Brussels launches BXL Gourmand chocolate tour with tastings at leading artisan chocolatiers

The City of Brussels will host a new chocolate-themed event at the end of March, inviting both residents and visitors to explore the capital’s renowned chocolate culture. The free BXL Gourmand tour will take place on 28 and 29 March 2026 and will guide participants through a selection of the city’s leading artisan chocolatiers, offering tastings, demonstrations and encounters with chocolate makers.

The initiative is organised by Ondernemen Brussel / Entreprendre Bruxelles and is inspired by the concept of Gand Gourmand, a similar culinary discovery event in Ghent. The announcement was made on Monday 16 March during the presentation of Brussels’ ten best artisan chocolatiers.

Discovering Brussels’ chocolate heritage

Brussels has long been associated with high-quality chocolate, and the event aims to highlight both its historical significance and the craftsmanship that continues to define the sector today.

The praline, one of Belgium’s most iconic chocolate creations,  was invented in Brussels in 1912. More than a century later, the Brussels-Capital Region is home to more than 150 chocolate companies and around 200 specialised shops and workshops.

According to Didier Wauters (Les Engagés), Alderman for Economic Affairs, the new initiative is intended to promote local artisans while encouraging residents to rediscover the city. He said the tour should give chocolatiers greater visibility while allowing residents to experience their own city in a different and flavourful way, emphasising that Brussels is full of chocolate talent.

Ten chocolatiers open their doors

Over the course of the weekend, visitors will be able to explore ten chocolate addresses located in the heart of Brussels. Each participating shop will offer complimentary tastings and, in some cases, demonstrations of chocolate production.

Among the participating chocolatiers are internationally recognised names such as Pierre Marcolini, whose boutique on Grote Zavel / Place du Grand Sablon will offer praline tastings, and the historic house Wittamer, a Sablon institution that began as a pâtisserie in 1910 before developing an acclaimed chocolate range.

Laurent Gerbaud, named Brussels’ Chocolatier of the Year 2021 by the Gault&Millau guide, will also take part. Known for his innovative flavour combinations, often blending spices, fruits and unexpected ingredients, he will offer visitors a free praline during the event.

Several of the participating chocolatiers operate workshops directly behind their shops, allowing visitors to glimpse the production process. At The Belgian Chocolate Makers, for example, guests will be able to watch chocolate being produced using the bean-to-bar method while tasting hot chocolate and traditional mendiants made from different cocoa origins.

The newly opened Plaisirs Chocolatés boutique on Lombardstraat / Rue du Lombard will demonstrate the making of pralines live twice an hour, while young chocolatier Arthur Amblard will welcome visitors to the workshop behind his Sablon shop to explain how he produces innovative sugar-free pralines designed for people with diabetes or sugar intolerance.

Other participating boutiques include Atelier Sainte-Catherine, Passion Chocolat, Mary, and Elisabeth.

A mix of tastings and demonstrations

Throughout the tour, visitors will be able to sample a wide variety of chocolate products, including pralines, chocolate bars, biscuits, chocolate drops and hot chocolate. Some shops will also provide insights into different stages of production, from roasting cocoa beans to crafting finished chocolates.

Several participants are associated with the bean-to-bar movement, a production approach in which chocolatiers control the entire process from the cocoa bean to the final product. This emphasis on traceability and craftsmanship has become increasingly important within the Belgian chocolate sector.

Participants can complete the tour individually, with friends or with family, moving between the different locations at their own pace.

Practical information

The BXL Gourmand tour will take place on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 March 2026 between 11:00 and 18:00.

Participation is free, but advance registration is required in order to manage visitor numbers and ensure a comfortable flow inside the participating shops. Each registration entitles the holder to one tasting per shop, and shop owners may refuse additional tastings to visitors who have already taken part.

A map showing the participating chocolatiers and additional pâtisseries will be available online and distributed at the shops during the event.

Brussels’ best chocolatiers unveiled

The launch of the chocolate tour coincided with the presentation of the ten best artisan chocolatiers in the Brussels-Capital Region, a selection compiled by the Belgian culinary guide Tartine et Boterham.

The list includes Frédéric Blondeel, Laurent Gerbaud, Bomma Flora, Arthur Amblard, L Chocolat, Xocolate, La Maison du Cacao, Jérôme Grimonpon, Yasushi Sasaki, and Concept Chocolate.

Two additional distinctions were awarded during the ceremony.

The 2026 Revelation Award went to Arthur Amblard, who established his shop in the Sablon district in 2025 and has attracted attention for his innovative chocolate creations with reduced or no sugar.

Meanwhile, the 2026 Honorary Award was presented to Frédéric Blondeel. Active in the sector for more than three decades, Blondeel is widely recognised as one of the pioneers of Belgium’s bean-to-bar chocolate movement, which emphasises direct control of cocoa sourcing and production.

Through the BXL Gourmand event, Brussels aims to showcase the diversity and creativity of its chocolate artisans while reaffirming the city’s reputation as one of the world’s leading capitals of chocolate.