Chocolate Nation

Belgium is world-famous for the quality of its chocolates, and Antwerp’s Chocolate Nation claims to be the largest chocolate museum in the world. When you enter, you learn about the journey of the cacao bean from tropical locations near the equator, to Belgium, and how it’s transformed into the delectable sweet we all love. Along the way, you’ll also learn about one of the first families in Antwerp who made chocolate, and you’ll get to taste up to 10 different varieties of chocolate. For something different, try the rose chocolate and the gold chocolate. Don’t forget to bring some home!

Ube chocolate bars (left) were new this year (2026). It’s white chocolate infused with ube, which comes from Philippine purple yams. It adds notes of vanilla to the chocolate bar. On the right is our favorite: golden chocolate. It is caramelized white chocolate and has hints of toffee and cream.

We joined a workshop and made our own chocolate creations, which was fun.

Their Octave Restaurant offers Belgian cuisine – some with a chocolate twist. How about croquettes with a mustard and milk chocolate ganache? Other choices (these are just a sampling) include a goat cheese salad with roasted hazelnuts and a vinaigrette made with milk chocolate and mustard; a vegetarian vol-au-veggie with mushrooms, onions, carrots, and a mustard dressing with white chocolate; or a traditional Belgian stoofvlees with chocolate in its sauce.

Stoofvlees is a traditional Flemish dish with slow cooked beef and a rich beer-infused sauce. Octave’s version is made from pork and adds a hint of chocolate to that sauce. It was accompanied by Belgian fries (with mayo, of course) and Belgian endives. It came sizzling to our table. The meat was oh-so-tender!

Rachelle’s Octave Burger had Angus beef, pancetta, and a balsamic-chocolate dressing. It was huge!

Located at Koningin Astridplein 7, Chocolate Nation is almost immediately adjacent to the famous Antwerpen Centraal train station and to Chinatown. They’re open every day, including holidays. Summer hours are 9:30am to 8:00pm. They provide an audioguide to guide you through the museum.

Adult admission is 19.90€, or admission and the chocolate workshop is 58.50€.

July 26, 2025, updated August 5, 2026