But despite its gentrification, it still harbours a genuine creative class and lots of one-off and independent cafes, galleries and artisan workshops and boutiques. It’s been a few years since the Dansaert Quarter was up-and-coming. Rue de Laeken / Laekensestraat 8, B-1000 Brussels Hotel Amigo can arrange appointments for tastings and custom packaging designs at the Rue de Ganshoren flagship. The ‘laboratory’ is behind a glass wall, allowing visitors to watch the roasters and makers in action. Of course, the chocolates too: there are also myriad permutations of gourmet chocolates and truffles that fuse traditional flavours-coffee, cinnamon, Dutch speculoos-with unexpected ingredients, including Szechuan pepper, chili, basil, and various teas. Descended from several generations of coffee roasters, Blondeel decided turned his hand to the cacao bean instead, and the results have won him numerous accolades, among them a Gault & Millau worlds-best in 2019.īlondeel is torrefaction as real craft: the beans are all hand-picked, and the biscuits, pralines and ice creams all hand-made by Blondeel himself. It’s many things beyond a chocolatier: it’s a roasters, an ice-cream maker, and even a sort of innovation laboratory. If you’re going to make chocolate part of the Brussels experience, best find the most artisanal way possible. Hotel Amigo has been a home away from home for the world’s great and good, who have flocked to Brussels for its world-class contemporary art, historic and cultural sights, the financial district, and the European Parliament.įrom chic rooms to presidential suites, Hotel Amigo’s effortlessly marries elegant design contemporary creature comforts with fine art and superlative service.īelgium and chocolate: the options are hardly scarce, and quality runs the gamut. Tree-lined boulevards lead to the outer city, perfect for breezing through by bike or exploring by foot.įound in the heart of Brussels, Hotel Amigo seamlessly blends art, culture, heritage and creativity. At the heart of it lies the historic old town, circled around the famous Grand Place square. Since gaining independence in 1830, the city has undergone a huge transformation into a bustling metropolis.

Brussels’ charm lies in its jovial spirit and understated style, characterised by the contrast of comic strip murals and an Art Nouveau movement adorning a capital city steeped in UNESCO heritage.

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