54 Best Places to Shop in Belgium

Louis was one of the first places to sell the work of Antwerp's top designers in the late 1980s. Today, it sells the collections of the city's talent—Martin Margiela, Ann Demeulemeester, A. F. Vandervorst, Raf Simons, and more.

Opened in 1986 to sell clothes by the Antwerp Six, this stalwart of the Antwerp fashion scene is now run by Marjan Eggers, who, as well as stocking it with established names like Ann Demeulemeester, also has one eye on the future, inviting final-year fashion students to exhibit in its window.

A covered market that has expanded to include a collective of bakers, organic grocers, and a rather fine canteen called De Bergen, which uses the produce of its neighbors. But the star remains the cheese makers Het Hinkelspel, which was started 30 years ago by a group of students who were experimenting in making organic cheeses with raw cow's and goat's milk. They are one of only a handful of cheese makers in Belgium to make blue cheese, and the Pas de Bleu comes highly recommended.

Stylish concept store and fashion boutique offering clothes, accessories, and a few small furniture pieces from selected designers.

Something of an old stager, this traditional umbrella shop and milliners has a wide choice of caps and hats. It has also been going for generations (since 1847) and was one of the original shops in the Galeries Royales St-Hubert. 

Long established on the Châtelain scene, Mook's has a slick range of women's clothes and accessories. It also has a sister store, Chouke (rue du Bailli 25) that skews a bit younger and focuses on Parisian brands.

This pretty shopping gallery occupies what was originally a convent, which had been on this site since 1681. By the early 1800s, it was mooted as a future town hall but it never came to pass, and at the end of that century it took its current neoclassical shape, a glorious construction of steel and glass. In 2017, the building got a revamp as part of the large Rive Gauche shopping center, and is home to some of the more intriguing local shops, including a fabulously sprawling bookstore, called Grandchamps Etienne. 

If you're after an edible souvenir from Antwerp, head for the old-fashioned biscuit and cake store Philip's Biscuits. Speculaas (spiced cookies), macaroons (coconut cookies), and peperkoek (gingerbread) are best and can be ordered in attractive tins—a good gift alternative to chocolate. There is also a second branch at Oude Kornmarkt 8.

Marcolini's talents have long since outgrown his flagship chocolate shop in Sablon. He has stores stretching all the way to Japan these days, but his chocolate is still traceable back to a single origin. Other branches are found in Louise and Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert.

As well as selling delicious handmade chocolates, this store also does demonstrations in French and English (€7) and runs lessons (€100) for those who want to learn how to make their own treats.

Each weekend morning, a lively antiques market (Saturday 9–5, Sunday 9–3) takes over the upper end of the square. It isn't for bargain hunters, though. It's been running since the 1960s, and sellers drive a pretty hard bargain.

Built in 1908 as an exhibitions and events space, the Stadsfeestzaal was gutted by a major fire in 2000. Now fully restored, it houses a lively shopping mall across 40 shops. Clothing stores include Urban Outfitters, Green Ice, and COS. Even if you're not in the mood for retail therapy, it's worth dropping by just to marvel at the spectacular neoclassical architecture.

Often credited with kickstarting the boutique rush on rue Antoine Dansaert, Stijl has been knocking around since the 1980s yet still retains its couture chops, championing a wide range of Belgian avant-garde designers for women. It also has a men's branch on place du Nouveau Marche aux Grains.

Part of a family business since 1904, Temmerman eschews Belgium's chocolate obsession for locally made artisanal candy and gingerbread. The family is also credited with inventing what is now the famous Ghent cuberdons (Ghent noses); raspberry-flavored sweets, the insides of which stretch out like cooked mozzarella when pulled apart. 

For chocolate filled with unusual flavors like Japanese wasabi or crisp beetroot, head to this self-proclaimed "shock-o-latier," which first opened in Bruges. Try the chocolate lipstick or "chocolate shooter"—a bizarre device created to catapult a cocoa-herb mixture up your nostrils, essentially having you inhale it. The shop here also recently expanded to include a "from tree to bar" exhibition, letting you see the chocolate-making process from start to finish, by gazing over into the open kitchen.

For chocolate filled with unusual flavors like Japanese wasabi, Coca-Cola, or crisp fried onion, head to this self-proclaimed "shock-o-latier." Although you'll undoubtedly have to queue for your chocolates, you should use the time to admire your surroundings: the gilded ceilings and crystal chandelier of the opulent Paleis op de Meir (Palace on the Meir).

The second you step through the door of this bookshop and café, you know you're somewhere special. It is set in the site of a former casino, concert hall, and theater built in 1844, and was one of few old buildings to survive the World War II bombing intact. It's as much a cathedral to literature as a shop. Browse the English-language section, then settle down with a coffee to read awhile. 

You'll find this revered and strong-tasting mustard served all over the city, but you can only buy it here, along with a dazzling array of spices, pickles, honeys, and teas. This family-run shop has been in Ghent since 1790, and no preservatives are used in their products. 

A longtime presence on the designer-clothing scene, Verso, located in a 16th-century mansion, carries such labels as Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, and Alexander McQueen for both men and women, along with their accessories and fragrances. There's also a stylish café and martini bar.

Sunday is also when a large market takes over place Nervienne and place du Béguinage between 7 am and 2 pm. The former is mostly fruit, veg, and local produce stalls, but the latter has a bit of everything: books, records, collectibles, old furniture, military knickknacks. 

The largest market in town is the attractive and historic Vrijdagmarkt, held Friday 7:30–1 and (as a smaller version) Saturday 11–6:30. This huge square is where leaders have rallied the people of Ghent from the Middle Ages to the present day. It is dominated by a turret that was part of the tanner's guild house, and the statue in the middle is of Jacob van Artevelde, who led a rebellion starting here in 1338, defending the neutrality of the city and Flanders during the Hundred Years' War. These days, you're more likely to march off with a supply of Gentse mokken (syrup-soaked biscuits) or the famously strong Ghent mustard than in anger.

Every Monday between 8 am and 1 pm, the traffic-free center of the city plays host to around 150 stalls at one of the largest regular markets in Belgium. 

Created by archaeologist-turned-chocolatier Nicolas Vanaise, Yuzu reflects its owner's obsession with all things Japanese. Hence, even in the land of chocolate, it stands out for its strange combinations of ingredients and stark minimalist interior. The selection is constantly changing, but flavors such as wasabi, sake, and Cuban tobacco have been featured in the past.