Best Belgian chocolate?
 

My wife is always asking for chocolate from Belgium upon my return. Aside from the obvious Neuhaus and Godiva, what are the best chocolates available in Belgium?

You can't go wrong with any Belgian chocolate! Will she like it if each time you'll bring her a different brand to try?

Yes, and, like the wonderful variety of belgian beers, it is the goal to sample all of the best

Although many people will downplay Leonidas --- it's delicious and the price is reasonable. It's also readily available. Marcolini's is fantastic and pricey. You also can't go wrong with Cote d'or bars. Hit the nearest grocery store in Brussels or at the airport, and stock up on candy bars.

Just don't sample beer AND chocolate, eeewwwww :)

Oh but to the contrary- a fine Trappist like Westvleteren or Rochefort with a sampling of chocolate is almost heaven.

I agree that Belgian chocolates are the best. Pretty much any no-name brand would be fantastic, but as to brands, Jeff de Bruges carries a very nice selection and are not that expensive.

My husband's last business trip took him through Brussels and he brought me home a box of Neuhaus (createur chocolatier 1857). I know he bought them at the airport but they tasted pretty good to me! I'm assuming from your post that that's where you buy your chocolates for your wife, too? :D I like Leonidis as well.

I actually like Leonidas better than Godiva and Neuhaus, but my favorite hands down is made by family Dumon in Brugge!

I totally agree bean and you can get Godivas and Neuhaus here .Unfortunately Dumon was closed the sunday we were there last time in Brugge.( the shop is so quaint) We bought Leonidas and wish we had a ton more as the price was double in Paris!!...I love variety so next time I plan to pick out some new kinds!!

Just heard on Belgian TV news (hot item!) that, during his last visit, Pres. Bush bought his chocolates at Chocolaterie Mary on Rue Royale in Brussels. The saleswoman didn't want to reveal whether Mr. Bush will pay them a visit next week when he'll be in Brussels again.
http://www.marychoc.com/

There is no one best chocolate in Brussels...you need to try chocolate from several places to find which is your favorite. I don't like Cote d'Or, for example, it always gives me heartburn. And I find Leonidas too sweet. But there are plenty of chocolates that I love!
FainaAgain, there are Belgian beers that are specifically designed to go with chocolate...we tried the one from Diest when we stopped there for lunch last year and it really does match well with a good dark chocolate.

Are you talking about truffles, plain milk chocolate or dark chocolate?

Cote D'Or for example carries loads of ranges for dark chocolate and the best are the little bars of grand cru variety.

Neuhaus has fantastic cherry-coated dark chocolates if you like cherries, cherry liqueor and dark chocolate.

List goes on... but it would help to know exactly what sort of chocolates you're after. :)

Best chocolate may be a matter of personal taste/preference. The darker the chocolate the better it appears to be. Several brands mentioned are the best brands. There is a small shop on the Grand Place that we found the best, for us. My wife makes chocolate truffles and we've experimented a lot.
There's also a really nice little restaurant on the Grand Place.

Forgot about this. Neiman Marcus in some cities, San Francisco for sure, has Belgian chocolates flown in twice a week. Saves a trip to Brussels. Fresh too.

Get her some of the "cream fresh" filled. They are usually refrigerated and last for only a few days without refrigeration -- I think they're some of the best. ((a))

I have purchased chocolate from Neuhaus in Brussels on several occasions for gifts for my chocoholics back home. My mother-in-law, who has a very keen sense of taste, loved this chocolate and thought it was the very best she had ever eaten.

This same chocolate can be purchased in New York on the Upper Westside on Broadway at 82nd Street (I'm not sure about the cross street here). It is also flown in 3-4 times a week. They say it is even fresher than the chocolate in the Brussels store which may be on display there longer.

My husband and I and family love this chocolate. Has no fillers of any kind. Goes down very easily.

They also will mail to your home. I do believe they have a website too.

I agree with those who say there is no "best." Not only does it depend upon personal taste, but it depends upon whether you mean pralines or chocolate bars, mass-produced or artisinal, high-end or afordable. Just off the top of my head, in addition to those mentioned, I can think of Wittamer, Galler, Daskalides, Manon, Caffe Tasse, Sweertvaegher, Bertrand...and there are scores of local shops. I challenge anyone to say they have tasted chocolate from all of the producers in Belgium and lived to tell about it, much less to be able to declare a single "best."

Speaking as a major-league chocoholic, if somebody brought me some excellent Belgian chocolate, I wouldn't spend time wondering if there was something better out there. So don't worry; just buy and enjoy.