Forever Classics. Sounds a bit like the title of a Schlager pop song, right? Wrong! It’s actually the philosophy that Thomas and Louis Pauwels wanted to maintain at Brasserie Midi, a restaurant (white tablecloths, a marble-topped bar) in central Ghent that’s been in the family since 2005. To bring a breath of fresh air to the place, the brothers focus their efforts on offering a warm welcome and preparing dishes tableside, like filleting the fish and plating the tiramisu right in front of guests. The menu is filled with timeless French classics: escargots in parsley and garlic butter; oeufs mayo; Toulouse sausage with aligot; beef bourguignon; flank steak with fried potatoes and salad… As well as some well-executed original creations, like Holstein beef marinated with oysters and goat cheese. And if you’re not won over by the (overly) traditional menu, let yourself be seduced by the weekly rotating €29 lunch set menu, to be enjoyed inside in the warmth or on the sunny terrace. // Anika Kane

FEELING THIRSTY? An extensive wine list that travels all over: a pinot gris from the Domaine Saint-Rémy (€8.50 a glass), a Meursault Domaine de Pavillion 2020 from Albert Bichot (€29), or a pomerol from Clos de la Vieille Église (ditto). Otherwise, a wide range of sour cocktails (€11).

PRICE: Set menu €29 (lunch), starters €12-29, mains €24-45, desserts €12-15.