Foodie Finds in Ghent, Belgium

Often overlooked by tourists, Ghent is said to be Belgium's best city for foodies. It is also a chocolate lover's paradise! This charming medieval city is as Lonely Planet calls it “the best kept secret of Europe”.

Here are some of the many wonderful food one must try when visiting Ghent.

Neuzekes or Cuberdon is a cone-shaped Belgian candy. In Dutch, it is also known as a "neus" (nose). They were originally raspberry-flavored and purple in colour until recently when more flavours were made available. It is hard outside but gelatinous inside and tastes quite sweet but I loved it! 

The Van Hoorebeke chocolaterie has two shops located in the heart of this historic city. Luc and Cédric Van Hoorebeke are two generations of artisan chocolatiers offering one of the best traditional chocolates in Belgium.

These pralines are a perfect balance of sweetness and saltiness. 
It tasted wonderful and deliciously satisfying.
 

A sneak peek into their basement workshops.

 

Neuhas is one of the oldest chocolate producers in Belgium.

Brussels chocolatier Jean Neuhaus invented the praline 100 years ago and started with the idea of wrapping unpleasant-tasting medicines in chocolate. Decades after, his grandson Jean Neuhaus II replaced medicine with fillings of cream or caramel and this he called,  "praline".

 

I got overwhelmed by the options. They all look so wonderfully delicious.

Found these wine to take-away at a convenience shop. Available in Rosé, White, Red and Sangria.

 

  A stall selling waffles, smoutebollen (Dutch doughnuts) and frites.

 French fries aren’t really French? These famous fries actually originated in Belgium until some American soldiers tasted them during WW1 and started calling them "French fries" because  the Belgian army's official language was French.

Belgian-style frites are thicker and are baked twice so it's soft inside and crisp outside. Belgians prefer to eat them with small plastic forks and are typically served with a dollop of sauce like ketchup and/or mayonnaise. 

 

Flying saucers are a unique old fashioned candy that are made from rice paper filled with sherbet. A Belgian company originally created this as a capsule to hold pill powder to make patients swallow their bitter-tasting medicines easier.

 Have you heard of the mattentaart? This sweet fluffy pastry originates from Geraardsbergen and is made of puff pastry and filled with curd cheese. It also holds a Protected Geographical Indication status granted by the European Union in 2006. Therefore, a mattentaart can only be considered real mattentaart if it is made in the municipality of Geraardsbergen or Lierde region.

A foodie simply can't leave Belgium without trying one.  

 

This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful Starbucks I've ever seen. Located inside Gent-Sint-Pieters, one of the two main stations in Ghent.

 

 Make sure you sample all the city has to offer before you leave.