*Before you start reading this post, please bear in mind it is all about chocolate, chocolate bars, sweets containing chocolate and hot chocolate. Don’t read it if you don’t like chocolate. If you are a chocoholic (like me), you will probably love it! After this post you will surely crave some CHOCOLATE.
Do you?
Here I am in my paradise. There is chocolate everywhere I look and I am in love with Brussels (I mean I am in love with chocolate). I was even more excited and happy when I was welcomed to every chocolate shop and was given a free chocolate. I was always asked “Would you like to taste our luxurious chocolate, Madam?” (OH YES! PLEASE!)
Chocolate fingers I was asked to try
Brussels is called the “Chocolate city“. Why? Maybe because of THIS
A great variety of chocolate balls
My favourite white chocolates
A typical example of chocolate displays in Brussels
The local chocolate is widely considered as the best in the world (After eating 10 boxes of various chocolate I can confirm it). The most famous are handmade chocolate balls known for their high quality and high PRICES as well. There is also a great variety of chocolate, butter, cream and sugar Belgian truffles.
Very original decorations
Did you know that… the average resident of Belgium eats about 8 kg of chocolate per year (note: I eat about 8 kg of chocolate per week) and in the nineteenth century, chocolate was a luxury of the noble attribute?
My chocolate walk around Brussels
I started my chocolate walk at the Porte de Namur metro station. I found many chocolate shops around Chausse d’Ixelles. You can get a 250-gram box of pralines for 3.40 Euro (1 kg – 13,60 Euro) which makes it the cheapest chocolate place in town.
A box of pralines
The next place I headed to was the Neuhaus shop with more expensive prices, but also more delicious chocolate. The luxurious 250-gram box of white chocolate costs - 9.19 Euro (1 kg – 36.75 euro). I recommend the white pralines so yummy! Once you eat one, you will not be able to stop!
Strawberries topped with chocolate
The place with the most expensive chocolate was the shop nearby the Gothic church of Notre-Dame de Sablon. I had a few chocolate bars there which normally cost 14.40 Euro per 6 chocolate bars. So expensive, but it’s worth it . It was simply a heaven in my mouth! Wittamer, the provider of the royal court, is known for its chocolate sculptures, such as wedding hats or pumpkin for Halloween, of course, to eat.
My lunch in Brussels in one of local c@fes – a huge piece of chocolate, caramel pralines served with hot milk and chocolate chips. Yummy!
On the opposite side of the square at No. 39 Pierre Marcolini I spotted some delicious looking chocolate cakes on display with icing on the top, but way too expensive (5 euro per small piece).
The staff in every single chocolate shop was lovely!
By far my favourite chocolate shop!
Actually there is no need to tell you where you should go. The chocolate bars and shops are everywhere. You should visit some of them, taste some chocolate and decide which one is your favourite!
If you don’t like chocolate, you can always go for some Belgian waffles. Don’t they look delicious?
Belgium waffles can served with fruits, nutella, whipped cream and different syrups
Locals in Brussels make fun of tourists and foreign travellers diving waffles into 4 categories:
1) Brussels waffles (sugar on the top)
2) Liege waffles (sugar inside)
3) Tourist waffles (extra topping)
4) Extreme tourist waffles (extra topping, nutella chocolate, fruits and whipped cream – just silly)
It really made me laugh. I went for a traditional Brussels waffle with some sugar inside. So yummy!
If Brussels is not enough for your chocolate appetite, you can also head to Bruges – one of the most picturesque towns in Europe where you will be surrounded by ancient castles and traditional Belgian chocolate. I went there for one day with my host and we were warmly welcomed with nice chocolate “kisses”. As you can see in the photo below, I’m over the moon :).
Chocolate monster’s coming!
Luckily, one of my hosts in Brussels was also a big fan of sweets so we spent hours and hours exploring the city and tasting some different cakes and sweets from time to time (means every 10 minutes).
We have been trying all chocolate “kisses” (name of a cake) and my host enjoyed it a lot :-)
Are you a chocolate lover? What was your best chocolate you have ever eaten and where was it from?
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From Ron | Active Planet Travels:
Wow that’s just cruel to be teasing me like this! haha Reminds me of the Hershey Chocolate World I visited in Hershey, Pennsylvania…on a much tastier scale where you went though. Looks delicious!! :-)
From Agness:
Never been to the Hershey Chocolate World in Hershey, but it sounds like a must go place for me!
From Tim:
As a non-drinking chocoholic, I think Brussels would be my equivalent of the pub crawl from ‘The Hangover’.
From Agness:
LOL, definitely.
From Well Traveled Mile:
Wow and delicious! Loved this post! What was your favorite?
From Agness:
Any chocolate is my favorite one, but really enjoyed the hot drinking chocolate followed by fruits & nuts chocolate! Yummy!
From Sofia:
I love Belgian chocolate and waffles, your photos are so tempting. I went for a chocolate tasting at Laurent Gerbaud in Brussels, it was fantastic and I highly reommend it!
From Agness:
Thanks Sofia for the info. I am back in Brussels in August so will take my friend there :)
From Erik:
I’m going to be in Brussels in April, and I’m willing to bet a million dollars some chocolate is consumed while I am there :-) (Some beer, too!)
From Agness:
Nice bet! but be careful with the chocolate Erik, once you taste a piece of traditional Belgian chocolate, you won’t stop eating it and craving it all the time!! ;-)
From Aryn:
I love chocolate! I even tried to go to the chocolate museum while I was in Brussels but I couldn’t find it!!
