2 Best Restaurants in Deinze, Leiestreek Villages

An enticing café-bar with a long history and, many say, the best setting on the Leie. It lies next to the old sas (a drawbridge over the lock), and this was where the bridge controller once lived. The café even contains a small museum of maritime paintings and relics of a time when these waters were among the busiest in Belgium. Now it's just a great spot to rest up when strolling the riverbank between Ooidonk and Deinze. Try the pate, which has been flavored with the house Schobiak beer.    

The setting is everything here. The beautiful terrace, on the doorstep of Ooidonk Castle, makes for a delightful retreat for the walkers, cyclists, and day-trippers that make up the clientele. Its menu is a solid mix of brasserie standards with a few twists, including an Ostend-style fish stew, truffle-flavored croque monsieur, and a game ragout. Be warned though: it stops serving dinner at 6:30 pm, so it's one for early birds.