Trip to Belgium🇧🇪 Chocolate Edition

When you think of Brussels, the capital of Belgium, along with the beautiful historic cityscape of the Grand Place, world-famous chocolate comes to mind.

If you visit Brussels, a chocolate walking tour is a classic experience you cannot miss. I took photos of the chocolate shops I actually visited, including those in Antwerp and Bruges, so I am leaving their charms here in a note as a personal record.

Classic Chocolates

Godiva

First, when it comes to representative chocolate brands, there is Godiva. It is familiar in Japan as well, but Godiva tasted at a store in its home country of Belgium is exceptional. The luxurious chocolate, as well as the beautiful packaging, is one of its charms. I heard that the Godiva at the Grand Place is the very first store.

Neuhaus

This brand is known for creating the world's first praline. With a history dating back to its founding in 1857, Neuhaus chocolates are characterized by their delicate flavors and sophisticated designs, making you feel happy with every bite.

Pierre Marcolini

Pierre Marcolini is another brand you cannot miss. Pierre Marcolini's chocolates are made from cacao beans using a unique process, and their aroma and deep flavor are unforgettable once you have tasted them. The beautiful chocolates lined up in the store are like works of art, and just looking at them is a pleasure.

Leonidas

Leonidas is famous for allowing you to enjoy authentic Belgian chocolate while being reasonably priced. This brand, which is also loved by locals, is a shop that tourists can easily drop by.

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Among the three cities I visited in Belgium—Brussels, Antwerp, and Bruges—Leonidas felt like it had the most locations.

I avoided chocolates that can be purchased in Japan during this trip, and the ones I bought to snack on were mainly chocolates not yet available in Japan.

Chocolates Not Yet Available in Japan

I paid particular attention to brands not yet available in Japan, such as Herman Van Dender, Corné Port-Royal, and Passion Chocolat. These shops offer chocolates that shine with unique flavors and ingenuity that can only be tasted locally, and all of them were charming.

Walking through the streets of Brussels and visiting these chocolate shops is the ultimate luxury. Each shop has its own personality, and you can feel the passion for their respective chocolates. In particular, the area around the Grand Place is bustling as a tourist attraction, and the time spent enjoying chocolate while gazing at the historic buildings was truly a blissful moment.

With so many chocolates to choose from, I enjoyed chatting with the staff and bought a few recommendations from each place. I shared them with my wife, and we stuffed our cheeks with many of them.

We bought a lot, both as souvenirs and for my husband and me to enjoy at the hotel. We had a great time comparing the chocolates while drinking coffee in our room 😋

Walking around eating chocolate is one of the highlights of a trip to Belgium. Enjoying the unique characteristics of each brand while exploring the city of Brussels was a truly unique Belgian experience.

The Chocolate Line

The Chocolate Line is a popular chocolatier that captures the hearts of chocolate fans with its innovative appearance and unique flavors. There are only two stores in Belgium, and there are no stores in Brussels, where many famous chocolate shops are located.

The Chocolate Line only has two stores in Belgium, in Antwerp and Bruges. We visited both during this trip and bought plenty of souvenirs.

HERMAN VAN DENDER

VAN DENDER is a Belgian chocolate brand that holds a Royal Warrant. There is only one store in Belgium, which means only one store in the world!

VAN DENDER is one of the Belgian chocolates that holds a Royal Warrant. Other Royal Warrant brands have expanded to many locations, and some even have stores in Japan. Among them, VAN DENDER has only one store in Belgium—meaning only one in the world—due to the artisan spirit of not expanding to multiple locations in order to maintain quality. There are no stores in Japan either.

I bought 4 chocolates at this shop as well 😋

Yisk

The Yisk brand stood out from other chocolates with its unique aroma and texture. According to the staff, they only export to Japan during Valentine's Day. I bought 4 chocolates at this shop too 😋

Chocolate Shop Photo Collection