If you visit Ghent, don’t forget to bring an extra bag. Because you won’t be leaving empty-handed. Ghent delicacies are not just delicious—they are plentiful too! Sweet stalls, chocolate shops, delicatessens, jenever bars... there is something to tempt you on almost every street corner. And we’ll bet a bottle of Gentse Strop that your little bag of neuzekes sweets will all be gone by the time you get home.
The traditional Ganda ham takes at least ten months to dry. But the taste of this famous local product is more than worth the wait. Enjoy it with a slice of bread, a piece of beer cheese, a gherkin and a pickled onion. And don’t forget the mustard: from Tierenteyn, of course. Thanks to this condiment brand, Ghent can say it boasts the best mustard in the country.
People with a sweet tooth will probably enjoy Ghent more than anyone. Thanks to its chocolatiers who pass down their secrets through the generations, Ghent’s pralines and chocolates are famous from here to Japan. Never tried pralines with Tierenteyn mustard? You can here. And then there are cuberdons, or ‘neuzekes’: chewy purple cones filled with sweet unctuous syrup. Chilled and sugar-dusted snowballs that melt away on the tip of your tongue. Bite into gestreken mastellen or ‘ironed buns’: sweet pastries with cinnamon that are caramelised in a waffle iron. Mmmm... Ghent is an Aladdin’s Cave for those with a sweet tooth.
And we haven’t even mentioned the hard stuff yet! Lovers of fine spirits will not pass up on the chance of an O’de Flander. This Ghent jenever comes in an attractive ceramic jar. For beer lovers, we have Gruut. This beer is not brewed with hops but with gruut, a herb mixture that dates back to the Middle Ages. And if you want something really different, try RoomeR. This aperitif has tiny flowers floating in it. Try it and see!
Discover the finest regional products from East Flanders in a pleasant 2,5 km city stroll.
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