Looking for the best chocolate in Brussels Belgium? Discover the best chocolate shops in Brussels and the highly regarded Belgian chocolatiers in this post.
If you’re planning a trip to Brussels, then tasting the best Belgian chocolate is probably firmly on your bucket list. With Belgium’s history and tradition of chocolate making, there’s no better place to eat, buy and gorge on chocolate. But where can you buy the best chocolate in Brussels? You’re probably not going to want to spend your money on just anywhere or anything.
That’s why I’ve done all the tasting for you and shortlisted 7 of the best chocolatiers in Brussels that you simply must visit. Ranging from the historical and traditional all the way to the contemporary and creative, these top chocolate shops in Brussels are the ones to visit on your trip. Be careful though, you might need to stop yourself from salivating all over their shop window.
Which one has the best chocolate in Brussels? You’re going to have to be the judge of that!
*This ‘best chocolate in Brussels’ guide contains affiliate links meaning I might make a small profit if you choose to book at no extra cost to you. This helps me to keep providing you with top-quality content for free.
What Makes Belgian Chocolate so Good?
Known by many as the best chocolate in the world Belgian chocolates really are something special.
Belgium has a deep tradition and history with chocolate that dates back to colonial times when in the 1880s Belgium started shipping back cocoa from the Congo. This gave the country a head start with how to produce the pralines and bars we know today.
With Neuhaus inventing the praline, and the Belgian chocolate industry booming, only later did this knowledge and the tradition spread abroad.
It’s not only its deep history, tradition and knowledge of cocoa that makes Belgian chocolate so good. Today, the best chocolatiers are committed to finding the best cocoa and working closely with producers, refining processes and recipes and experimenting with unique ingredients and flavour profiles.
However, one can only tell you so much. You’ll need to taste the best chocolate in Brussels on your own to find out how good it really is.
Where to Find the Best Chocolate in Brussels
Brussels is a large European city with many things to do and see. However, its city center and the old town are rather compact and walkable. Everything you’ll want to see on your Brussels itinerary is located fairly close together and that includes the stores selling the best chocolate in Brussels.
You’ll find all the best Belgian chocolatiers and the most famous chocolate shops in the center of Brussels, in fact, most of them has quite a few different locations scattered around the center. It really isn’t difficult to find the best chocolate when in Brussels and you’ll come across many while just walking around.
If your time in Brussels is limited, however, head straight to the Galeries Royales Saint Hubert as most of the famous Belgian chocolate brands are based here including Mary, Pierre Marcolini, Neuhaus and more. Not only that, it’s one of the most beautiful historic shopping arcades in the city.
The Best Chocolate in Brussels
With such a rich chocolate-making tradition and with so many great brands, it’s not easy to decide on the best chocolate in Brussels.
There are so many different types of chocolate to choose from today from truffles to block chocolate in flavours ranging from orange to chai. One thing is certain when in Brussels however and that is that you will be able to find a brand, type and flavour perfect for your taste buds.
In this post, I’ve narrowed my selection down to the best seven chocolate shops and brands in Brussels. Of course, the best of anything when it comes to food is a matter of personal taste so I highly encourage you to try a few of these best chocolates in Brussels, perhaps take a few home with you too and decide which one you like best.
Mary
Mary Chocolatier is a firm favourite for many when it comes to the best chocolate in Brussels.
The brand started in 1919 when Mary Delluc, a chocolate aficionado opened and started the Mary chocolate shop. She sold her beautifully refined and delicious chocolates to members of the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie of Brussels, taking great care in her presentation while also finding the best raw ingredients possible.
She went on to expand, and open many chocolate shops both in Belgium and internationally and in 1942 Mary received the title of Belgian Royal Warrant Holder for the first time, a title that has since been renewed three times.
Today there is a grand and traditional air about Mary’s chocolate shops and as soon as you walk anywhere near one you’ll be greeted by beautiful displays of pralines, chocolate blocks and truffles. Mary shops are the perfect place for chocolate lovers visiting Belgium.
At Mary the best thing to try is their beautifully presented individual chocolates that include pistachio marzipan, champagne rose truffles, hazelnut praline and pecan salted caramel. I tried a range of these are they were really smooth, silky and light. The champagne truffles aren’t too strong and have a lovely creamy texture with hints of champagne.
If you’re going to try just one thing at Mary make sure its the iconic pralines and what Mary is known for. Opt for an assortment box or choose a few to taste. They really are beyond delicious.
There’s also block chocolate with nuts or coffee grounds, perfect for those wanting something to take home as these travel better than individual chocolates.
For plant-based eaters, most of Mary’s selection of chocolates aren’t vegan as they contain milk and cream. There are other, mainly dark chocolate pralines that are but the selection isn’t that big. If you’re plant-based it’s still worth going in and enquiring about their vegan chocolate selection.
There are quite a few Mary stores in Brussels, the main ones are at Rue Royale 73, Grand Place 23 and in the Galeries Royal Saint Hubert.
Laurent Gerbaud
One of the newest chocolatiers in Brussels, Laurent Gerbaud, is a small and artisanal shop with a modern twist on flavour and chocolate making. Gerbaud’s unusual chocolate flavours are inspired by his travels and it was in China where he discovered some more unusual flavours as well as a healthier, less sugar-laden approach to chocolate making.
Gerbaud has found exciting ways to create chocolate with unique ingredients like Madagascan pepper, Shanghai orange, and Izmir fig and you’ll be able to taste them too by visiting his shops.
Opt for the amazing chocolate bars whose selection includes raw chocolate, green cumin from Morocco, sweet chilli and Calabrian Bergamot. There is also a range of marzipan chocolates and pralines with flavours like cranberry, coconut and chai. You can also find some white chocolate here too. They really are some of the best Belgian chocolates around.
