Restaurant in Lichtaart, Belgium
Vegetable-forward Michelin dining, remote but rewarding.
De Pastorie holds a Michelin star (2024 and 2025) and an OAD Classical in Europe ranking, with a vegetable-forward modern cuisine approach that sets it apart from most Belgian fine dining peers. Based in Kasterlee, it is a deliberate destination rather than a casual stop — book three to four weeks ahead minimum. The €€€€ price point is justified by consistent critical and guest recognition across more than 400 reviews.
If you are weighing De Pastorie against the more straightforwardly accessible Michelin-starred options closer to Antwerp or Ghent, here is the short answer: De Pastorie is the stronger choice for a food-focused traveller who wants a vegetable-forward tasting experience at the leading end of the Belgian fine dining tier, and who is happy to make the trip to Kasterlee. It holds a Michelin star (retained in both 2024 and 2025) and an Opinionated About Dining Classical in Europe ranking of #453 for 2025, with a Google rating of 4.8 across more than 400 reviews. That combination of critical recognition and sustained guest satisfaction is harder to find than it sounds. Book it for a special occasion, a long Friday or Saturday evening, or a Sunday lunch when you want to stop somewhere that will actually reward the detour. For a broader look at dining in the area, see our full Lichtaart restaurants guide.
De Pastorie occupies a former presbytery on the village square in Lichtaart, a quiet commune within the municipality of Kasterlee in the Belgian Kempen. The setting matters here not as atmosphere for its own sake, but because it shapes the practical reality of a visit: this is a destination restaurant, not a drop-in, and the experience is built around that premise. You are not passing through; you are arriving deliberately.
The kitchen at De Pastorie operates under chef Pascal Vandenheulen, and the culinary direction is firmly oriented around vegetables and fruit as primary flavour carriers rather than as supporting cast. The Opinionated About Dining recognition specifically calls out this approach: generous portions of produce that deliver both colour and flavour, with the products remaining recognisable on the plate. That last point is meaningful. In an era when many high-end kitchens process ingredients into near-abstraction, De Pastorie's commitment to readable, identifiable produce is a genuine point of difference for diners who want to taste what they are eating rather than decode it.
This is not a purely vegetarian restaurant. The cuisine style is listed as Modern Cuisine, and the vegetable-forward framing is an editorial emphasis rather than a menu restriction. What it does mean is that if you are travelling with someone who finds traditional meat-centric tasting menus repetitive or heavy, De Pastorie is a considerably safer bet than most of its Belgian €€€€ peers. The kitchen's evident comfort with vegetables also tends to translate into stronger options for guests with dietary preferences, though specific accommodation details should be confirmed directly with the restaurant at the time of booking.
De Pastorie is open Thursday through Saturday from 9:30 am until midnight, and on Sunday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. Monday and Tuesday are closed. The midnight closing time on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday is one of the more practically useful facts about this restaurant. In a peer group where kitchens stop serving by 9:30 or 10 pm and rooms clear out by 11, De Pastorie's extended hours on those three evenings make it a genuine late-evening option for the region. If you are staying in the area and want to eat well without racing against an early last-orders call, that window is real. Sunday, by contrast, closes at 5:30 pm, which makes it a lunch and early-afternoon destination rather than a dinner option on that day.
For timing, Friday and Saturday evenings are the harder bookings. If your schedule allows Thursday, that is likely the path of least resistance without sacrificing the full dinner experience. The kitchen runs the same hours across Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, so there is no programmatic difference between those evenings. Sunday lunch is worth considering if the Sunday closing time works for you: the format suits a longer, slower meal, and the midday light in the Kempen countryside is a reasonable bonus. For where to stay nearby, our Lichtaart hotels guide covers options in the area.
At the €€€€ price point, De Pastorie sits in the same bracket as Belgium's broader fine dining tier. For context, that range in Belgium typically signals tasting menus in the €120-180 per person range before wine, though exact current pricing should be confirmed at booking. The value case here rests on the Michelin star, the OAD ranking, and the consistency implied by 413 reviews averaging 4.8 — a score that holds up at volume in a way that smaller review bases cannot. Comparable Michelin-starred restaurants in Belgium at this tier include Hof van Cleve in Kruishoutem, Zilte in Antwerp, and Boury in Roeselare, each operating at a similar price tier with different cuisine emphases. If you are planning a broader Belgian fine dining itinerary, Willem Hiele in Oudenburg, Bartholomeus in Heist, and L'air du temps in Liernu are worth placing alongside De Pastorie on your shortlist. For something further afield in Brussels, Bozar Restaurant and d'Eugénie à Emilie in Baudour round out the Belgian end of the spectrum before you move into international comparisons like Frantzén in Stockholm or FZN by Björn Frantzén in Dubai.
