Crammed with more than 70 chocolate shops, Bruges (Brugge in Flemish) is a chocoholic’s dream destination. However, only a handful of Bruges chocolate shops make their own wares. The remainder of these cocoa-filled emporiums import their chocolates from outside the city.
So, how do you find the best chocolate in Bruges?
Purely in the interests of research, I visited several chocolate shops in Bruges. I chatted to the owners and staff and sampled as many chocolates as my waistline could take.
It was a tough job, but someone had to do it. Spoiler alert: for me, Chocolates & Happiness was the best chocolate shop in Bruges, but it was a closely run contest.
Read on to discover where to buy chocolate in Bruges and take a self-guided walking tour using my free map.
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Best Chocolate Shops in Bruges: Walking Tour + Map
I visited Bruges on a day trip from Ghent, visiting all of the shops featured in this guide. They appear not in order of preference, but in the order they appeared as I walked from the train station.
I’ve created this map to help you take a self-guided walking tour of Bruges’ chocolate shops. The distance from beginning to end is just shy of one mile, and the chocolate shops are in the order they appear in this article.
Simply click here for step-by-step directions and to send the map to your phone.
1. Old Chocolate House
Stop at The Old Chocolate House for the best hot chocolate in Bruges. In addition to an extensive selection of chocolate and biscuits, this family-run business serves comforting mugs of silky hot chocolate in its cosy upstairs tea room.
Whisk your choice of chocolate pellets into an oversized mug of steaming milk and watch as they melt into the hot liquid. Savour with complimentary biscuits.
2. Chocolatier Dumon
Established in the 1990s, Dumon has gained a well-deserved stellar reputation for its wares. Its handmade chocolates include the usual suspects – pralines, truffles and chocolate bars – as well as more creative flavours.
If your budget won’t stretch to their chocolate, try one of the samples at the counter.
3. The Chocolate Line
Linked with Choco-Story, The Chocolate Line is the rock’n’roll of Belgian Chocolate makers.
This trendy operation offers a wide range of handmade “bean to bar” chocolates from the classics to more innovative flavours, including sake (which gets my vote every time) and passion fruit. The chocolates themselves are mini works of art.
You can also watch the artisans hard at work in-store.
4. Neuhaus
As the birthplace of the praline, Neuhaus is an essential stop on a chocolate walking tour of Bruges.
That said, this famous chocolatier has stores across Belgium and even globally. Therefore, if you were to skip one of its Bruges branches, that wouldn’t be a disaster.
This is the place to pick up a stylish ballotin, an elegant gift box filled with Neuhaus goodies.
5. Olivier’s
Olivier’s is more than just a chocolate shop. At the rear of the store is a bar where you can linger over a mug of steaming hot chocolate or one of the Belgian beers on their menu.
As you might expect, the chocolates in this family-run business are hand-crafted.
6. Galler
If your taste in chocolate veers towards the less sugary dark stuff, get your fix at Galler.
Galler was the first company to create dark chocolate enriched with 70% cocoa. Its top-end product, Black 85, is 85 per cent chocolate.
Although this is one of the larger chocolatiers – its chocolates are manufactured at its factory in Liège – it is still an independent, family-run business.
7. Chocolatier Van Oost
Sitting in the shadow of Bruges’s Belfry, the intimate Chocolatier Van Oost has been crafting chocolates from its workshop under the store since 1974. In addition to the classic pralines and ganaches, the shop’s seasonal creations include Marron Glace and Autumn Nuts.
Their chocolates flavoured with Earl Grey tea are justifiably popular.
8. Het Chocoladehuisje
Are you looking for chocolate art? This is the place to visit for whimsical chocolate.
Even if you don’t have time to step inside, look at their eye-catching window display. I visited just before Easter, and their chocolate bunnies were characters in themselves.
9. Chocolates & Happiness
The name says it all.
If I were forced at gunpoint to pick my favourite chocolate shop in Bruges, this would be it. The family that runs Chocolates & Happiness are passionate about their chocolates, and it shows.
This girliest of chocolate shops – check out the pink chocolate lips and shoes – sells traditional pralines as well as more creative flavours. I loved the ganache with passion fruit and the creamy ganache with green tea.
If you are in any doubt that these chocolates are handmade in Bruges, take a few minutes to watch the video playing in-store.
10. Pralinette
Established in 1992, Pralinette is a classy establishment that specialises in hand-rolled truffles dipped in Belgian chocolate. It is also a hothouse for young chocolatiers to develop and test new flavours.
Expect traditionalism fused with innovation.
Learn More About Chocolate Making in Belgium at Choco-Story
I hope this helps you pin down where to buy chocolate in Bruges. There is something for every sweet tooth.
To find out more about the art of chocolate making, I recommend visiting Choco-Story. This interactive museum chronicles the cultivation, production and marketing of chocolate.
Your ticket price includes an excellent audio guide and a chocolate-making demonstration. I loved the dispenser that spat out free chocolate discs.
Address: Wijnzakstraat 2 (Sint-Jansplein) 8000 Bruges (here)
>>> CLICK HERE TO BUY YOUR TICKET
Finally, if you fancy trying your hand at chocolate-making, learn how to craft the perfect praline at a Belgian chocolate workshop in Bruges. Click here to book your place.
Where To Next in Belgium?
Have a sweet time in Bruges!
If you need help with planning your trip, check out my Belgium travel guides. Start with my one-week Belgium itinerary, which is perfect if you are travelling by train. Dip into my destination guides, including this Brussels itinerary, and discover lesser-visited places like lovely Leuven (one of my favourites), Hasselt (great gin distillery!), Mechelen and Namur.
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.