If you’re a chocolate lover (and let’s be real, who isn’t?) then a stay in Brussels couldn’t possibly be complete without sampling some authentic Belgian chocolate. Belgium produces over six hundred thousand tonnes of chocolate each year, and has a reputation for making some of the most prestigious, high-quality confectionery in the world.
Whether you want to buy a few boxes to share with your housemates at home or peer behind the chocolaterie curtain and see how the good stuff is made, Brussels has tons of options for chocoholics of all kinds to really experience the chocolate capital of the world.
Where to buy the best Belgian chocolate in Brussels
With all that in mind, you’d be mad not to sample some Belgian chocolate during your time in Brussels. Luckily for you, the city offers some excellent spots to buy and taste the country’s proudest export.
Grand Place
Grand Place isn’t just magnificent façades, grand hotels, and intricate detailing, it’s also the best place to browse the shelves of some of the most famous chocolate shops in Brussels. Leonidas, Godiva, Elisabeth, Neuhaus, Mary: all of these massive brands sit side-by-side in cosy, antique stores, facing out onto one of Europe’s most spectacular town squares. With so many chocolate shops within less than a minute’s walk from one another, this is the perfect place for window shopping, picking up free samples as you go, and choosing that perfect box to share with your fellow housemates at the next movie night.
Groovy Brussels Chocolate Tour
If you’d like to combine chocolate tasting with an educational experience, you can opt for a Belgian chocolate tour. The Groovy Brussels Chocolate Tour is a great option for those who want to be guided through Brussels’ chocolate scene by an expert. The tour meets daily and takes guests on a sublime journey through five of Brussels’ most iconic chocolate shops, offering complimentary tastings at each one.
As well as introducing you to a world of exceptional confectionery, you’ll also visit some of the most beautiful sights in the city, including the Medieval Centre, the magnificent Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert and the artsy Sablon neighbourhood. And if that’s not enough, all tour guests will get a 10% discount at three of the shops that they visit.
Neuhaus Outlet Shop
Perhaps it comes with the territory being some of the best chocolate in the world, but Belgian chocolate can come with quite a hefty price tag. Chocoholics on a budget, or those who’d like to buy in bulk for gifts or a party, should head to the Neuhaus Factory Outlet Store. This is probably the cheapest chocolate shop in Brussels, allowing you to buy pralines by the kilogram for a discounted price. Visitors are also allowed to try all of the varieties of chocolate before they buy, making this one of the best budget chocolate experiences in the city.
Okay, so technically this one isn’t in Brussels, but since it only misses out by a few metres we think it still counts. After all, it’s just 10 minute’s walk from Erasme metro, which you can get to via metro line 5 in just 20 minutes from Central Station.
See how Belgian chocolate is made at a chocolatier
It’s all very well tasting Belgian chocolate in Brussels, but a true devotee would want to peek behind the curtain and find out how it’s made. Luckily, Brussels offers plenty of opportunities to see how chocolate is made at a local chocolatier and taste freshly made chocolate prepared in front of you by an expert confectioner.
Choco-Story
Located just metres from the Manneken Pis, Choco-Story is Brussels’ official chocolate museum. As well as the museum, Choco-Story allows guests the chance to watch a master-chocolatier at work. Learn the secrets of the chocolate-making art, as you observe an expert at work. At the end of the demonstration, visitors have the unique opportunity to sample the creations of an expert chocolatier, fresh from the production table. For a more bespoke experience, take part in one of the museum’s workshops, and create a personalised tablet, lollipop or box of pralines under the supervision of a professional chocolatier.
Belgian Chocolate Village
The Brussels municipality of Koekelberg has been known as the ‘Chocolate Village’ since the 19th century due to its high concentration of artisan chocolatiers. Today, this quiet, leafy neighbourhood is home to the Belgian Chocolate Village museum.
Everything about Belgian Chocolate Village is an ode to the city’s proud, chocolate-making heritage. The museum is housed in the original headquarters of the ‘Biscuitiers Chocolatiers Victoria,’ one of the early greats of the Belgian chocolate scene. Every day, visitors are invited into the atelier to watch live chocolate-making demonstrations by a team of artisan chocolate-makers and taste the freshly made delicacies.
The Belgian Chocolate Makers
For a more modern taste of Belgian Chocolate, head to The Belgian Chocolate Makers in Sablon. Here you can take part in workshops led by Elisabetta, the youngest chocolate maker ever certified by the Belgian government. Her live demonstrations are light-hearted and contemporary, teaching visitors not only about the secrets of Belgian chocolate but also how to support a sustainable chocolate industry. And of course, you’ll get to take anything that you make in the workshop home with you to share with your friends or family.
If you’re looking to try planet and human-friendly chocolate, then The Belgian Chocolate Makers is the workshop for you. They’re proud to use only single-origin ingredients, which come to them from a 100% traceable supply chain. Their cacao is deforestation-free and produced by smallholder farmers rather than large corporations.
Make the most of living in the world’s chocolate capital
Belgian chocolate is known worldwide as the pinnacle of confectionery perfection, and for good reasons too! Tasting and making chocolate has got to be one of life’s greatest pleasures, and like all joys, is better shared. Whether you’re looking for a day out with your friends to make your own chocolate with a local chocolatier or just looking for a big box to share with your housemates on games night, Brussels has got exactly what you need wrapped up in a satin bow.
As well as being the chocolate capital of the world, Brussels is a great place to live, work and explore a fascinating, historic city. If you’re interested in making the Belgian capital your home, check out our available houses, and immerse yourself in the Brussels lifestyle as part of a vibrant international community.
