The Belgian countryside is filled with picturesque scenes like this windmill. We’re proud of our ancestral home and visit family and friends there whenever we can. Come by our shop for a taste of European charm from the home of world-class chocolate.

Belgian Chocolatier Piron, owned by brothers Bob and Fred Piron, is proud to bring the flavors, culture, and richness of fine Belgian chocolate to Chicago’s North Shore.  Celebrating more than 30 years as Chicago’s premier artisanal Chocolatier, the Piron brothers love to share the tastes of Belgium.

In the early 1980s, Bob returned to his family’s homeland to apprentice with one of Belgium’s most renowned Master Chocolatiers in Antwerp, Belgium – a true apprenticeship where knowledge was traded for labor.  Today, Bob and his brother, Fred, work together to bring you authentic Belgian chocolates, lovingly made in their family-owned shop in Evanston, Illinois.

Making exquisite chocolates is a passion for the Piron brothers. Stop by any day and you will find the brothers creating in their kitchen.  You will notice that their products and their presentation are as beautiful as they are delicious – this is by design.  The Pirons believe that food should look as good as it tastes,  and their chocolates are the perfect example.  Each piece is handmade, and carefully packaged in Belgian Chocolatier Piron’s signature gold ballotin boxes, finished with hand-tied ribbons.  Bob and Fred have a very high standard for their products and their business, and it shows in the careful attention to detail visible in every piece of chocolate they make.  Belgian Chocolatier Piron is an award-winning, internationally recognized Chocolatier – come and experience their passion.

You get sumptuous gourmet chocolate with every bite of Piron Chocolates. We never, ever use any preservatives, stabilizers, extenders or tropical fats. Try our specialty chocolate for yourself today.

Thanks to Callebaut and Foodseum for creating this video for their latest Foodseum Film!

“In business for 30 years, Bob Piron hasn’t stayed at the top of the chocolate heap by cutting corners. He trained in Belgium and continues to make exquisite small-batch chocolate. Any doubts, just take a deep breath when you walk into the store and let the aroma sweep you away to a very happy place. To further the bliss, order a hot chocolate. It’s drinkable chocolate ganache, served with fresh whipped cream.”

The Michelin Guide 2013

“This decadent den features a variety of handmade chocolates and gift items, and also brings some of the richest Belgian chocolates to Evanston.”

“Let’s cut to the chase… there is not a better chocolate shop anywhere than The Belgian Chocolatier Piron.  Nope, not even in Belgium (from whence the shop owners hail).  They are not cheap, but they shouldn’t be.  The chocolates are handmade, incredibly fresh and AMAZING!  Everyone has their own tastes when it comes to chocolate selection, but having tried everything they make in this shop, I can assure you that you will pick a winner every time.  The owners and their staff are always friendly, helpful and considerate.  They take the time to ask if the chocolates are a gift, being transported via air, etc. and package accordingly.  This shop is a treasure.”

Shahna R., yelp directory

“I’ve been to Belgium and I’ve been to the Belgian Chocolatier and the Belgian Chocolatier is better.  Yeah, I said it…”

Erica L., Citysearch

“Oh my gosh, my favorite Chocolatier EVER!!!  I do not usually like filled chocolates, especially when they are filled with raspberry cream.  Piron completely changed my opinions about chocolates.  Never again will I buy a cheap box of chocolates.  Thank you, Piron for BLOWIN’ my mind.”

Jennifer Z., yelp directory

“The Best and Most Delicious Chocolates in Chicago – You will love the location in Evanston’s quiet neighborhood, tucked away like a gem waiting to be found, you can’t stop going back.  Their variety in milk and various grades of dark chocolate is incredible.  The shop is cozy, the people very friendly and courteous and the selections wonderful.  Everything is delicious because I have tried everything.  Don’t pass this place for any reason.”

Jaycardinal, Citysearch

“The minute you walk into this charming small European-style shop, the aroma of fresh chocolate wafting from the kitchen in back beckons you to ogle the beautiful assortments of chocolates stacked neatly on small gold-ruffled trays displayed in two cases. …There are beautiful marbleized Fruits de Mer in the shape of sea shells, prawns, and escargot filled with a divine chocolate hazelnut praline. The Paté de Noisette are exquisite — chocolate diamonds filled with a blend of milk chocolate and hazelnut praline laced with diced pecans. Insanely good chocolate Marzipan rectangles — so hard to find — are decorated with fine white stripes. Unsweetened cocoa dusts the very popular truffle made with a milk chocolate cream center dipped in semisweet chocolate. A perfect chocolate rosette coiffs the Grand Marnier semisweet chocolate cup.”

