Leonidas Chocolates

Great chocolate! Will be back for more.

I haven’t had Godiva since tasting Leonidas. My M&M craving is practically nonexistent. The chocolates at this store are so amazing that
I honestly don’t want any other chocolate. My favorite: Chocolate covered cherry. OMG. I absolutely recommend with 5 stars this tiny little shop on Wisconsin Ave… right near the Chevy Chase bank, across from the Lutheran Church. The owner is a delight and the 2 chocolate experts behind the counter are patient and sweet. (Is that a prerequisite? to be sweet at a chocolate store?)

What’s not to love? Top quality chocolates & excellent, friendly service.
If you’re a true chocolate lover, this small shop will feel like the Center of the Universe, from whence all good things cometh. And if you get the gorgeous young blonde Swedish man to help you, you may even pass out from the Sheer Perfection of it all.
Take your Leonidas chocolates to a nearby coffee shop and you have a guaranteed Moment of Bliss.
Belgian chocolates are the best chocolates on earth. The Belgians (like most all Europeans really) take their chocolate quality very seriously, and if you are not familiar with the differences between good chocolate and bad, you should go do a Google search on it right now. And remember that dark chocolate is darn good for you. (Milk chocolate is not, and white chocolate is worse.)
Just one warning: They are addictive! You WILL be back for more!

For all you romantics and Europhiles out there, here is a one-​stop shop for Valentine’s Day. J’adore this Belgian chocolaterie, where the French-​speaking staff tell you get «zeez» or «zat» as they tempt you with fresh-​crème-​filled chocolates flown over once a week from Brussels. It is so charming that your sweet tooth starts aching once you walk through the doors. Leonidas, vous etes parfait!

I think this store could use brighter decorations! It is hard to notice walking past.
BEST CHOCOLATES IN THE WORLD. You think Godiva and Ghiradelli taste good, well, try Leonidas brand, and the next time you try to eat anything else it will taste like greasy plastic in comparison. Trust.
Very attractive young guy at the counter. Just saying. And a really nice lady the next time I was there! I like how they hire people that seem to know what they’re talking about. It does feel like being in a different country.

This unassuming shop was tucked away in the none touristy part of Georgetown. Everything looked tempting in the huge clear display case. I bought two pieces to get a taste of this chocolate. Both were good, although I was blown away by one of the butter cream piece. I think it was called Desiree (white chocoalte, butter cream, and pineapple flavor). I never imagine that chcolate could have such vibrant fresh fruity taste. Definitely going back for more soon.

This place is heavenly. Expensive but totally worth it. They have so many choices I was totally overwhelmed making a box. The shop gets a weekly delivery fresh direct from Belgium. They focus on fresh butter creams, ganache, pralin, and truffles. I think their pralins are truly unparalleled. The service here is truly refined also and since the shop is so cute and small– you’ll feel transported momentarily to an elegant European shop.

Thanks to Rowena E’s response to my CHOCOHOLIC talk post, I received this recommendation. This shop could pose a serious problem to my already disproportionate chocolate intake.
These Belgian chocolates (over 80 varieties) are flown in weekly from a number of producers. They range in fillings from cremes to fruits. With so many to choose from it was difficult making a selection. I did a small sampling and quickly realized that I still do not like fruit fillings or creams with my chocolates. I prefer nuts, pralines and sometimes caramel. That being said, my two favorites were:
1) the Manon Café (dark chocolate variety) — a dark chocolate praline with coffee butter cream and a whole hazelnut.
2) the Gianduja Emballee — wrapped in gold foil, this milk chocolate covered praline of hazelnut and almond literally melts on your tongue. (see pic)
My only knock is that they did not have any kind of SOLID chocolate at all. Of course, if someone gave me a box of my two favorites, I certainly wouldn’t hurl it at them. They offer a variety of gift options in beautiful boxes. Probably the prettiest boxes I’ve seen for chocolates yet and while the prices are high — so is the quality.
**OPINION PRINCESS HOT TIP** Throw a liquor/​wine and chocolate party. Either ask for the shop keepers help or If you go to the website you can learn how to do a chocolate and liquor tasting on your own. Pick the liquor/​wine of your choice and it tells you which chocolates to taste with it.