Topping the list of the best chocolate makers in Brussels is… Laurent Gerbaud. After a life-changing, two-year trip to Shanghai, he returned with a taste for spices, all things not-too sweet, top ingredients sourced from the best producers, and punchy pairings. The result? Addictive bars (dark chocolate and Madagascan pepper, milk chocolate and Alnif cumin, dark chocolate and yuzu), fabulous pralines (filled with Jamaica pepper, banana-rhubarb, curry, black olive, grilled buckwheat or toasted sesame ganaches) and tiny citrus fruit jellies. In house, grab an extremely creamy hot chocolate, ice cream and sorbets (in season, and also available to take away) – blood orange, black sesame, pistachio – and the Gare aux Noisettes chocolate spread! Other shops are located at 19 Rue de l’Étuve and 1253 Chaussée de Waterloo in Uccle. // Cléo Popina

THE HIDDEN GEM: We could resist the Gingembrettes candied ginger sticks covered in crunchy chocolate (€10.50).