Vrijmoed in Ghent ranks 5th among the best vegetable restaurants in the world: "My interest in the vegetable story grows every day"

Gent's Vrijmoed restaurant, led by chef Michaël Vrijmoed, ranks 5th among the world's best vegetable restaurants. Three other East Flanders restaurants also made the top 100. The Vijf Seizoenen is 16th, 't Aards Paradijs is 36th, and Hofke van Bazel is 63rd. The 2026 rankings were revealed at the We're Smart Awards in Bruges, featuring 13 Belgian restaurants in total. Although not strictly vegetarian, Vrijmoed emphasizes vegetables in his dishes, focusing on sourcing fresh produce from local farmers. The event gathered over 200 chefs and food professionals from more than 50 countries, highlighting the importance of vegetable cuisine.