De Pastorie

The story

De Pastorie in Lichtaart: Modern Cuisine Restaurant with a Michelin Star

De Pastorie in Lichtaart, Belgium, is a modern cuisine restaurant at Plaats 2, and its kitchen holds one Michelin star (2026). The restaurant occupies a 17th-century parsonage in the centre of the village, and the menu centres on pure flavours and respect for the product.

Two cooks, one kitchen

Carl has spent three decades developing a personal style. Wout trained for several years in other fine kitchens before returning home, and his more refined, labour-intensive cooking has raised the level of the house. Gault&Millau awards the restaurant 16 out of 20 in 2026, noting a modern kitchen next to a generous wine cellar.

Dishes on the tasting menu

The "Alles naar Wens" menu moves through courses such as Toro tuna with goose liver, lychee and kaffir lime, and Norwegian langoustine with carrot, ginger and butternut. Texel lamb comes with ratatouille and polenta, and Kagoshima A5 wagyu is paired with black garlic and artichoke. A four-course Mid-week Special is also offered.

A garden terrace under a old trumpet tree

When the weather allows, meals are served on the garden terrace beneath a centuries-old trumpet tree. The house has been restored several times since it was built, and the restaurant notes that Gault&Millau once named this terrace the most beautiful in Belgium.