Chocoholics Unite
Imagine if all the chocoholics could share their best fixes. Are any chocolate factories still giving tours? In your travels, what sinful treat best satisfies that urge for something chocolaty?
Read the Distillation: Chocoholics Unite, 2005
- Please don't post questions here. Use our Travelers Helpline.
Chocolate in Ireland & Prague
Ireland and Prague had the best melted hot chocolate I've ever had!!! We went both times with a travel club for solo travelers and it was great. You can check them out below.
http://singlesbythebaytravel.com/
Cheryl
Andover, MA USA 01/22/2013
Chocolate
After a recent trip to Bruges, Belgium, I do need to voice my opinion. The chocolate at the Chocolate Line was not good at all. I tried the wasabi chocolate, the chocolate with pop rocks, the praline hazelnut and others. The chocolate was not as good as Stephen Dumon. Dumon Chocolate was AMAZING.
Lynn
Dallas, TX USA 11/01/2012
sugar chestnuts
to all chocoholics have just returned from brussels,belgium had an experience of a lifetime....mary"s chocolates...the arrival of the sugar coated fresh chestnuts were out of this world....pb oct.12 2012
penelope bowles
san francisco, ca. USA 10/12/2012
Chocolates in Brugge
We found Jan De Clerck following the recommendation of a restauranteur. His tip was a good one as these are wonderful chocolates. Both of us wish we had bought more.
Brenda H White
Minerva, NY USA 05/24/2012
Paris and chocolate
Must read "Paris My Sweet" by Amy Thomas. We used her suggestions to eat our way through Paris!
Lanna Dickinson
Layton, UT USA 05/24/2012
Dumon delivery in US
You can get Dumon Chocolates from Chocobong.com. My husband's bought me a box of a dark chocolate mix every Valentine's day for the past 3 years and the chocolates always arrive fresh and intact. I'm really delighted he found them as we haven't been in Brugge since 2007. Highly recommend!
Erin
Woodinville, WA USA 05/19/2012
Dumon Chocolate
Dumon all the way!! I only wish they would ship to the US.
Denise
Shelton, WA USA 05/13/2012
Dumon chocolates are fantastic!
I'm in Brussels now and took a day trip to Brugge. i stopped by Dumon without any planning, I just needed something to bring to my belgian co-workers and family back home, and oh my goodness these are delicious!
i purchased animal shaped chocolates and letters for the kids, and a boxes of assorted chocolates for the co-workers and family. I've eaten a whole box of assorted chocolates (good thing i walked until my feet hurt today!) and now i have to find a replacement box for my co-workers who are belgian and know their chocolate!
i don't have time to go back to brugge, so i'll have to pick something up in brussels. i wish i had bought 5X the amount of Dumon chocolates! ah well.............
Lisa
Chicago, IL USA 05/05/2012
Chocolate in Amsterdam
In Amsterdam, be sure to visit Pompadour, Huidenstraat 12 on the west side of the city. The place is *tiny*. When I arrived, it was packed with just a few people in the shop area. Up two or three stairs is a (very) small cafe, which was full. If it had been less crowded I wouldn't have felt rushed. However, even though I didn't peruse the case as fully as I might have wished, the few chocolates I purchased were heavenly: two truffles coated with unsweeted cocoa powder, a dark chocolate-covered caramel, and (my favorite) two pieces of dried and candied lemon slice -- not merely peel -- dipped in dark chocolate. Not to be missed!
Ellen
Atlanta, GA USA 03/10/2012
French Chocolate
Joel Durand's shop in St. Remy de Provence
The Best in France. Available online & also NYC.
Betz
Santa Rosa, USA 02/20/2012
Best Chocolate in Europe
Belgian chocolate has got to be the best chocolate I have ever tasted. If you order a coffee drink, they will give you chocolate also! I travelled through Switzerland 20 years ago on a bike for 2 weeks and consumed upwards to 10 pounds of chocolate, I think...Swiss chocolate is great to keep you going!! Less guilt, when you know you have 30-40km of biking ahead of you. It is not sustaining, I would recommend eating regular food too..Crash and Burn!
Susie Larsson
Seattle, WA USA 01/06/2012
David Liebovitz
oops. David Liebovitz was the pastry chef at **Chez Panisse**, not Katrina Rozelle. And I misspelled Patrick **Roger**
Cathy
Oakland, CA USA 11/07/2011
David Liebovitz - Paris
For answers to all things chocolate in Paris, read David Lebovitz's blog. www.davidlebovitz.com/ He was a pastry chef at Katrina Rozelle's in Berkeley and his tips on food in Paris are all teriffic. And Patrick Roget's is not to be missed!
Cathy
USA 11/02/2011
Bruges
I think Mr Dumon likes to email a lot of false postings to this site... after reading a lot of this posts before we have visited Bruges and Brussels in Belgium we were surprised how many 'good' chocolate shops there are! On this site it's al about Dumon. BIZAR! But their quality is just average... and not special for sure in our opinion!
