Waffles, beer, frites and chocolate was basically the itinerary (: we started with waffles on our…read morefirst morning in Brussels and I can't think of a better place to begin than at Maison Dandoy. The ambience of this location really makes it special. I was really looking for a Hallmark movie themed experience and starting here was perfect. My waffle was scrumptious and a great start to the day. Highly recommend.

This is the go-to spot in Brussels for waffles. Annoying influencers around, so just ignore them…read more You can sit down or get take away, either way you'll have to do the line, which moved fairly fast on a mid-Sunday in spring. Lots of selections or build your own, what can go wrong with a good waffle and good toppings. Good place to get your taste of Belgian waffles, efficient service, comfortable seating both inside and out. It's in a really nice spot inside one of the glass passages, which are worth a visit just for their historical glory and beauty.

The chocolate in here was absolutely beautiful. Everything was homemade and delicious. Everything…read moretried I loved. This is where you should get your chocolate!

Being a chocolate connoisseur with an affinity for odd and unique flavors, I surprisingly did not…read morelike the basil- or thyme-flavored chocolates here. Both tasted medicinal (2 stars off). The other flavors were as you would expect. Why not even lower stars? Well, they were still chocolates...

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.

Leonidas was founded in 1913 and has been a leading chocolatier ever since…read more I must admit I was losing control with the free samples lol. But alas, I made purchases for myself as well as for friends and family. They are a certified supplier to the Belgian Royal Household. They use 100% pure cocoa butter and all fresh ingredients. Known for their pralines, I absolutely needed to have some. And did I! The orangettes are divine. My other favorites include: Napolitains White Manons Salted Caramel Bar Hot Chocolate They also have gluten-free options. Walking into the store you're immediately greeted with the unmistakable scent of the finest chocolates. It's mesmerizing. The store is immaculate and so very Belgian.

While in Belgium had to visit as many chocolate shoppes and tasted enough to determine which one to…read moretake back to the family. In the Grand Place these chocolate shoppes were lined up almost next to each other. Neuhaus was the first and ultimately the finalist. I appreciated the welcome as I came in, an overview of the history as I drooled over the well stocked cases. Of course there were too many flavors and types to pick from. Overall my taste buds did its job and the flavor combos, the snap of the chocolate and taste won me over to Neuhaus. I ended up customizing the boxes according to the choices dictated by family back home which covered pralines with caramel, yuzu, coffee, speculoos, etc. In the end buying direct avoided tariffs and what I saved went to more pralines but the tradeoff was a fuller luggage. Neuhaus had a frequent buyer program that I signed up for. Not sure how much I'll make use of it.

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

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.

The best chocolate maker of Belgium! If you can't wait to taste his chocolates after buying them in…read moreone of his flagship stores, just go to his tasting room on "Place du Sablon" and try his hot chocolate. Belgium at its best!

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.

While next to one of the most touristy destinations in Brussels, the chocolates here are…read moreoutstanding! The truffles absolutely melt in your mouth! The dark chocolate is divine - without the dry, bitter aftertaste often present with lesser quality ingredients. I highly recommend a stop here!

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.

We visited this chocolate shop just down the street from another store…read more We found a lower cost of chocolate but we learned that that's because they use more sugar in their chocolate than some of the higher end chocolate houses. Don't get me wrong it's good chocolate but not a rich and has less cocoa in it. For gift giving get this chocolate and save the higher end for yourself but it's still Belgian chocolate and can't go wrong with that.

I visited La Belgique Gourmande on a Wednesday early evening & there weren't too many people in the…read morestore. The interior was beautifully decorated. The store has a self-serve structure where everything is priced by the pound. The workers were very friendly--one even greeted me with a free sample & we had a lovely conversation about traveling. The rumors are true: Belgian chocolates are absolutely delicious. I enjoyed the treats so much that I even made a second trip to bring one of my friends back to try some for themselves. I would definitely visit again the next time I'm in Brussels!

I mean the history is cool, the chocolate is fancy and definitely bougie. I spent 4€ on two pieces…read moreof chocolate, maybe I should have spent 5 minutes eating one piece to make it worth it. The chocolate itself isn't bad, I think I just have specific preferences and top tier $$$ isn't it- (I preferred the chocolate praline I had at choco story). I got two pieces here- the Mary and the Elizabeth, of the two, I preferred the Elizabeth because of the touch of raspberry, it really brightened it up while the Mary was a little on the more bitter side. Interior is fancy, service is fine.

The best artisan chocolates that we had in Brussels after trying out several places in the Grand…read morePlace area.

Visiting Catherine's was a bucket list experience that I'm glad I was able to do. The best part was…read moreCatherine herself making our sandwiches! We were able to make selections from over 100 different cheeses as well as a variety of cured meats. The sandwich rivals my other fave from Alain Alain in Paris. It's a small but charming and quintessential Belgian shop. Traditional in every sense of the word. Simply put, it's a cheese lover's paradise. Catherine is extremely kind and patient as are her employees. They offer the ability to taste samples before making decisions. They're very helpful with making said decisions as well. A haven for like minded cheesemongers means the line can sometimes go out the door, especially at lunchtime. It is well worth the wait because so much love and care goes into every transaction with every customer. A most divine experience indeed.

What's not to love about Catherine...the cheese, the meat, the bread, the made to order $5 Eur…read moresandwiches and especially the owner - Catherine. Was so looking forward to our return trip to Brussels and visiting Catherine's. Over our week long stay we managed 3 visits to pick up cheese, freshly sliced deli meat, bead and made to order sandwiches. The cheeses that we selected were so very fresh and the selection to choose from was amazing. Of course my favorite was the truffle. We picked up sandwiches on two occasions and they were basically the same. The second one Catherine added a new little taste with the addition of three small roasted peppers. We had forgotten to ask for arugula and Catherine asked if we wanted it on this one...what a memory. Catherine's is a small place and always very busy. Quality shines throughout. The customers are almost all locals...another great sign. We noticed that when there were about three people inside that the patrons formed a line out of the door. Think out of respect for Catherine. Wish we had had a quality shop like Catherine's in metro Atlanta. We would drive to experience this and here in the hustle and bustle of Brussels there is a gem. Highly recommend. Prices are extremely reasonable. Can't wait to return...sooner than later. Thanks Catherine.