Belgium is internationally renowned for their chocolate. For world pastry-champion turned master…read morechocolatier, Pierre Marcolini elevated his craft so that his brand is now synonymous with "haute chocolaterie". He put emphasis on putting a higher percentage of cocoa in a smaller piece, minimizing the sugars. He also puts emphasis in sourcing cocoa beans directly from the growers. Each piece is assembled at their factory in Brussels and delivered to their shops all around the world. I was introduced to Pierre Marcolini in Japan of all places when the No1DP gifted chocolate to me at their shop in Tokyo Station. However I didn't know about the brand all that much until I took a Beer and Chocolate Tour offered by the Brussels Journey (https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-brussels-journey-bruxelles-2?hrid=_rEIZsWrygpqHYK9wROIKQ). I guess they must be renowned if random passerby attempt to take a sample while the host was giving a lecture about the brand. She and her 2 assistants literally had to shoo quite a few people! It's really a haute chocolaterie when they're the only one in the chocolate tour that doesn't give you a 10% discount. --- A day later I went to their flagship shop. There was a really nice lady at the counter that helped me with the process of buying chocolate there. I got a variation of their signature box Malline Découverte where I was able to make a custom box. Note that this is the only option to make a custom box. The box fits around 35-40 pieces and costs €39. There were plenty of premade boxes for sale but if I was going to pay €39 for a box I might as well enjoy each piece. My favorite pieces are almost all variations of a theme as they contain something crunchy. Not a big fan of fruity chocolate in general. - Câlin fondant/lait (almond and hazelnut praline, Quimper wafers and Madagascan vanilla caramel, coated in dark or milk chocolate) - Pavé de tours fondant/lait (a crunchy blend of hazelnut and almond praline with Quimper wafers, coated in dark or milk chocolate) - Torsade (Avola almond praline gianduja with caramelized Piedmont hazelnut crisp, coated in milk chocolate) - Earl grey tea (ganache infused with subtle bergamot notes of Earl Grey, coated in milk chocolate) [NOTE: I remember this distinctly from Japan and luckily this was one of the chocolates sampled on my tour.] This is best consumed with coffee or tea. They have locations in some of the higher-end shopping districts of London, Paris, Tokyo and of course Brussels. The closest place in the US is sadly in Hawaii.

There are plenty of chocolate shops throughout Brussels, although this shop was ultra classy…read moreresembling a Louis Vuitton of chocolates. The inside was elegant and had giant chocolate eggs randomly on display. It did not have the original Brussels chocolate vibe, but there were a decent selection of chocolates and the multi flavored macarons looked amazing. The pistachio centered chocolates were my favorite. Directly in front of the shop was a push cart with a woman selling freshly churned ice cream for 6.50€. Type of place to purchase a beautiful gift box of chocolates but still many other places nearby with a warmer ambiance, although not sure if better chocolates.

Out of all the chocolatiers in Belgium, this has to be one of my favorites. Galler stands out…read morebecause not only is the quality top notch, but also intentionally affordable. Though Galler remains modest, whether it's in their cost, branding or initiatives, they should not be overlooked as they are indeed one of the suppliers to the Court of Belgium (see crest inside store). The chocolate here is delicate and smooth, light, and delicately sweet. I've ordered a variety-- 19 to be exact, and can already promise you, each one will be savored accordingly. SERVICE: A monsieur helped me with my order, and was incredibly patient, astute, and knowledgable. He overheard me telling someone my partner was lactose intolerant and took that into account when I was interested in purchasing some chocolates. Even when I asked which chocolates would be more cost efficient (ie: pre-packaged bars, etc), he didn't try to upsell.

Galler was our favorite chocolate shop that we visited while in Belgium. We initially stopped in to…read moresample a few truffles while on a food tour and went back afterwards because we learned that this is one of the few chocolate shops that is owned by a legitimate chocolatier according to our guide. We purchased truffles, chocolate bars and advent calendars to bring back for gifts.

After the chocolates I brought back from my earlier Brussels trip was so well received, I made sure…read moreto introduce Neuhaus to my SO during our June trip. This store was one of the smaller ones we visited but its proximity to the Grand Place made it the obvious choice to duck into and escape the heatwave and indulge. I liked this store in particular since the staff were always warm and outgoing. They also were very generous in the sampling ;) Our newest favorite flavor was the calamansi Sensation. It was dark chocolate wrapped around dark chocolate ganache but with a very distinctive calamansi citrus flavor. We love calamansi and never imagined tasting it as part of a praline. If you really want to try it then go now since it will only be available during the summer! Lastly as part of their frequent buyer program, the store includes free samples to go. Staff just need to scan your Neuhaus Insider QR code and that's it. SO's taste buds agreed Neuhaus was the Belgian chocolatier on this trip and we'll be back.

Their triangle shaped chocolate makes them stand apart from other shops. The salted caramel was my…read morefavorite.

Part of Rudolf Braun, this delectable Manneken Pis themed chocolate shop is located across from the…read morefamous statue. Manneken Pis is a famous sculpture of a boy peeing into a fountain. The idea is meant to showcase the humor of Brussels. The fountain sculpture was created in 1619 by Jerome Duquesnoy and it still stands today. The shop carries a variety of peeing boy chocolates as well as other fine candies. They've got truffles, bon-bons and more. We bought quite a few Manneken Pis chocolates to take home to friends and family. They were all well received not just because of the fun but because of the fine Belgian chocolate used to make the creations.

