Wittamer

Wittamer is a chocolatier and pâtissier at Place du Grand Sablon 12-13, in the Sablon district of Brussels, with a tea room serving breakfast, light lunches and cakes. The house has operated since 1910 and is one of the best-known names in Belgian chocolate, with a position on the Sablon square that places it among the antiques dealers and rival chocolate shops of the upper town. Items in the tea room cost about €10-20, so it suits a moderate budget for a sweet stop or light meal. The signature offerings centre on chocolate and pastry. The hot chocolate is the item most often recommended, served rich and thick, while the chocolate tart and the pralines sold in the shop are other emblematic products. Pralines are sold by weight or in boxes and make popular gifts. The tea room extends the menu with breakfast items, light lunches such as sandwiches and salads, and a range of cakes and viennoiseries, so the visit can be a brief coffee or a longer meal. The setting is refined, with a polished interior and a calm, elegant atmosphere that suits conversation, and the clientele includes locals, shoppers and visitors. Noise levels are low to moderate. The beverage list includes coffee, tea and hot chocolate, with wine less central than in a restaurant. The tea room is open daily, though it closes in mid-afternoon on some days, so visitors should verify times. Reservations are advised for Saturdays, when the Sablon antiques market draws crowds and tables fill quickly. On weekdays a walk-in is usually possible. Prices are higher than at a typical cafe, reflecting the brand and location, but the quality of the chocolate and pastry is the reason most visitors come. The shop and tea room together make a natural stop on a route linking the Royal Museums, the Magritte Museum and the Sablon church.