Our Story

For more than twenty years, the taste of Ghent on the waterfront of the Graslei.

Since 2004, in the heart of Ghent

In June 2004, we opened the doors of De Witte Leeuw at an address that needs no introduction: Graslei 6. Anyone who has ever been to Ghent knows this view — the row of medieval guild houses reflected in the waters of the Leie, a panorama that appears on thousands of photographs and paintings. We get to work in this setting every day, and we still never take it for granted.

What began as a dream — an honest restaurant in an extraordinary location — has grown into an established presence in the Ghent hospitality scene. For more than twenty years, we have been serving at these tables. Twenty years of seasons on the Graslei: the first spring sun on the terrace, summer evenings with views over the water, the aroma of beef stew as autumn sets in, and candlelight reflecting in the Leie on cold winter nights.

Over those two decades, we have welcomed thousands of guests. Locals from Ghent who have made this their regular spot, Belgian families who come to the city for a festive evening, and travellers from around the world discovering Ghent. Many come back. That is the greatest compliment a restaurant can receive.

Our kitchen: Belgian classics, honestly prepared

We don’t go in for trendy experiments for the sake of experimenting. Our kitchen revolves around the dishes that made Belgian gastronomy famous — and we prepare them as well as we possibly can, every single day.

Our stoofvlees (Flemish beef stew) is perhaps the best example of our philosophy. For twenty years, we have prepared it according to exactly the same recipe: beef from the neck — the most tender cut — is slow-cooked for hours in Westmalle Trappist, a beer hand-brewed by the monks of Westmalle Abbey. This choice is no coincidence: the dark, caramel-rich character of this Trappist beer gives our stew a depth that no other beer can match. Served with homemade frites and a spoonful of apple sauce — just as it has been for two decades.

Another dish we are particularly proud of is our witloof met ham (Belgian endive wrapped in ham). Belgian endive — the famous “white gold” accidentally discovered in a Brussels cellar in the 19th century — is gently cooked, wrapped in ham, and finished with a rich cheese sauce in the oven. In Ghent, we are virtually the only restaurant that still has this authentic Flemish comfort dish on the menu. It is a piece of Belgian culinary heritage that we cherish.

Our shrimp croquettes are hand-rolled, filled with North Sea grey shrimp and a creamy béchamel that comes out crispy from the fryer. The Ghent waterzooi is made as it should be: with fresh vegetables, cream, and chicken that has simmered long enough to release all its flavour. And our Zeeland mussels arrive fresh every day — we only work with daily deliveries to guarantee quality.

In addition, our menu offers a wide range of meat and fish dishes: entrecôte, côte à l’os, rib-eye, various pasta preparations, and seasonal fish. From lunch at half past eleven to the last plate late in the evening — everything we do revolves around flavour, freshness, and the right portion.

Our team: thirty people, one house

De Witte Leeuw runs on people. Thirty colleagues ensure that everything works smoothly every day — in the kitchen, in the dining room, on the terrace, and behind the scenes. Since November 2023, Alessandro Xiang has been at the helm as director, building on the foundations laid here over more than twenty years.

Our team is deliberately international in composition. The Graslei attracts visitors from all over the world, and we want to be able to communicate with every guest — in their own language, or at least in a language in which they feel comfortable. That is why we look for staff who speak multiple languages. In the dining room, we serve in Dutch, French, English, and more. It is a conscious choice we have been making for years: who our guests are determines who we hire.

Our staff know the menu inside out, know which wine pairs with the waterzooi and which Trappist beer goes with the stew. They recognise regular guests and welcome new visitors with the same attention. We are proud of the stability in our team. In the hospitality industry, that is not something to be taken for granted, but it makes a world of difference. Those who work here know the house. Those who return as guests notice it.

The Graslei: an address with history

The Graslei is not just any street. It is one of the oldest and best-preserved parts of Ghent, a row of guild houses from the twelfth to seventeenth centuries that once formed the beating heart of Ghent’s grain trade. Merchants, guild masters, and skippers shaped the city’s economy here for centuries. The façades you see today — the Corn Measurers’ House, the Toll House, the House of the Free Boatmen — have stood here for hundreds of years.

Our restaurant sits right in the middle of that history, facing the Leie. From our terrace, you look out over the water to the Korenlei on the opposite bank, a panorama that impresses by day and by night. In summer, the terrace is the most popular spot in the house. In winter, the warm dining room inside offers the same view, with the illuminated façades as the backdrop.

Ghent is a city to be proud of. And we are proud that in this spot — perhaps the most beautiful corner of Ghent — we have been welcoming guests for more than two decades.

Welcome to our table

De Witte Leeuw is open every day from 11:00 to 23:30, for lunch and dinner. With 120 seats — inside and on our waterside terrace — there is almost always room. But on busy days and evenings, we recommend making a reservation, especially if you would like to sit on the terrace.

Whether you come for a quick lunch, an elaborate dinner with friends, or a quiet glass of wine with a view of the Leie: you are welcome. For more than twenty years now. Hopefully for many more to come.