When King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan came to Belgium for a state visit in 2016, Queen Mathilde took choc-a-holic Rania to “The Chocolate Line” shop in Bruges, on request of the Jordan queen herself. Both queens were received in chocolate heaven by chocolate maker Dominique Persoone, who told afterwards that Rania had ordered five bags of chocolate during her visit, especially pralines.
There is however a much more royal chocolate shop of “The Chocolate Line” to be found in Antwerp I discovered during my visit on 7 July – incidentally International Chocolate Day. To be precise, it is located in the Paleis op de Meir (Palace on the Meir), the former royal palace in Antwerpen. I decided to buy nothing, as it was too warm, and would have melted anyway too soon. Chocolate at the shop doesn’t come cheap either unfortunately. I ate plenty of chocolate later that day anyway …
I of course took the opportunity to have a look around and take some photos. I found this amazing chocolate queen in the kitchen.
The creations by Dominique Persoone of The Chocolate Line can be found on display in two beautiful 18th century rooms to the front of the palace in the right wing. In the old kitchen the original restored stove is again in use.