IXELLES. This shop is a destination for beer connoisseurs traveling in Brussels. Visitors award consistently high marks for the broad selection ­ over 400 Belgian beers ­ and the helpful husband-wife owners. Beer Mania is the small "pub" counter in the back of the store where you can sample many in-stock brews before you buy. The owners are also happy to provide guidance on the proper type of glass to serve beer in, especially since more than 100 officially sanctioned shapes and sizes are available.

LOWER TOWN. A comic memento is a unique, fitting way to remember a trip to Brussels, and no character is more closely associated with Belgium than Tintin. Luckily, this shop offers plenty of merchandise, including Tintin clothes, rugs, toys, prints, and school supplies. You can even purchase Tintin comics translated into 50 languages.

SAINT-JOSSE. To maintain its stellar reputation, Belgian chocolate is strictly monitored for quality by the government. Consequently, it's impossible to find "bad" Belgian chocolate. But how do you decide where to shop for it? Try Leonidas, which offers high-quality Belgian pralines (their term for chocolates) at reasonable prices. Leonidas has more than 2,000 locations world-wide, including several shops within Brussels. They're most famous for the "Manon Café," a delicate, roasted hazelnut filling surrounded by white chocolate. In all, Leonidas offers 80 different confections, including perfectly-formed marzipan fruit, liqueur-filled truffles, and pralines featuring butter cream or caramel surrounded by dark or milk chocolate.

UPPER TOWN. How can you visit Belgium without bringing home authentic Belgian lace? Brussels' largest lace-maker offers excellent, reasonably-priced handmade goods, which are of higher quality and greater durability than machine-manufactured products. Both antique and contemporary lace designs are available on placemats, tablecloths, blouses, nightgowns, linens, and other clothing. Doilies suitable for framing, along with bookmarks and handkerchiefs, also make excellent souvenirs.

UPPER TOWN. This pastry shop is one of Brussels' most famous, and rightly so. Wittamer has been building a reputation since 1910, and locals show up to grab a light breakfast, to indulge in a fabulous dessert, or to find a gift for someone special. Wittamer's specialties include candied chestnuts (marrons glaces) and marzipan biscuits, but their handmade pralines (Belgian for "chocolates"), breads, cakes, and pastries are also sensory delights. Wittamer has five shops in Brussels, but only at the Grand Sablon can you buy a croissant or an ice cream, sit at an outside table, and watch the parade of chic city residents.