The cobbled lane Jan Breydelstraat in the heart of Ghent has several small and unusual shops.
The antique shop Uit Steppe & Oase is maybe the most surprising. During the week, it sells Mongolian furniture, Iranian rugs and ethnic jewellery. But at the weekend it serves lunch and afternoon tea in a romantic back garden.
It’s a magical location with old trees, a pond and wobbly metal tables. Locals come here in the summer for a mint tea and slice of cheesecake.
The tiny kitchen also prepares delicate Middle Eastern food. When the weather turns cold, you can sit inside in two grand Empire rooms filled with African masks, art books and baskets of logs.
Derek Blyth’s hidden secret of the day: Derek Blyth is the author of the bestselling “The 500 Hidden Secrets of Belgium”. He picks out one of his favourite hidden secrets for The Brussels Times every day.
