De Koolputten

The story

De Koolputten, Sint-Niklaas: French Restaurant on the Durme in Waasmunster

De Koolputten is a French restaurant at Koolputten 2 in Waasmunster, close to Sint-Niklaas, and Gault&Millau gave it a score of 13 in 2026. It sits on a former inn and coal-trading site along the Durme, now a complex with a restaurant, bar, event rooms and B&B.

Dishes on the carte

The French kitchen leans on classics and seasonal produce. Recent à la carte dishes include vitello tonnato with mackerel and anchovy, baby lobster with pearl couscous and nduja butter, and Duroc de Bataille pork with ratatouille. Sole meunière arrives with hand-cut fries. Poulet jaune is served with morels, truffle and Albuféra jus. Wild sea bass in a salt crust is cooked for two. Asparagus appears in several versions while it is in season.

Lunch and tasting menus

Wednesday to Friday lunch runs as two courses for €45 or three for €65. The tasting menu lets you choose between two starters and two mains, at €55 for two courses or €75 for three. Desserts include crème brûlée with Grand Marnier and a coupe Colonel with lemon and vodka. Michelin lists the restaurant as Recommended for 2026.

The setting

Tables look out over the Mirabrug and the Durme. The white buildings house event rooms for up to 220 guests and a four-star B&B with eight rooms. An exhibition space shows new art every three months, and entry is free on Sundays. Traces of the old inn and coal trade can still be seen around the site.