Restaurant in Merelbeke, Belgium
Belgium's top-rated fully plant-based tasting menu.

Amaranth is Belgium's most credentialled plant-based restaurant, earning a maximum 5-radish rating from We're Smart on opening. Chef Pieter-Jan Lint runs a 100% plant-based kitchen in Merelbeke with technically driven, seasonally rotating menus. Booking is straightforward relative to the restaurant's standing — this is where to go if serious vegetable cookery is your specific interest.
Booking Amaranth is direct — this is not a table you need to chase months in advance. That accessibility is worth noting because the restaurant's credentials are serious: We're Smart, the international authority on vegetable-forward dining, awarded Amaranth its maximum rating of 5 radishes from day one of opening. That is a rare distinction for any restaurant, let alone one making its debut. For a first-timer trying to understand what that means in practice, the short answer is this: Amaranth is operating at the level where Belgium's most technically demanding plant-based cooking is happening right now, in Merelbeke, just outside Ghent.
Chef Pieter-Jan Lint built his reputation as a specialist in vegetable cookery before opening Amaranth, and the restaurant's entire identity is built around 100% plant-based menus. This is not a restaurant that hedges — there are no fish courses or meat options kept in reserve for reluctant guests. If you are visiting for the first time, arrive with that clarity. The format is designed around seasonal produce, which means the menu shifts with what is available, and what you eat in autumn will differ substantially from a summer visit. That seasonal rotation is the main reason to consider returning across different times of year rather than treating this as a once-and-done booking.
The We're Smart 5-radish rating places Amaranth in a very small group of restaurants globally. For context, the We're Smart Green Guide evaluates restaurants specifically on how they handle vegetables , technically, in terms of taste, and in terms of ingredient sourcing philosophy. A maximum score signals that Lint's kitchen is doing something with plant ingredients that goes beyond the current mainstream of vegetable-forward menus. First-timers should not expect a simplified or health-focused experience; this is technically driven cooking where vegetables are the main event, not a dietary accommodation.
Because Amaranth's cooking is built around seasonal produce, timing your visit matters. Spring and early summer tend to bring the widest range of fresh vegetable ingredients to Belgian kitchens, which typically means more variety and lighter preparations. Autumn shifts the focus toward root vegetables, ferments, and richer profiles. If you are planning a first visit and have flexibility, late spring through early summer gives you the broadest picture of what the kitchen can do. That said, the 5-radish rating suggests the kitchen performs at a high level year-round, so do not delay a visit simply to wait for a preferred season.
Merelbeke sits adjacent to Ghent, making it a practical destination if you are already planning time in East Flanders. For broader context on eating and staying in the area, the Pearl Merelbeke restaurants guide covers the full local picture, and if you are building a longer itinerary, the Merelbeke hotels guide and experiences guide are useful starting points.
Amaranth is at Ringvaartstraat 51, 9820 Merelbeke-Melle. Booking difficulty is low relative to the restaurant's credential level, which means you can realistically plan a visit with reasonable notice rather than booking weeks or months out. Specific pricing, hours, and reservation method are not confirmed in our current data , check directly with the restaurant before planning. For comparable Belgian reference points at the top tier, Hof van Cleve in Kruishoutem and Boury in Roeselare operate at a similar prestige level but with fundamentally different formats , neither is 100% plant-based, so Amaranth is not directly substitutable if plant-forward cooking is your specific interest.
If you are coming from further afield and want to benchmark against internationally recognised plant-forward programmes, Atomix in New York offers a useful point of comparison for technically ambitious tasting menus, though the idiom is entirely different. Closer to home, Zilte in Antwerp and Willem Hiele in Oudenburg represent Belgium's broader fine dining range if you are building a multi-stop trip.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amaranth | Vegetable chef Pieter-Jan Lint now has his own restaurant, Amaranth is the name, and from day one he has been going for 100% pure plant, his way of life. We have known the chef for a long time, always looking for ways to make the difference with vegetable ingredients, technically and in taste. From now on everyone can also taste this in Merelbeke, and as far as We're Smart ® is concerned everyone should know this, hence immediately deserving 5 radishes. Congratulations to the whole team.; Vegetable chef Pieter-Jan Lint now has his own restaurant, Amaranth is the name, and from day one he has been going for 100% pure plant, his way of life. We have known the chef for a long time, always looking for ways to make the difference with vegetable ingredients, technically and in taste. From now on everyone can also taste this in Merelbeke, and as far as We're Smart ® is concerned everyone should know this, hence immediately deserving 5 radishes. Congratulations to the whole team. | Easy | — | |
| Boury | Modern Frlemish, Creative French | Michelin 3 Star | Unknown | — |
| Comme chez Soi | French - Belgian, Classic Cuisine | Michelin 1 Star, World's 50 Best | Unknown | — |
| Castor | Modern European, Modern French | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| Cuchara | Modern European, Creative | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| De Jonkman | Modern Flemish, Creative | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
Comparing your options in Merelbeke for this tier.
Yes. Amaranth's tasting-menu format suits solo diners well — the kitchen's focus is on what's on the plate, not group dynamics. Booking difficulty is low relative to the restaurant's We're Smart 5-radish credential, so securing a table alone is straightforward. If counter seating exists, solo diners typically get the best view of service.
The entire menu is 100% plant-based, so dairy, meat, and fish are structurally absent — this is not an accommodation, it is the concept. That makes Amaranth a strong default choice for vegans and vegetarians who want fine-dining execution without negotiating substitutions. Allergen-specific needs (nuts, gluten) should be flagged at booking.
Bar or counter seating availability is not confirmed in available records for Amaranth. check the venue's official channels at Ringvaartstraat 51, 9820 Merelbeke-Melle to confirm seating options before you visit.
Merelbeke has limited fine-dining competition at Amaranth's level. For plant-forward cooking with a different format, Castor in Belgium is worth considering. If you want classical Belgian fine dining rather than a vegetable-led menu, Comme chez Soi in Brussels is a stronger reference point, though the experience and price point differ significantly.
Yes, provided everyone at the table is comfortable with a fully plant-based menu — there are no meat or fish options here. The We're Smart 5-radish rating (the guide's highest) signals cooking at a genuinely celebratory level. Book early enough to confirm availability, though the restaurant is not as hard to secure as its credential level might suggest.
Amaranth runs a set plant-based menu built around Chef Pieter-Jan Lint's vegetable-forward cooking, so ordering à la carte is unlikely to be an option. The format means you eat what the kitchen is cooking with seasonal produce — there is no single dish to chase. Trust the tasting menu and flag allergies in advance.
Amaranth is 100% plant-based from day one — this is not a restaurant that offers vegetarian options alongside a meat menu. Chef Pieter-Jan Lint earned We're Smart's 5-radish rating, the guide's ceiling, immediately on opening. Located at Ringvaartstraat 51 in Merelbeke-Melle, it is accessible from Ghent. Booking is easier than the accolades imply, so do not delay on the assumption it will be impossible to get in.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.