Best places to buy chocolates from Brussels ?
Asha MenonCommunity desk
Brussels · Belgium · 22 January 2024 · 2 min read
The real trick with Belgian chocolate is not which brand — they are all good — it is buying it at the factory outlet rather than the boutique. All three addresses below are outlets, and that is why they are on this list.
At a glance
Neuhaus — Sint-Pieters-Leeuw
Postweg 2, 1602 Sint-Pieters-Leeuw
The birthplace of the praline, invented here in 1912. The outlet sells the classic ballotins in every size, including the “Champs-Élysées” assortment. Ask for the ballotins découverte — curated discovery boxes at notably better prices than the equivalent in town.
Leonidas — Anderlecht
Industrielaan 8, 1070 Anderlecht
Over a century old and the most affordable of the three, without that being a criticism. The Manon sucré — crunchy almond in white chocolate — is the one to try. Ask about the kilo offers: mix your own selection and pay by weight, which is far and away the cheapest way to fill a suitcase.
Godiva — Jette
Avenue de Jette 4, 1081 Brussels
The luxury name, and the factory outlet in Jette sells the same truffles and pralines at substantially less than the boutiques. Worth it for gifts that need to look expensive.
Skip the Grand-Place entirely. The shops around the tourist centre sell the same chocolate at a considerable premium. Twenty minutes on a tram or a short drive to any of the three addresses above buys noticeably more chocolate for the same money — which matters when you are buying for an entire extended family.
Getting it home intact
- Insulated bag or vacuum packing. Chocolate and a warm hold do not mix, and neither do chocolate and an Indian summer at the far end.
- Hand luggage in hot weather — the cabin is climate controlled and the hold is not always.
- Buy last. On the way to the airport rather than at the start of a trip.
- Pralines with fresh cream have short dates. For gifts travelling a long way, choose solid pralines and truffles over the fresh-filled ones.
Written in 2024 — check outlet opening hours before travelling, as several keep shorter and more industrial hours than a high-street shop. For the rest of what to eat here, see traditional Belgian dishes.
From our desk, not official advice
Written by the Namaste Community desk under our standing byline, from the questions this community asks most often — not a single person's own account. Rules change and offices differ — check anything that matters with the people who decide it.
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