Van Oost

It is said that more than 70 chocolate shops in Bruges; only less than 10 of them make their own chocolate. Van Oost was one of such rare "true chocolatiers." We confirmed that by listening to a lady in the shop who said her husband hand-made all chocolate behind the shop every day.

According to their website, Chocolatier Van Oost has been around over 40 years, but the founder Robert Van Oost is not making the chocolate anymore. Instead, the husband & wife (who we met) team took over the business in 2011. Rudy, the husband, creates artisanal chocolate by considering the recipes by Robert Van Oost.

Their small shop had a large selection of bonbons, from pralines to truffles, in classic shapes. We picked five kinds of them (two of each as usual): Marzipan pistachio with kirsch, Cocos(coconuts), Blue grey tea, and Eggnog, and one more that I forgot. Their bonbons were lovely. They tasted homey and kind of nostalgia even though it was my first time to see and try their chocolate. Their chocolate nicely matched with the atmosphere of the cute little old town. The brand is not a big name like Godiva, and runs only one little shop in Bruges. It is said that Van Oost has been locals' favorite while there are also fans who visit the shop from Paris, France. A hidden sweet gem in Bruges.