If you are planning a trip to Brussels, leave a lot of extra space in your luggage for bags full of Belgian chocolates.

When it comes to chocolate, Belgium’s capital offers wonders and the choices here can be a true challenge.

To help you remain sane and find the best Belgian pralines, we give you our selection of 10 places where you can taste the best chocolates in the center of Brussels. You can easily adjust your airport taxi transfers as well, so you can start your trip in a chocolatey manner.

Neuhaus

Over 150 years ago, an apothecary named Jean Neuhaus at the Sablon (today less crowded chocolate makers’ neighborhood than the Grand Place) covered his medicines in chocolate to mask their taste. In 1912, Belgian pralines were born, along with the ballotin (a nice little box to shelter your chocolates), a few years later. Today, you can still taste pralines made by the original recipe: “Bonbon 13” and “Astrid”. The most original “Caprices” and “Tentations” were created for the World’s Exposition of 1958. They consist of a chocolate shell, artisanal nougat-cream and a center of fresh cream or ganache.
 

Pierre Marcolini

Sitting at Sablon, you can see this boutique manufacture belonging to one of the most famous Belgian chocolate maker: Pierre Marcolini. His work is unique, since he buys unprocessed cocoa beans from the best local producers, transforming it into chocolate in his workshop. Pierre Marcolini sees chocolate tasting as wine tasting, so he makes sure his visitors are acquainted with the origin of the cacao. Having this in mind, his chocolates are not the cheapest ones, but have a strong and unique flavor, being a true luxury product for the connoisseurs. During the winter, Marcolini’s manufacture has the kind of hot chocolate you’ll never forget.
 

Chocolatier Wittamer

Nearly 100 years ago, the Wittamer family opened their modern-bakery at the Sablon and they were the first to sell chocolate too. In 1999, they were awarded the title of Certified Royal Warrant Holder of Belgium, after crafting the wedding cake of Philippe and Mathilde of Belgium, today King and Queen of Belgium. Here you can taste sophisticated and delicious cakes, tartlets and ice-creams. La Maison Wittamer explores new worlds of tasting, selling pralines decorated with a gold covered crickets. Yes, you can buy a box of insect pralines here – if you have the stomach for it.
 

Passion Chocolat

The motto of Passion Chocolat is combining pleasure and passion, proposing a traditional product bringing back the old and forgotten flavors to the chocolate lovers. Founded in 1998, the Passion Chocolat opened its shop in Sablon in 2008. Even though its history is shorter than the ones of the other chocolate makers, this place has a lot of quality to offer. They sell 85% dark chocolate pralines, with a chocolate taste that explodes in your mouth, with no bitterness. The taste is round, almost sensuous and really unforgettable.
 

Belvas

Belvas is widely known for producing organic, fair-trade, gluten-free and even sugar-free pralines. This place is the first organic chocolaterie in Northern Europe. Their manufacture is self-sufficient for 50% of its energy needs too. Their chocolate is melted by a system that collects the heat produced by the air-conditioning, transforming it into hot water. Their pralines are amazing. We recommend the “Brut de Noir” (70% cocoa) and “Carré Caramel”, with an authentic chocolate taste. So for all those are allergic to gluten, it’s the place to go. Additionally, they don’t use any hydrogenated fat, only butter.
 

Laurent Gerbaud

Laurent Gerbaud’s signature is the combination of chocolate, fruits and spices inside the praline. If you love “orangettes” (candied orange peels covered in chocolate) and similar candies, you’ll fall in love with the chocolates of Laurent Gerbaud. They have Shangaï oranges, ginger and kumquat covered in chocolate made from pure cocoa beans from Madagascar of Equator. Their chocolate is produced by Domori, a luxury chocolate-coating producer. Here you can enjoy their wonderful tea-room in a relaxing atmosphere. Truly amazing.
 

Jean-Philippe Darcis

The Lenôtre and Wittamer trained Jean-Philippe Darcis calls himself a “créateur de bonheur” (or happiness maker) and you will agree with him. His bestseller is the “macaron” and not chocolate, but rest assured that it’s worth tasting the latter. Try their Belgian Owl, a milk chocolate praline flavored with the world-famous Belgian whisky. Jean-Philippe Darcis comes from Liège’s area, but you’ll find one of his two shops near the Grand-Place.
 

Elisabeth’s

Located across Jean-Philippe Darcis’s shop, you can see Elizabeth’s amazing shop-window full of meringues and giant marshmallows. The sweet pleasures here are very nice, but the chocolate is really hard so be careful not to hurt yourself when biting into one. After this, you’ll totally forget about good old melo-cakes. Here you can get some nice looking wood sticks garnished with a block of dark chocolate and small containers of Grand Marnier for preparation of hot chocolate.
 

Galler

Coming from Liège, Jean Galler is yet another provider for the Royal Family of Belgium. Here you can taste amazing pralines, but the chocolate bars may be an even better choice. You can buy them in 22 different flavors, with a basis of black, milk or white chocolate, garnished with the best ingredients. We recommend the “Café Liégeois”, “Praliné Noir” and “Manon” (being a white chocolate filled with coffee mousse and hazelnuts). Here you can also get an easily transportable gift - a “palette” with mini chocolate bars looking like a box of pastel pencils.
 

Planète Chocolat

If you like to learn everything about how chocolate is made, stop by at Planète Chocolat’s workshop. Operating since 1991, their passionate team of chocolate-makers continue to amaze the visitors. Visit their artisan chocolate workshop during a private demonstration every Saturday at 4 pm and Sunday at 3 pm. The production here is authentic and homemade, while the chocolate is made with 100% pure cocoa butter, GMO, preservatives and artificial colors free. Try their dark hearts with almond and hazelnut and the dark hearts with violet ganache.

In case you are visiting Brussels soon, keep in mind that Belgian chocolate-tasting is a must in this city. So before leaving and getting to Charleroi airport, make room (lots of it!) in your agenda to visit some of the best chocolate makers in Brussels.