The Holy Food Market in Ghent opened its door this weekend. It’s the second food market in Belgium and inspired by food markets in Barcelona, Copenhagen and Rotterdam. Fancy street food is hot at the moment. Michelin star chefs are opening luxury French fry shacks and serving ** hot dogs. So what in God’s name can you expect from the Holy Food Market in Ghent (pun intended)?
What to expect?
As I entered the Holy Food Market, I was pleasantly surprised by its unique setting. The market is located in an old chapel dating from the 16 century. Design-wise the market felt very cosy yet modern. The Holy Food Market is mainly decorated in black and white, hence the modern touch. The cosy part is created by the shops, they each have their own unique style.
What to eat?
I deliberately skipped breakfast in the morning, so I walked in ready to discover all the food stands in the church. Today, we live in a society filled with various cultures and this is represented at the Holy Food Market: Malaysian cuisine, Portuguese dishes, Beirut street food or a good old fashioned hamburger. It’s all there!
One of my personal favourites at the Holy Food Market is Malar’s at the right side when you enter the chapel. They also have a stand at Mercado in Antwerp (where I discovered them) and their Malaysian food is a must-try! In the back you can find Sea Me & Taberna Lisboa. Sea Me is a classic concept with oysters & wine, so what can possibly be wrong with that? At Taberna Lisboa you can find sunny Portugese food served with a smile. Don’t forget to pass by at Marussia on your way out, they surprised me with their delicious deserts.
What to drink?
At the magnificent bar in the middle of the Holy Food Market you have a wide range of drinks: from coconut juice to regular soft drinks, different kinds of beers and cocktails. I started my visit with a glass of Crémant de Bordeaux. This sparkling wine boosted my appetite and was a perfect starter for my visit. During the opening weekend, Bordeaux Wines was one of the main partners and it was surprising how the diversity of the Bordeaux wines went extremely well with the different flavours of the food stands. A dry white wine to pair with the oysters of Sea Me, a sweet Bordeaux wine to counter the spiciness of the Malar’s dishes and a delicious red Bordeaux of Chateau des Arras – especially their Cuvée Elles was quite surprising.
Where and when?
The market is opened from Monday until Friday from 11h to 22h. In the weekends, the Holy Food Market is accessible until 23h. On the first floor of the Holy Food Market, you can find a bar/club called H-Club (open from the 25th of March 2017) which will be open on Thursday, Saturday and Monday.
Holy Food Market
Beverhoutplein 15
9000 Ghent
www.holyfoodmarket.be