d'Afspanning

The story

d'Afspanning Beernem: Michelin-Recommended Modern Cuisine in a 1777 Farmhouse

d'Afspanning, Beernem

For fourteen years, Joost and Heidi have welcomed guests into d'Afspanning, a restaurant housed in a beautifully renovated 1777 farmhouse in Beernem. The setting is a piece of local heritage, and the kitchen focuses on quality, seasonality, and local products without compromise. This commitment to honest, refined cooking has earned the restaurant a Michelin Recommended distinction.

The menu is deliberately limited, featuring house-made dishes and original "Bites" designed for sharing. Joost sources top-tier ingredients, while Heidi guides guests through the wine and menu choices. At lunch, a daily-changing menu offers a straightforward, excellent meal. For those seeking a more elaborate experience, the suggestion menu is the way to go.

The cooking is grounded in modern cuisine, with a clear respect for the product. A June menu might start with a tartare of fresh mackerel with sour cream, kohlrabi, and herring caviar, or white asparagus prepared two ways with a cured duck breast and buttermilk vinaigrette. Main courses could feature red mullet on the skin with a saffron-olive oil puree and a jus of shore crabs, or confit lamb shoulder with artichoke hearts, broad beans, and potato gnocchi with Parmigiano Reggiano. The à la carte is equally compelling, with options ranging from a North Sea shrimp croquette to a grass-fed Irish Hereford rib-eye.

Diners can begin with a selection of tapas-style dishes, such as slow-cooked Duroc d'Olives pork belly glazed with beetroot kimchi, or a pizzetta with tomato, basil, and burrata. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, a true reflection of the hosts' hospitality.