This bakery (and the nearby vegetable market) remains open every day until 6 PM!
Bakery labels here don't have English translations and not everything was immediately recognizable to us. The ladies working there at the time (possibly the owners) struggled to translate or tell us what some of the pastries were. However, they were so SWEET, the pastries looked so good, and there was generally a lot of smiling and laughter on everyone's part as we tried to communicate. X3
Located in Groentenmarkt Square, we were told by our guide that this bakery is the oldest in Ghent. Coincidentally it was behind the De Echte Gentse Neuzen cart and is one door over from the Tierenteyn-Verlant mustard-spice shop. Bakkerij Himschoot's front is pretty small, and warm in a worn, well-used but clean place. Which makes sense, as both the square and all the surrounding buildings are considered historical. It was just a small rectangle of standing space surrounding on all sides by a variety of breads, pastries, cookies, meringues, scones, and cakes. There was just SO MUCH and it was BEAUTIFUL. Basically though, it's an order-pickup-go place for breakfast, desserts, special occasions, and coffee. No indoor seating, though the website DOES show this BEAUTIFUL old library that you supposedly can sit down in with your food. It's picturesque and I wish I had seen it, though I'm not sure if it's at this location.
For future reference, appelflappen is a Dutch apple beignets. My dad got it because he just likes things with apples. Mattentaart is actually a sweet Flemish specialty that's essentially described as a "curd cake", similar to a cheesecake wrapped in puff pastry. I REALLY liked the worstenbrood, or sausage bread. From what we tried, I really wish we had been around during a holiday, as they apparently have certain specialties (cakes, sweets, etc.) around those times.
Overall, would 100% recommend stopping by this place while touring. I wasn't expecting much, a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of bakeries we'd already visited by that time. But the first time I bit down into one of our pastries, I was revitalized. It was definitely a highlight on the trip, delicious and satisfying. One of their pastries is exactly the kind of thing to snack on while wandering around. I only regret we couldn't try more of their baked goods, especially all those different kinds of breads. read more