Are you saying Leonidas is awful because it melted? Or because the fresh cream centers soured at warm room temperatures? I am sure this w/happen with any of the others, in the same conditions.

I find Leonidas a very good chocolate at a very fair price. It's certainly not Constant or Maison, but enjoyable at far lower cost, if cost is what is important here.

Jeff de Bruges chocolate is produced in Brussels, it might be a French brand but it's belgian pralines!

I think JdB is far better than Leonidas on every level - better taste, better presentation, amazing choice! I also prefer Jeff de Bruges to Godiva, I think Godiva's chocolates are rather "dull" in comparison.

Hey guys,

I definitely vote for Jeff de Bruges! It is much tastier and nicer than Leonidas, also classier and there is far more choice!

I also much prefer Jeff de Bruges to Godiva. Godiva is more expensive than Jeff de Bruges for chocolates that just don't taste as good!

Someone mentioned the UK - there is now a store in London, on South Molton Street!!!

I have been there three times already and every time was amazed by the choice, by how cool and nice the store looks and by how DELICIOUS the chocolate is!

Ps. As a reply to LapLap: I had a look and Jeff de Bruges is indeed a French company but all their chocolates are produced in Belgium! So they are definitely true, wonderful, yummy belgian chocolates!!

LOL this thread was started in 2008 so hopefully they figured it out.

That said, for anyone reading in the future - Marcolini all the way. My Belgian friend recommended them to me...& it's worth the price. I actually lost weight after I came back from Belgium - chocolate in the US doesn't taste the same anymore!

I stumbled across Pierre Marcolini in the early 90s on the Place du Grand Sablon, in their little humble shop, and couldn't believe how good it was. Some of their things were about the best money can buy. This is before they built what looks like a museum (the newer store) down the street, and everything became so perfect. Their stuff is still great, but it has lost a bit of its appeal to me.

Leonida's is average. There is a store in SF which I went to last year and bought a few pieces, and it seemed pretty average, even by US standards (although there are several very good artisan confectioners in the area, so maybe by standards have changed) because it wasn't even as good as I remember it from Europe several years ago.

I can't believe that there is even a discussion about this.

Last week I did a mystery shopping trip and visited both of their shops (amongst others) and found Leonidas to be poor (I wanted to swear) whilst Jeff de Bruges fantastic.

It appears that Leonidas is imported from Belgium and then resold, they're not fresh at all and just (to me) packaged rubbish.

But that's just my opinion - and I've jotted down my notes online.

Interesting.... and just backs up my usual decision to choose independent shops that make their own chocolates by hand. There are a couple of amazing ones in Montreal that are just treasures! But of course, they only sell via their shops and don't export.

A few of my favourites:
http://www.cocoadelices.com/
A little gem of a shop in the Plateau, displays its chocolates like jewelry. Delicate and lovely.

http://www.leschocolatsdechloe.com/
Bold and inventive. Recently relocated to Duluth, near Au Pied de Cochon. Their hot chocolate is a decadent, pure pleasure, especially in winter.

http://www.chocolatsgg.com/
More traditional in my opinion than the other two, but still unique. Their Balsamico truffle keeps me coming back. Absolutely beautiful chocolates with delicate patterns sketched on each.

I've not had the fortune to find a suitable replacement in Ottawa

In my experience (and I have tried Leonidas around the world-China, L.A., Chicago, Paris, Nice, Aix en Provance, and, even, Brussels) once you get further from Brussels than some imaginary line just south of Paris, Leonidas is just not as good. Because it is no longer really fresh and that takes its toll on the fresh cream in the candy.

Still, I am happy to continue my worldwide survey.

By the way, IMHO, Godiva is way lower down the yummy scale from Leonidas. Campbells Soup may have marketed it like crazy before selling out to the Turks, but the quality is/was just not there. http://dealbook.blogs.nytimes.com/20...r-850-million/

No you are not. Things with that kind of hypes are usually disappointing.

My favorite is Pierre Marcolini. I saw people carrying it on the train from Brussels to Paris. Now that's real endorsement.

OP here, after 2 years!

I did purchase Jeff De Bruges for my original purpose.

Pierre Marcolini looks interesting. Is it sold in the States?

NYC only.

Dou you mean from Borne Confections?

I emailed them and they no longer carry Pierre Marcolini. They now sell ORIOL BALAGUER.

Anyone ever try ORIOL BALAGUER?

Not according to their website. Is the NYC shop new?

The shop in question no longer carries Marcolini, as my per my above post.