From Agness:
Unfortunately, I have not visited any chocolate museums in Brussels. I am not absolutely sure, but I think there is no chocolate museum there, but you need to check it out properly.
From Jessica:
I knew this post would make me deeply jealous, but I read it anyway! All I have access to right now is SE Asian chocolate, which satisfies when you’re desperate, but it’s no where near as creamy and rich as the chocolate you can find in Europe. We happened to visit Ostuni, Italy during their annual chocolate festival – I think that was definitely some of the best chocolate I’ve ever eaten!
From Agness:
I know the feeling. I’m back in China right now and chocolate has no taste. The only once decent chocolate I can get is a snickers bar, which also tastes different than the one in Europe. Been to Italy and know how good the chocolate is there :)
From Becky Padmore:
Ha ha you’re really making me hungry! Great post with great photos.
From Agness:
Cheers Becky! :) I was starving as well when writing it ;))))
From Sorin:
can not believe how many sweets there are in this post!!! I really envy you this time; the only reason being that in Africa they have so so few sweets! :(
From Agness:
I’m so sorry for Africa not having that much chocolate and sweets. Recently, I stopped eating as my mood was constantly up and down and I easily got depressed and sad, but I miss chocolate a lot. Can’t wait to go to Africa though! Thanks for sharing! x
From Doreen Pendgracs:
SUPER post! You’ve redeemed yourself from the last one about Brussels, where there wasn’t a mention of chocolate. Now I can see you were saving the best for last!
Yes, belgian chocolate is $$. But definitely worth it. And all great chocolate of the world is $$. Just ask me! I’ve been travelling the world for the past 3+ years in search of the best chocolate of the world as research for my upcoming book, “Chocolatour: A Quest for the World’s Best Chocolate.”
So who has the best chocolate? I’m not a big fan of milk chocolate, so most Belgian chocolate is too sweet for me, although there are a few excellent chocolatiers who are doing wonderful things with dark chocolate. This link will take you to a few posts that profile 3 of my fav Belgian chocolatiers: http://diversionswithdoreen.com/category/travel/europe/belgium/.
From Agness:
Wow, awesome info Doreen. The prices of Belgian chocolate are high, but I agree it’s worth it. I’ve read your post your cacao cuisine experience and it’s great! You look and sound like a professional chocolate taster. Unlike you, I love sweet milky chocolate. Thanks for sharing. The website is so useful!
From Freya:
Great post, love the photos but yes this is kind of torture, I absolutely love chocolate :-)
From Agness:
I know. Every time I read it I’m like “GIVE ME SOME CHOCOLATE” and I miss Brussels a lot.
From Toni:
Oh my good God I just want to lick my computer screen haha You would have to roll me back on to the plane after visiting :D
From Agness:
LOL Toni. Next time I will take you with me :)
From Ashley of Ashley Abroad:
Loved this! Also, I’m definitely a tourist then because I had my waffle avec chantilly. No Nutella or fruit though!
From Agness:
Haha, good to know Ashley :)
From Debbie Kelly:
Wonderful pictures and story Agness. You should link a tweeter link to these amazing stories so I can RT them. Take care.
From Agness:
Hey Debbie. I tweet them all every day :-) and thank you for kind words.
From ardun:
Great post Agness! 8kgs a week, you’re mad :) Can’t wait to go back to Europe!
From Agness:
I’m a nuts, heard it many times :)
From Franca:
Wow! There is definitely chocolate for everybody’s taste in Brussels and captured in these pictures too, awesome!
You were right when you said that after reading the post I’d be craving for chocolate, I would love some high quality one though, not simply a bar from the local shop.
From Agness:
You guys must make it to Brussels one day. Once you try chocolate there, you will never want to try poor quality chocolate from the local shop! :)
From Kathryn:
Hi Agness, Great post and photography, although being a chocoholic I may be a little biased. I hope to make it to Brussels one day soon to do some extensive chocolate research myself!
My favourite chocolate experience to date was a dark chocolate gelato in Bologna.
From Agness:
Nice Kate. Never been to Bologna, but I guess it was a great experience. I don’t really like dark chocolate though. Thanks for sharing!
From The Guy:
When I saw the post title I just knew it would be written by you Agness :-) Hmm Belgian chocolate, they certainly make some of the best chocolate in the world.
From Agness:
LOL :) You know how much I love to eat, don’t you :)? It’s so true. Belgium has the best chocolate in the world without any doubts!
From Bennett:
AGNESS!! This post is torture :P
From Agness:
I know :D:D. Hurry to the nearest Chinese supermarket and buy some Chinese chocolate then!!
From Steve Whitty:
Ah chocolate, the answer to all of life’s problems.
From Agness:
So true, all of them, no exceptions :). That’s why I am such a cheerful person! :)
From Jessica:
I have to agree Steve ;) these photos are absolutely mouth watering, looks like you had such a great time in Brussels Agness!!
From Agness:
I wanted them to be mouth watering :):) glad you guys like them. I did have a great time indeed!
From Jason:
Sigh. It all looks delicious, especially my favorite chocolate strawberries, but if only it were Belgian beer. Love!
From Agness:
Jason, I’m not a heavy drinker. Actually I don’t drink at all so there is no beer unfortunately :( :)