This chocolaterier shop is right next to the famous peeing boy statue, Manneken Pis. So of course,…read moreit only made sense that they would name their chocolate shop after him and have chocolate molds of him as well. Their chocolate are just out of this world! I love Belgian chocolate and after eating chocolates here, I may never feel the same about chocolates in America. We loved the first box of chocolates so much, we had to go back and buy 7 more to give to friends and family, of course, only 4 made it to friends and family, we ate most of it on the plane and on our way home. It was so hard to resist! The employees here speak english and they give you great deals on buying bulk. Also, free samples!

Amazing. Tasty! Lovely. Get a plain one to go and eat it up! Quick serve if you figure out the good…read moretime. And feels like a coffee shop.

The reviews of Maison Dandoy are mixed and while I wanted to like it, I thought it was just okay…read more I enjoyed their front room the most where they sold cookies, crackers, chocolate, totes, and gifts. There's an option to pick a box or tin and fill it the cookies of your choice. The waffles themselves are something I can make at home and save the €15. I ordered the basic powdered sugar waffle, liege style. My husband ordered the Belgian style waffle which was topped with macerated strawberries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Again, the waffle and strawberries weren't warm so it was like eating a dry stale cold waffle with cold strawberries and a scoop of ice cream. Disappointing to say the least. I'd pass on this place and stick with the street vendors where you can watch them make it in front of your eyes and served warm.

While on a walking tour of Bruges,our guide suggested we try Leonidas for their Belgian Chocolate…read more They only use 100pct pure cocoa butter and have been in business since 1913. Known for their Master Chocolatiers,they have over 1200 stores in 40 countries. The staff was super friendly and even offered us a few samples including GF chocolates. Definitely stop in the next time you see a Leonidas Chocolate Shoppe.

The service at this chocolatier near the Grand Palace was outstanding. They took time with each…read morecustomer and were helpful with making suggestions. I was able to select a custom box of only gluten free, only dark chocolates and in many flavors. The quality of the artisanal products is amazing and they have been producing them for over 110 years. The shop is well lit and the displays elegantly feature the chocolates. They have shops in many locations in Belgium but also here at home in Northbrook, Illinois.

I walked into this place one time in my life and that was in Paris to try my very first Macaron. I…read moretried ONE salted caramel and I made the biggest mistake of my life by only getting ONE!! I finally had the chance to redeem myself by attending the Brussels Tour where one of the stops was here. I spent a good chunk of my budget on chocolates for dad and made sure to not let history repeat itself. I purchased 5 macarons: 3 Salted Caramel, 1 framboise, and 1 pistachio. My all time favorite flavors brought me right back to that moment when I took my first bite on the streets of Paris. It was seriously like that scene out of Ratatouille where it brought him back to his childhood. It was the same for me! Best flavors of your life: pistachio and Salted Caramel. Thumbs up if you agree and tried!

Pierre Marcolini seemed like THE upscale chocolatier in Brussels with their nice shops, great…read moreservice and impressive ganaches, pralines, truffles and single plantation bars. The prices are very fair for the quality. I ended up paying €250 for three Grand Crus assortment boxes and a stack of Kendem Lembu and Los Rios bars. The Kendem Lembu - Java bars are amazingly good if you enjoy 70+ cocoa count. Their chocolates have great complexity and richness. In fact the only chocolatiers that I would rate higher are Sprungli in Zurich and Le Maison du Chocolat and Michel Cluizel in Paris.

We chose a few pieces of chocolate to try, including Earl Grey, coffee, pistachio, ginger, honey,…read moreand lemon, along with a box of truffles. The staff provided excellent customer service and was very helpful throughout our visit. The ambiance is fancy, clean, and organized. The chocolates were silky smooth, and each flavor had its own distinct taste. You can immediately identify the different flavors, and each piece has its own unique flavor profile. I also love that the chocolates are not overly sweet. They have just the right amount of sweetness, allowing the chocolate flavors to stand out. The truffles were also delicious, with a nice balance of slight sweetness and bitterness. The box comes with several different flavors, which makes it fun to try a variety of their creations. :)

AI gave me a list of chocolatiers to try in Belgium and Pierre Marcolini came out on top. I was in…read morethe Galleria area and found one there (turns out there's a second one a few doors further down!). I had great customer service with a super nice sales associate who was patient with me.She even gave me a transportable bag with ice for keeping my purchases just right. I bought a couple of assorted chocolates that she recommended a picked up a bar at the counter as well. I highly recommend this chocolatier. Beautiful chocolates and quite the variety.

Came to Frederic Blondeel after reading a bunch of reviews and blogs, however it was quite a trek…read morefrom the city center. We got the hot chocolate which was absolutely delicious and came with a delicious praline. However when we tried to purchase it, they actually don't sell that specific piece of chocolate, so we purchased a box of some other type of chocolate which was not as good. The store was actually completely empty when we first got there, there were no staff and no customers so we were very confused and standing in the middle of the store. However, after 5-10 minutes, someone appeared and helped us. Overall, I am glad we got to try their hot chocolate!

Stopped by for ice cream and decided to also purchase chocolate. How amazing were they?…read more Eh..I ordered the coffee ice cream and bought hazelnut dark chocolate pieces. Nothing impressive.