustine with fennel and sea herbs, a main of heritage tomatoes with aged cheese and basil, and a fish preparation built around whatever the Ostend market delivered that morning.
The room is warm and slightly rough-edged in the specific way that good farm-to-table restaurants tend to be: the decor is secondary to the cooking and the company, and the lighting is better than it should be at this price point. Service is knowledgeable and informal, with the kind of interest in the provenance of each ingredient that suggests the team has actually visited the farms.
Roots represents the virtuous version of the trend it could be accused of belonging to: genuinely committed to its principles, consistently excellent in execution, and priced at a level that makes regularity rather than occasion the appropriate relationship with it.
Best Occasion Fit: Solo Dining
Roots' bar seating, counter dining options, and genuinely welcoming approach to solo guests make it the best solo dining venue in Ghent at this price point. The menu rewards careful attention — the provenance of every ingredient carries a story — and the staff are happy to share that story with someone who is there primarily to eat well and pay attention.
Also in Ghent
Explore all 5 restaurants ranked by occasion in Ghent, Belgium. From Michelin-starred tasting menus to the neighbourhood tables that define the city's food culture.
Find by Occasion
Browse every restaurant in Ghent filtered by why you are dining: First Date, Close a Deal, Birthday, Impress Clients, Proposal, Solo Dining, Team Dinner.