Laurent Gerbaud is also one of the best places for vegan chocolate in Brussels. They have many different vegan options such as vegan hazelnut pralines, coconut ganache and a range of chocolate-covered candied fruit peel. They also strictly don’t use alcohol, butter or preservatives in their products.
Laurent Gerbaud also runs chocolate making workshops for beginners. If you’re in Brussels on Saturday you can attend a class and learn about and taste a different variety of cocoa beans as well as make your own chocolates to take home. Check their website here to find out more.
You’ll find Laurent Gerbaud’s main location at Rue Ravenstein 2D as well as a small boutique at Rue de l’Etuve 19.
Pierre Marcolini
If you’re looking for a less artisan and more luxury chocolatier in Brussels then Pierre Marcolini makes some of the best, high quality chocolate in Brussels.
For the last 20 years, Marcolini has been devoted to the art of making chocolate, travelling far and wide in search of the best cacao. He works closely with cocoa farmers backing an ethical and sustainable approach to bring back some of the best cacao with which to make the finest chocolate.
In Brussels, the finest team of about 80 artisans put together some of the best chocolate in Brussels according to traditions. Each chocolate is hand-made according to a unique in-house recipe.
The best things to try here are the signature raspberry heart, a fresh raspberry ganache with lemon zest and their pralines and ganaches in general. Their signature box is the ‘Malline Découverte’ a box of 33 chocolates that represent the best of what this amazing chocolatier has to offer. They make the perfect gift to take home to loved ones.
If you prefer solid chocolate bars, there are plenty of those too. Smooth and silky bars made from the very best cocoa available.
You can find Pierre Marcolini’s shops all around Brussels and even the world including the UK, Japan, Netherlands, France and China, meaning you technically don’t need to even travel to Brussels to try his chocolate.
In Brussels, you’ll find him at Galleries Royale Saint Hubert, Place du Grand Sablon 39, Avenue Louise 75 and Rue des Minimes 1. There’s also a shop at Terminal A in Brussels Airport for those last-minute chocolate fixes.
Elisabeth
Small, artesian and mostly handmade, Elisabeth has a wonderful selection of high-quality chocolate and sweets. Their products are inspired by Belgian culinary traditions and their products are a take on Belgium’s most finest delicacies.
Elisabeth isn’t just a chocolatier, however. Here you’ll find a range of sweets that also include biscuits and waffles, nuts, candy, nougat and gingerbread as well as all the chocolate classics like truffles and pralines and chocolate tablets. It’s a great place to come to try a range of the best sweets Belgium has to offer.
One of their most popular products are the pralines and the chocolate-covered waffles. Their chocolate tablets and nuts carry very well too- perfect to take home for yourself or as a gift. Gift boxes are also available.
Elisabeth has many branches in Brussels as well as one in Brugge and one in Paris. Their most central locations in Brussels are 43 and 49 Rue au Beurre, 55 Rue du Marché aux Herbes and 55 Rue de l’Etuve (just down the road from Manneken Pis).
Neuhaus
The oldest chocolatier on this list and probably the most famous Belgian chocolate maker is Neuhaus. Neuhaus is also said to be the inventor of the Belgian praline. They are also one of the most well-known and commercialised companies and you can buy Neuhaus products all over the world as well as online.
The company was started by the Neuhaus family who were pharmacists before turning to the world of chocolate making in the 1850s. As a pharmacist, Jean Neuhaus used to cover his medicine in chocolate to make it taste better. He then realised instead of covering medicine in chocolate, he could also cover creamy, sweet goodness in chocolate and so the praline was born.
Head to the Neuhaus store in Galeries Royal Saint Hubert, the site of the original, Neuhaus pharmacy and first shop and try their amazing pralines.
Neuhaus is committed to making delicious and honest chocolate and their treats are free from palm oil, artificial flavouring and colours. They use nothing but natural ingredients.
Frederic Blondeel
With a different concept from other chocolatiers, Frederic Blondeel is both a chocolatier and a roaster with a very contemporary and modern approach.
There’s only one location that’s an urban roastery, chocolate atelier, bar and shop all rolled into one and it’s a chocolate and coffee lover’s dream. Here you can enjoy a cup of delicious roasted coffee, some hot chocolate as well as the many biscuits and chocolate bars on offer.
There’s also an ice cream bar selling delicious homemade ice creams.
Head over to their shop and you’ll be able to pick up some seriously delicious, single-origin chocolate bars sourced from Peru all the way to Vietnam and roasted right here in Brussels. You can also grab other biscuits and treats as well as their signature chocolate drops and chocolate spread.
Many of their single origin bars are vegan and they also have a sugar-free collection too, making Frederic Blondeel a great option for plant-based and health-conscious foodies.
Find the Frederic Blondeel urban roastery and chocolate atelier at Rue de Ganshoren 39. You can also buy Frederic Blondeel chocolate at Elisabeth.
Corné Dynastie
While not as popular as some of the others on this list, Corné Dynastie produces some seriously mention-worthy chocolate. A traditional family chocolate maker for five generations, they have proudly served Belgian chocolate-making traditions over the years by producing high-quality and fresh chocolates.
They make a range of delicious confectionary from ganache and praline to liqueur chocolates, chocolate-covered fruit and even macarons. They also have a lovely sugar-free collection.
You can find Corné Dynastie on 1-3 Rue des Brasseurs in the center of Brussels or at the flagship store at Woluwé Shopping Center.
Looking for more to do when in Brussels? Click on the link below to find the best chocolate-making workshops, chocolate tours and other things to do in Brussels.
Ready to eat your way through the best chocolates in Brussels? Let me know your questions and comments below, I’d love to hear from you.
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