Donald & Stefanie
Kent, UK 08/02/2011
Antwerp Chocolate
There are plenty of tourist shops in Antwerp, but the locals get their "gift" chocolates at Burie Chocolatier 3 Korte Gasthuis Str.(& Lombardenvest). This area, behind the Hilton, near Groenplaats has other luxury shops. This is expensive stuff, but worth it. Nearby, Desire de Lille, the best (freshly made, none kept on hand) waffles in Antwerp.
Tim
Bergen County, NJ USA 06/14/2011
Brugge:de Clerk Chocolatier
The very best chocolates in Brugge have to be at Jan de Clerk's Chocolate Shop on Ghenthof Street! Rich dark chocolate filled with delicious concoctions that make you want more. Truffles: WOW. All made right on the premises by Mr. de Clerk himself and available in any quantity from 100 grams and up.
Gus Cammaert
Eganville, ON CDN 05/09/2011
Best Chocolate in Brugge
Just returned from Brugge. We are serious chocoholics, and were unimpressed with Dumon (sorry, guys). Our favorite chocolate shop was the Chocolate Line, with 2 locations. A second choice was Chocolatiere Burg (on the Burg square - very convenient) which was next door to the Church of the Holy Blood.
travelchic
Arlington, VA US 05/03/2011
Brussels: Good chocolate at good prices
Being a chocoholic, I was a bit disappointed by the Maison du Chocolat in Brussels (for a lengthier description of the chocolate museum, check out http://katrichterwrites.wordpress.com/page/4/). I would strongly recommended, however, a trip to your average, run of the mill Belgian grocery store. Pierre Marcolini and the shops of the Galeries Royales de St. Hubert may be nice but I was blown away by the selection of good, affordable chocolate in what was essentially the Belgian equivalent to Kmart.
Kat
Philadelphia, PA USA 07/18/2010
Chocolate
Bruges is great for chocolate. The Chocolate Line is the best, as is Dumon. But, Stephan Dumon Chocolatier is down the street from The Chocolate Line, and this is not the one Rick Steves' mentions in his book. Dumon is also off the square, but look around first. Try the white chocolate w/curry from the Chocolate Line! Great!
K
Dallas, TX USA 05/26/2010
Bad experience with Chocolat oe Praline
I had a horrible experience with Chocolat oe Praline. We were on a tour of Brugge and our guide insisted that it was the best place for chocolate. The owner stapled our bag closed and when we were on the bus we realized that she charged us for 4 boxes of chocolates that we did not receive. When we called her, she yelled at us and said that it was our problem, that she had given us everything. Our tour guide also did not seem to care. My guess is she gives the tour guide a big commission. To make things worse, her chocolates taste like anything I could have purchased as Sees or through Hersheys. Luckily, we had also stopped at Dumon because we had read about it in Rick Steve's book. That was amazing! The canelle (cinnamon) truffles are to die for!
KS
Bay Area, CA USA 04/29/2010
Bruges chocolate
My friend and I visited Bruges the end of January. We bought a TON of wonderful chocolate from Dumon and yes she is delightful! I would also highly suggest you visit Neuhaus. There is a dark chocolate called violetta~ AMAZING! Enjoy!
Karen
Minneapolis, MN USA 02/23/2010
Visited Bruges & Brussels last week. Followed a lot of recomendations on this site. Purchased a lot of chocolates at Chocolate line, Marcolini, Mary.
Curley
London, UK 02/02/2010
Brussels
Watch out in Brussels for very cheap promotion packages at the shops around 'maenneke pis' near the grand market. This is the worst chocolate i have ever tasted. Belgian chocolate, no way!!! Mary is superb. Marcolini to expensive, il like small chocolates, but these don't even have 2 little bites. Bruges has better quality chocolatiers.
Curley
London, UK 02/02/2010
Bad experience with chocolates in Brugge
On at trip to Brugge in June, I purchased chocolates at Chocolat oe Praline and paid about 16 Euros to have them sent home. They arrived totally melted in one huge mound. I called the shop owner and she said she would send me another box when the weather cooled off. When I called her in the Fall, she would never answer my phone calls, phone messages, emails, etc. I even sent a picture to show her. I would be very weary of having your candy sent & certainly wouldn't frequent this shop again.
Anet
Des Moines, WA USA 01/23/2010
Belgian Chocolate
Best chocolate in Bruges is Dumon. I have just returned from a trip to Bruges. The chocolate from Dumon was wonderful and delicious. Plus Madame Dumon is delightful. I mentioned I was from Seattle & she showed us Christmas cards from Rick & his family. She posts the cards on her shop wall with great pride. Stopping at this chocolate shop was a highlight of my trip.
Tracy
Seattle, WA USA 01/02/2010