Holiday Gift Guide feature
Chicago Reader, December 2007

“Pure, unmarred and sleek. Each piece is as unique and handmade as the last. There are no bright colors. No ostentatious graphics. No artificial anything.”

“Robert Piron: This man knows his chocolate”
Medill Reports (Northwestern University), November 2009

“Eating a Piron Mokka Manon sends a bulletin to a part of the brain that is not normally awake. It kind of feels like holding hands with your high school sweetheart.“

“Sweet Indulgences: Former desk jockey molds new career as creator of gourmet Belgian chocolates,” Evanston Review, June 26, 2008

“Best Chocolate Fix”

Chicago Magazine, August 1999

“These are absolutely the most delicious chocolates I have ever had!

I stopped by to grab a few gifts after hearing rave reviews about Piron.  When I walked in, I was so pleased that the store just smells like real chocolate.  The front of the store is small, with just the display cases of chocolates, toffees, and barks, but you can see an expansive kitchen in back where they make everything.

On a whim, I decided to grab some chocolate, toffee, and bark for myself.  I’m usually not a huge fan of chocolates, because they sometimes have a strange aftertaste.  But these chocolates were incredible.  The only way to describe them is REAL chocolate, with delicious, flavorful fillings/ganaches/etc.  The English toffee was perfect, and the dark chocolate-almond-cherry bark was incredible.”

Angelica B., yelp directory

“What I really like about this place (aside from the delicious chocolates!), was the fantastic service provided. One of the ladies behind the counter asked if I had ever been in the shop before, and when I admitted no, she explained a little bit about the owner and his experience with creating the sweets. Not in a pretentious way, though. She was very knowledgeable about the selection, and patient, to boot!”

Anne K., yelp directory

“This unassuming little shop in Evanston is a Chicagoland gem. Here you will find chocolate that surpasses any chain any day.”

Christine Z., Insider Pages

“Oh my gosh, my favorite Chocolatier EVER!!!  I do not usually like filled chocolates, especially when they are filled with raspberry cream.  Piron completely changed by opinions about chocolates.  Never again will I buy a cheap box of chocolates.  Thank you Piron for BLOWIN’ my mind.”

Jennifer Z., yelp directory

“I love chocolate. This is perhaps the best chocolate I have ever eaten. No kidding.”

Steve Rashid

“The next best thing to love….”

Crain’s Chicago Business, February 12, 1990

“Fabulous chocolate. The dark chocolates have all of the flavor without the bitterness. There is a lot to choose from, and each piece looks divine. I can’t wait to go back! They also offer a sugar-free selection that looks tempting.”

Ashley H. yelp directory

“Forget Godiva, the chocolates I tried from Piron were just fantastic.”

Sweet Willie, FlyerTalk Forums

“This small chocolatier has drawn the faithful to its Evanston locale for many years. With stark, white walls and a few sparsely scattered chairs, owner Bob Piron keeps the emphasis where any true chocoholic would want it — on two large glass cases with dozens of handmade delicacies.”

Citysearch review

“Best Chocolate in Chicago: This shop is a real treasure. In a world of everything being the same, Piron is a craftsman of the highest order.”

tombuckob2, Yahoo! Local

“Half moons of dark chocolate cover a dried apricot and blanket an orange peel. Behind the scenes — all the candies are made on the premises: chocolate cascades from the enrober, molds of various forms — squirrels, rabbits, swans, sleighs, eggs, and Santa’s — line shelves. The cooler — ah, the cooler — is filled with trays of fresh delicacies. And if the chocolates aren’t delicious and beautiful enough, the Piron gold-box packaging will more than please.”

“Belgian Chocolatier Piron: The best Belgian Chocolate is as close as Evanston,” HelloChicago.com, July 2009

“The Pirons are still avidly traditional about the ingredients of their chocolate.They import all non-dairy products from the old country and stick with classic Swiss-inspired and true-Belgian recipes, as well as a few newbies of their own. The chocolates glisten in two cases on gold-colored trays that look like they would be found on the nightstand of a king.”

Centerstage, Chicago’s Original City Guide