By MARICEL DIAZ TRAVELLING BURGER Belgium - A foodie’s visit to Brussels is not only about its tasty frites and authentic waffles, but also its artisan chocolates. For more than a century, the Belgian capital has remained one of the cities with the highest concentration of chocolatiers in the world. Tartine & Boterham, an independent association that has been on a mission to promote artisanal bakeries and pastry shops in Brussels and Wallonia for more than a decade, is now also focusing on chocolate. They recently announced their list of the 10 best artisan chocolatiers in the Brussels region at the Brussels Stock Exchange. The 2026 selection was compiled by an independent jury of four experts in the chocolate field. The criteria are based on a total score of 100 points: 50 points are awarded to the artisan’s overall work (commitment to the supply chain, quality of raw materials, innovative approach, identity of the artisan, etc.), while the remaining 50 points are based on the tasting of pralines, evaluated according to appearance, taste, quality, and originality. Nominees must also meet two conditions: they must have both a shop and workshop located in the Brussels- Capital Region, and they must produce their own chocolate from bean to bar, used for coating their praline confections. There were also 2 special awards given namely: • Honorary Prize 2026 Award was awarded to Frédéric Blondeel for his commitment to the craft. He has consistently prioritized traceability and product quality and is recognized as one of the ambassadors of the bean-to-bar movement in Belgium. • Breakthrough Prize 2026 Award was awarded to Arthur Amblard. This distinction is given to a craftsman established for less than three years. Despite being new, he has shown remarkable passion for innovation by offering high-quality...... Read more on Full Issue!