Booking difficulty is rated hard. De Pastorie's combination of a small village location, a Michelin star, and strong word-of-mouth means tables at peak times disappear quickly. Give yourself a minimum of three to four weeks of lead time for a Friday or Saturday dinner reservation. If you are visiting from outside Belgium specifically to eat here, plan around availability rather than expecting to slot a date of your choosing. For other things to do while you are in the area, see our Lichtaart experiences guide, our Lichtaart bars guide, and our Lichtaart wineries guide.
Quick reference: Michelin 1 Star (2024, 2025) | OAD Classical in Europe #453 (2025) | €€€€ | Thu–Sat 9:30 am–midnight, Sun 9:30 am–5:30 pm, Mon–Tue closed | Booking difficulty: hard.
Booking method is not confirmed in our data — check the restaurant's own website or contact them directly. Given the hard booking difficulty rating, do not leave this until close to your travel dates. Thursday evenings are the most likely to have availability in the short term. Friday and Saturday dinner slots book out well in advance.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| De Pastorie | Modern Cuisine | €€€€ | Hard |
| Boury | Modern Frlemish, Creative French | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Comme chez Soi | French - Belgian, Classic Cuisine | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Castor | Modern European, Modern French | €€€€ | Unknown |
| Cuchara | Modern European, Creative | €€€€ | Unknown |
| De Jonkman | Modern Flemish, Creative | €€€€ | Unknown |
What to weigh when choosing between De Pastorie and alternatives.
Dietary restriction policies are not confirmed in our data. Given the restaurant's explicit vegetable and fruit focus — called out in its OAD write-up — plant-forward diners are likely in good hands, but check the venue's official channels before booking to confirm specific accommodations. Phone and website details are not in our current record, so check Google or a booking platform for contact information.
There are no comparable fine dining alternatives within Lichtaart itself — the nearest meaningful options require a drive into the broader Antwerp province or beyond. For vegetable-forward fine dining at a similar level, Castor is worth considering. For classical Belgian fine dining with greater urban accessibility, Comme chez Soi in Brussels or Boury in Roeselare offer Michelin-credentialed alternatives at comparable price points.
Specific menu items are not confirmed in our data, so we cannot name dishes. What is documented is that fruit and vegetables are central to the cooking — portions are described as generous, products are recognisable, and flavour consistency is the hallmark that earned both the Michelin star and OAD recognition. Let the kitchen lead and trust the tasting format.
Group capacity details are not confirmed in our data. De Pastorie is a Michelin-starred village restaurant in a converted presbytery, which typically means limited covers and a format that suits smaller parties better than large group bookings. Given the hard booking difficulty, contact the restaurant well in advance if you are planning for six or more.
Sunday is lunch-only (9:30 am to 5:30 pm), while Thursday through Saturday run until midnight, making those days the natural dinner slots. For a full experience without time pressure, a Thursday or Friday dinner gives you the most flexibility. Sunday lunch is worth considering if you want the full tasting experience during daylight in a village setting, and the earlier close means the pace is likely more relaxed.
Yes — a Michelin-starred room in a former presbytery on a village square in Belgium's Kempen region is an inherently occasion-worthy setting. The format suits couples or small groups who want a deliberate, destination dinner rather than a city-centre celebration. For anniversaries or milestone dinners where location drama matters, the rural setting works in its favour. Groups wanting a livelier urban backdrop would be better served by Comme chez Soi in Brussels.
At €€€€ pricing with a Michelin star and an Opinionated About Dining Classical Europe ranking (#453 in 2025), the value case holds if vegetable-led modern cuisine is what you are after. OAD's recognition specifically calls out recognisable products and consistent flavour, which is a stronger trust signal than generic prestige. If you want a more meat-centred tasting format, De Jonkman or Boury may align better with your expectations.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
