Café Theatre

Café Theatre Review

A persistent social buzz permeates this cosmopolitan brasserie in the shadow of the opera house. The huge bi-level space is decorated with columns, wrought iron, and whimsy (check out the restrooms). Luckily, the food is as good as the people-watching; you might try duck breast with caramelized figs or a stellar steak tartare—the house specialty, and supposedly the best in all of Flanders. After the meal, relax next door in the lounge bar, where you can taste 11 kinds of jenever. The restaurant closes during the annual Gent Festival, held between mid-July and mid-August; check ahead for the summer schedule.