Belgium, one of Europe’s often overlooked destinations, is known for its Medieval towns, waffles and of course, chocolate! I recently spent a weekend exploring this cute little country with the goal of finding the best gluten-free Belgium specialties and indulge in all the chocolate Brussels and Bruges had to offer.

Brussels

I started my trip in Brussels, making my way through Grote Markt and stopping in every other chocolate shop along the way to all the must-see sights. When I had eaten chocolate to my heart’s content, it was time to find some dinner.

The Sister, Brussels Cafe

Located right along the Grote Markt, and serving everything from Tapas to vegan and gluten-free Belgian style waffles, The Sister Brussels cafe focuses on organic and vegan ingredients, and has many gluten-free options. The staff spoke English very well, which is always helpful when communicating your dietary needs! I ordered both the avocado buddha bowl and the chocolate Belgian waffle, and was very impressed with both the flavour and texture of the waffle!

The Sister, Brussels Cafe

Rue Chair et Pain n°3 1000 Bruxelles

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Mary
Mary was founded in 1919 by the first female chocolatier and is also the provider of chocolate to the Belgium royal family. Both times I visited, the staff were very friendly, sharing stories about the history of the shop, and were very knowledgeable about the ingredients in the chocolates and which ones were gluten and dairy free! My favourite was the hazelnut truffle.Mary

23 Grand Place

1000 Brussels

Galler

One of the more unknown chocolate shops, Galler is worth checking out for it’s excellent selection of dark chocolates. I tried the 85% black chocolate, which was my favourite of all the chocolates I tried in Belgium.

Galler

Rue au Beurre 44,

Bruges

The second day in Belgium, I caught the train to Bruges, a charming little medieval city about an hour from Brussels. I made my way to Chez Vincent, a restaurant only a 5 minute walk from my hostel that had amazing reviews for their gluten-free Belgian fries. The fries are cooked in a separate fryer to prevent cross contamination, and they did not disappoint! I would recommend asking for no mayo, or mayo on the side since it wasn’t the best quality and I ended up throwing most of it out!Chez Vincent

​​Chez Vincent

Sint-Salvatorskerkhof 5, Brugge

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After exploring the Belfry, Markt, and windmills, it was time to warm up with some Belgian hot chocolate. The Old Chocolate House, just off the Markt, houses a chocolate shop on the first floor and a tea room upstairs. It was a very popular spot for a Saturday afternoon, and there were lines downstairs for the tea room. They offer hot chocolate with almond milk and coconut milk, and I ordered the coconut milk and dark chocolate. They serve the milk plain along with a cup of chocolate chips that you simply melt right into the mug of steaming milk!  It was so rich and smooth and the perfect treat to warm up and end the weekend!

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The Old Chocolate House

Mariastraat 1a, 8000 Brugge, Belgium

With charming medieval cities and plenty of gluten and dairy-free dining options, Belgium, while often underrated, made a perfect weekend get-away and I certainly indulged in some delicious Belgian treats!