Temmerman is the famous candy store, or should I say confectionery, that is located along the waterway at Kraanlei 79. It is located in a former inn nicknamed the “Seven Works of Mercy” because of the notable relief panels located on the facade above the storefront. The candies of Francine Temmerman have made this store an institution in Ghent. There is a treasure trove of giant lollipops, sugary candies, novelty sweets, funny looking cookies. There are candies with long names that are seemingly all inside jokes. For instance, some fluffy white and pink concoction has a name that vaguely translates to “flabby old lady’s behind” (hopefully it tastes better than it sounds). The local population likes to think of themselves as serious folk, but with a sharp sense of humor as well.

VVE Tierenteyn-Verlent at Groentenmarkt 3 is a grocery store and deli that has been a Ghent establishment for over a century. The attractively charming storefront lures you in with teas, marmalades and jars of the famous Tierenteyn hot mustard.

The Groot Vleeshuis (Great Butchers’ Hall) at Groentenmarkt 7 retains its old use nowadays as a fun food market, more formally titled as a “Promotion Centre” for local products from Ghent and East Flanders. Locals and visitors alike can try samples and purchase various foods and snacks, all grown or produced in the region. Specialties include pungent Tierenteyn mustard, ham that is comparable to Parma or Croatian ham, and quirky egg puddings laced with liqueur. Fresh breads, flavorful with multigrain crustiness, are typically quite good. There is some seating where you can relax and soak up the atmosphere. Look up and you will see entire hams hanging from the old wooden trusses of the rehabilitated covered market, originally built from 1407 to 1419 after a design by Gillis De Sutter. Now complete with modern additions, visitors here can fully enjoy its dramatic location along the Leie (Lys) River.