Chocolate Stores, Brugge

Don't go unless you don't mind a rude, impatient, cranky salesperson. I'd give her the benefit of the doubt and say maybe she was having an "off" day but the friend I was traveling with said that the salesperson at the location near the market square was also unkind. There are too many chocolate shop options to justify spending money in a shop that is this nasty!

There are a couple of Leonidas chocolate shops in Bruge. These are the king of belgian chocs as far as I'm concerned.

Made in Belgium since 1910, Leonidas famous Belgian chocolates reflect an unsurpassed tradition of quality and freshness.

Leonidas is a Belgian company bearing the Greek name of its original founder, Leonidas Kesdekidis, who arrived in Brussels as a member of the Greek delegation of the United States for the International Exposition and won the Bronze Medal.

In 1935, Leonidas' nephew, Basile Kesdekidis, followed in his uncle's footsteps, and became the head of the company and incorporated the logo showing the effigy of the Greek warrior Leonidas, King of Sparta.

You will find it very difficult to get hold of them in the UK (Harrods, mail order, and selected cities are about your only options). On mainland Europe you will find them in many cities. They have their own shops and you buy by the weight. They are reasonably priced compared to better known rivals, and in my view, are superior.

What to buy: Their white chocolate praline with fresh cream top and whole hazelnut is my favourite (Manon Cafe), but all their chocs are large and delicious.

What to pay: Depends on how many you want!
I would buy the biggest box you can afford, but bear in mind they are made with fresh cream and only have a shelf life of a month or so.

This tiny cute shop resembles a dollhouse. The chocolates are indiscribable.. Fantastic is as close as I can come. It is in a lower than street level shop so you can see it well perring down into the windows. The owner was gracious enough to open her doors afterhours to allow us to purchase a sweet.. What a treat!!

What to buy: Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate

What to pay: Varies .. (check their website for current prices).

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Well, you should go to special shops which only sell chocolate. Special Belgian chocolate.

What to buy: Well, you should buy home to all your friends and relatives some Belgian chocolate. Why? It is so good, but maybe expensive so dont buy too much...

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Bruges is filled with chocolate shops, all of them excellent. Handmade Belgian chocolates.... could there be anything better? My partner wondered if they were all they were cracked up to be so we bought some. He realized that yes, they most definitely were all the praise and publicity! We checked out the wares in several shops during our walk through Bruges but ended up spending our money in Dumon which has been featured in several travel magazines and Sunday supplements and in Rick Steves' guidebooks as well. They will proudly tell you this, too! The little brick shop is on two levels with the showcase of all the really tempting chocolates on the entry level. I'd like a small assorted box, please. "Yesssss......" she answered, as if to say "and what else?" We were out of cash so had to buy 20 Euro worth to use the credit card as per their store policy. Not really a difficult decision! The chocolates were definitely worth the publicity! Nom!!!

What to buy: We bought two different sizes of assorted chocolates and a box of "shells" which were a mix of milk and white chocolate filled with praline. All were mouth watering and decadent. The shop also sells other sweets as well.

What to pay: Various prices. 20 euro minimum for credit card sales.

Now is the time to make those plans to get over to Bruges to buy all those wonderful and delicious Chocolates, Pralines and gifts for your friends and family for Christmas (you will have to go again for all the other celebrations in the year!!

Plan at least a full day there as you will want to visit the sights! The Churches, Belfry, Burgh, Market Square and so on.

Then head up to Simon Stevin plein where you will find The Chocolate Line with its' celebrated, and more costly, works of art and sometimes unusual flavours of chocolate. At the end of the square is a Dumon Chocolate shop and just down (10 metres) Mariastraat on the ledt side a great little shop called The Old Chocolate House.

These three shops offer the best in all that is Belgian Chocolate and also local artisnal gifts. You need look no further and you will find that you may save large amounts of money compared to other european prices for hand made delights!!

Enjoy your day, or days, out and you will have a great time. Go on a Wednesday or Saturday for the food markets and my favourite uniquely Brugge sights are the Belfry and its climb, Madonna with Child at the Church of our Lady and, finally, the Basilica of the Holy Blood ...... and the Beer ...... and the Food ...... and the Meijses

Enjoy

What to buy: Sint Niklaas figures, Hand made belgian pralines, ginger bread, Marsipan, chocolate coated ginger

What to pay: Prices vary, but you will find the best value at The Old Chocolate House and a unique gift at The Chocolate Line

Througout Bruges you'll find some excellent chocolate shops. I honestly can't rember the name of the shop we eventually bough the chocolate from, but I do recall that the chocolate was so rich and creamy and oh so good.

What to buy: I purchased a small box (about 12 pieces) of assorted chocolates.

Once again, after visiting The Chocolate Line in Simon Stevinplein, I was off to The Old Chocolate House in Mariastraat to get those Easter Eggs and Belgian Chocolate figures for the family.
Their window looked great and very festive and this old flemish building really suits the hand-made chocolate and belgian praline business that Fa Thomaes and her daughter Barbe Van den Haute invest so much passion into!!

What to buy: This year it was belgian chocolate eggs filled with pralines and a few figures as well. Delightful milk and white chocolate easter bunnies.
I also got a few boxes of pralines and quite a few of the Cherry and Advocat ones that their chocolatier has just created as a new line. Dark chocolate ginger is also a family favourite with my father in law!!

Really I am quite fortunate that I get here each month, but even I sometimes use their mail delivery service

The local gingerbreads are also a bit different and special so I took a couple of those home as well. Will they last until easter I wonder - My daughter Joanna has alreaqdy started on hers - so the answer is probably "No"!!

What to pay: Francoise sells her hand-made pralines at Euro 24 for 1Kg. This is very reasonable compared to the other shops around and in fact very good value for this high quality