Belgium has over 2,000 chocolate shops, and just as many passionate arguments. This ranking is not absolute truth: it’s the tasting notebook of a team of food lovers who spent the year opening ballotins.
Each chocolatier was judged on four criteria, weighted equally.
Our method, in four criteria
Mary
Founded in 1919, Mary is one of the few houses to hold a Royal Warrant from the Belgian Court. You come for classic chocolate in the noblest sense: generous pralines, deep ganaches, old-fashioned service. Where Marcolini embodies modernity, Mary defends royal tradition.
Wittamer
On the Grand Sablon square, Wittamer has reigned since 1910. A house of chocolate as much as pastry, it nurtures family know-how across four generations. Flawlessly consistent pralines and memorable chocolate mousses. Quiet elegance, with a steadiness that commands respect.
Laurent Gerbaud
The outsider we love to recommend to those tired of sweetness. Near the Palais des Beaux-Arts, Gerbaud pairs chocolate with Mediterranean fruits — ginger, kumquat, Izmir fig — with no alcohol or artificial flavour. Fresher, fruitier. A signature of its own.
Benoît Nihant
An engineer turned chocolatier, Nihant embodies Wallonia’s new bean-to-bar wave. He imports his beans, roasts and grinds them in his Liège workshop, controlling the chain from bean to praline. Chocolates of remarkable aromatic purity. The purists’ choice.
Jean-Philippe Darcis
Nicknamed the “ambassador of Belgian chocolate”, Darcis has built from Verviers a house both demanding and accessible. Some of the best macarons in the country, but it’s his single-origin pralines and bars that win over connoisseurs. A safe bet for a gift that never disappoints.
Galler
Founded by Jean Galler in 1976, the Liège house democratised pleasure with its famous filled bars. A holder of a Royal Warrant, Galler plays in an accessible category, but with a couverture quality well above the industrial pack.
Neuhaus
We owe it the invention of the filled praline, in 1912, in the Galerie de la Reine. Neuhaus is a must on any chocolate pilgrimage in Brussels. The house has industrialised, but quality stays solid and the ballotin, which it also invented, remains an institution.
Leonidas
Snubbed by snobs, loved by everyone: Leonidas is democratic chocolate par excellence. Counters on every corner, gentle prices, fresh pralines without a second thought. Its coffee manon is an ideal gateway — and the best pleasure-to-budget ratio in the ranking.
Frederic Blondeel
To close the ranking, an artisan who roasts his cocoa — and his coffee — on the Brussels docks. A human-scale, workshop approach. His roasted pralines and thick hot chocolates have a warmth the big houses sometimes lack. Proof that Belgian talent isn’t limited to tourist streets.
Honourable mentions
Ten spots is cruel. We could have named Passion Chocolat, Zaabär and its spices, or the young artisans of Ghent, Antwerp and Namur. This ranking is a snapshot, not a verdict carved in cocoa.
So who is really the best?
If you had to remember one name, it would be Pierre Marcolini. But “best” doesn’t mean “favourite”: Marcolini to dazzle, Mary or Wittamer for tradition, Gerbaud for freshness, Leonidas for everyday. The real luck, in Belgium, is that you never have to choose just once.
We answer
Who is the best chocolatier in Belgium in 2026?
According to our tasting, Pierre Marcolini takes first place thanks to his bean-to-bar approach and the finesse of his creations. Mary, Wittamer and Benoît Nihant follow very closely.
Where to buy good chocolate in Brussels?
The Sablon district concentrates several great houses (Marcolini, Wittamer). The Galerie de la Reine houses the historic Neuhaus. Avoid the neon shops on the most touristy streets.
Artisan vs. industrial: what’s the difference?
An artisan works in small batches and shapes fresh pralines. The bean-to-bar approach goes further: the chocolatier controls the whole chain, from bean to bar.
How much does a quality praline cost?
From 50 to 90 cents a piece at accessible houses, and over a euro a piece at the high end. A fine 250 g ballotin sits between 15 and 25 euros.
Not a praline expert yet?
Revise with our cards, then test your knowledge with the quiz.