Storm

Storm is one of Ostend’s most passionate and distinctive gastronomic addresses, situated at the Hendrik Baelskaai on the edge of the fishing harbour, where the North Sea is quite literally within reach of the kitchen. The restaurant is the life’s work of chef Michiel Rabaey and his wife and front-of-house partner Nathalie Hiele, both born and raised in Ostend, who have built Storm into a benchmark for sustainable, product-driven North Sea cookery. Michiel honed his skills at Villa Maritza and the Ostend Queen before completing international work placements, and is a proud member of North Sea Chefs — a collective committed to using forgotten species, by-catch, and ethical sourcing. At Storm, the philosophy extends from fin to tail: forgotten fish varieties such as gurnard and pouting appear alongside classics, served as sushi of gurnard with pickled ginger and wasabi crunch, whiting gravlax in a daikon cannelloni, haddock with a mustard and seaweed crust on green asparagus with bouillabaisse espuma, and perfectly skin-crisped sea bass with parsnip, mushroom and a choron sauce. Every element of the restaurant — from the tableware to the air conditioning — is sourced locally from within Ostend itself. Michiel also runs the Fishing for Litter initiative, challenging fishermen to collect plastic from the sea. A truly unique and deeply committed address. Open Wednesday through Sunday.