Restaurant in Aalter, Belgium
Seasonal Belgian cooking worth the trip to Aalter.
't Vijfde Seizoen holds the Michelin Plate for 2024 and 2025 and scores 4.7 from 434 Google reviews, making it Aalter's most credible choice for a special occasion dinner at the €€€ price tier. The kitchen's vegetable-forward seasonal menus are a genuine differentiator, with a full vegetarian version available. Book two to three weeks out for weekends.
At the €€€ price tier, 't Vijfde Seizoen (The Fifth Season) positions itself as one of Aalter's most considered dining choices for a celebratory meal. The kitchen's commitment to sourcing ingredients fresh from the field, with clear respect for producers and growing seasons, is verifiable from Michelin's own recognition notes — the restaurant has held the Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025. That consecutive recognition signals consistency, which matters when you're planning a dinner that needs to deliver. With a Google rating of 4.7 from 434 reviews, the guest satisfaction record is strong enough to book with confidence.
If you're weighing whether this restaurant justifies the price for a special occasion, the short answer is yes — particularly if you value vegetable-forward modern cooking over meat-heavy tasting formats. The kitchen, led by Broes Tavernier, treats vegetables not as accompaniment but as the structural core of each dish. Combinations cited in Michelin's own awards notes include cucumber with cauliflower and caper blossom, asparagus with sea lavender, romesco and aged crumbled cheese, and zucchini with algae and tomato. These are not simple preparations: they reflect a technique-driven approach to produce that reads closer to the precision cooking at Willem Hiele in Oudenburg or Bartholomeus in Heist than to a direct bistro format.
The name itself frames the proposition: 't Vijfde Seizoen, or The Fifth Season, implies a kitchen that goes beyond the conventional four , not just tracking what's in season but elevating the idea of seasonality into a culinary identity. Every menu rotates around what the growers and fields can supply, which means the dish you read about from a previous visit may not appear on your table. For a special occasion, this is a feature, not a drawback: the meal you have will be specific to the moment you visit.
The vegetarian menu deserves separate mention because it is not an afterthought. Based on the flavour profiles verified in the awards data , sea lavender, caper blossom, algae, romesco , the kitchen is working with ingredients that have genuine complexity and depth. For guests who eat vegetarian, this is one of the more serious options in the region. Parties with mixed dietary preferences should note that a vegetarian version of each menu is available, which removes the awkwardness of separate ordering at a shared table.
PEA-R-08 editorial angle is relevant here: at restaurants of this format, how the physical dining experience is arranged shapes the meal as much as what arrives on the plate. For parties of two considering a special occasion dinner, proximity to the kitchen and the rhythm of service delivery matter. Without confirmed seating details, the safest approach is to state your preference clearly at booking , whether counter seating or a more private table suits your occasion better. For an anniversary or milestone dinner, a quieter table with space for conversation will likely serve better than counter proximity; for a food-focused dining experience where watching the kitchen adds to the event, counter or kitchen-adjacent seats are worth requesting.
Two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024, 2025) indicate quality cooking that Michelin's inspectors found worth flagging, without the full star designation. In practical terms, this is a restaurant that has cleared the threshold of serious recognition. For comparison: Hof van Cleve in Kruishoutem operates at a considerably higher price tier and star level; 't Vijfde Seizoen offers a more accessible entry point into Michelin-acknowledged modern Belgian cooking. It is worth comparing also with L'air du Temps in Liernu and Zilte in Antwerp if you are calibrating your expectations against the wider Belgian fine dining market.
The €€€ pricing places 't Vijfde Seizoen below the €€€€ tier occupied by most of Belgium's starred restaurants. That gap is where its value case becomes clearest: you are getting Michelin-recognised cooking at a price point that does not require a special-occasion budget large enough for a starred meal. For milestone dinners, anniversaries, or business meals where the cooking needs to impress without the bill becoming the main topic of conversation, this is a practical choice.
With a 4.7 rating across 434 reviews and consecutive Michelin recognition, demand at 't Vijfde Seizoen is likely higher than a casual restaurant in a town of Aalter's size would typically see. Book at least two to three weeks ahead for a weekend table; for a specific date tied to an occasion, further in advance is prudent. The booking difficulty is assessed as easy relative to starred restaurants in Belgium's major cities, but easy does not mean last-minute.
Stationsstraat 9, 9880 Aalter is the confirmed address. No phone or website details are available in current data; searching directly for 't Vijfde Seizoen Aalter will surface current booking channels. For broader planning around your visit, see our full Aalter restaurants guide, our full Aalter hotels guide, and our full Aalter bars guide. If you are building a longer trip around Belgian fine dining, our Aalter wineries guide and experiences guide are useful starting points.
Quick reference: €€€ price tier | Michelin Plate 2024 and 2025 | 4.7 stars (434 reviews) | Stationsstraat 9, 9880 Aalter | Booking: easy, 2–3 weeks advised for weekends.
Against the most prominent comparison venues in the Belgian modern cuisine category, 't Vijfde Seizoen's main differentiator is price tier. Boury in Roeselare and De Jonkman in Sint-Kruis both operate at €€€€ with starred recognition and a more elaborate service model. If your priority is the most decorated experience and budget is secondary, either of those outranks 't Vijfde Seizoen on formal credentials. But if value within Michelin-acknowledged cooking is the deciding factor, 't Vijfde Seizoen is the stronger choice at a lower spend.
Castor in Beveren and Cuchara in Lommel both sit at €€€€ with creative modern European formats. Neither has the same emphasis on vegetable-forward seasonal cooking as 't Vijfde Seizoen. If your guest or party has a strong preference for plant-based or vegetarian-inclusive menus, 't Vijfde Seizoen is the clearer choice among these options. For classic Belgian fine dining with a more traditional French foundation, Bozar Restaurant in Brussels offers an alternative frame of reference, though at a different city and price context.
The verdict for most diners: if you are based in or near Aalter and want a special occasion restaurant with verified quality at a price point below Belgium's starred tier, 't Vijfde Seizoen is the practical first choice. If you are willing to travel and have the budget for a full starred experience, Boury or De Jonkman will deliver more formal polish. The decision comes down to proximity, budget, and whether a vegetable-centred modern menu matches your occasion.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 't Vijfde Seizoen | Broes Tavernier chooses his ingredients fresh from the field, with respect for the seasons, the growers and his region. Vegetables are an important part of his dishes. Each menu is available in a vegetarian version. In it he combines, among other things, cucumber with cauliflower and caper blossom, asparagus with sea lavender, romesco and old crumbled cheese and zucchini with algae and tomato.; Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | €€€ | — |
| Boury | Michelin 3 Star | €€€€ | — |
| Comme chez Soi | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | €€€€ | — |
| Castor | Michelin 2 Star | €€€€ | — |
| Cuchara | Michelin 2 Star | €€€€ | — |
| De Jonkman | Michelin 2 Star | €€€€ | — |
Comparing your options in Aalter for this tier.
Yes — two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024, 2025) and a vegetable-forward menu built around seasonal produce make this a considered choice for a celebratory meal at the €€€ tier. The format suits couples or small groups who want a structured, chef-led experience. For a more urban, higher-profile setting, Boury in Roeselare carries full Michelin stars, but 't Vijfde Seizoen offers comparable seriousness at a quieter pace.
Yes, and this is a genuine strength of the kitchen. Every menu is available in a vegetarian version, and vegetables are a central element even in the standard menu — combinations like cucumber with cauliflower and caper blossom or zucchini with algae and tomato are built-in, not afterthoughts. If you have other dietary requirements beyond vegetarian, check the venue's official channels before booking.
The kitchen is driven by seasonal, region-specific produce sourced fresh from growers — the name 'The Fifth Season' signals that the menu changes frequently and is not built around a fixed repertoire. Expect a structured tasting format with vegetables playing a prominent role alongside proteins. At €€€, this is not a casual dinner; plan for a longer, multi-course experience.
Book at least two to three weeks ahead, and further out for weekends or public holidays. A 4.7 rating across 434 reviews combined with consecutive Michelin recognition means the room does not sit empty. Aalter is a smaller market than Ghent or Bruges, but that does not translate to easy walk-in availability at a Michelin-flagged restaurant in this price range.
If seasonal, produce-led cooking with a clear regional identity is your format, yes. The kitchen's approach — sourcing fresh from local growers, building dishes around vegetables like asparagus with sea lavender or romesco with old crumbled cheese — gives the menu a coherence that justifies the structured format. If you prefer à la carte flexibility, this kitchen's philosophy is not oriented that way.
At €€€ with two Michelin Plates, the price reflects a kitchen that Michelin inspectors have recognised in consecutive years, not just once. The vegetable-forward approach and built-in vegetarian menus also mean the kitchen is not padding value with expensive proteins alone. Compared to Comme chez Soi in Brussels at a higher price tier with three Michelin stars, 't Vijfde Seizoen sits at a more accessible entry point for serious Belgian cooking.
Direct alternatives within Aalter itself are limited given its size. For comparable modern Belgian cuisine in the broader region, De Jonkman in Sint-Martens-Latem holds Michelin recognition and operates in a similar seasonal register. Boury in Roeselare steps up to full Michelin stars if you want a higher-intensity tasting menu. Castor and Cuchara are worth considering for different formats — check Pearl profiles for current details.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
