London has some incredible hot chocolates to indulge in and I’ve rounded up some of the best ones to experience in the city! Here are 20 of London’s best hot chocolates!
1. Classic Hot Chocolate, Hotel Chocolat
As well as being one of the UK’s leading chocolate boutiques, in selected stores around London Hotel Chocolat have their very own cocoa cafe that does lots of chocolate treats including their speciality hot chocolate. It’s made by mixing shaved chocolate with hot milk and is topped with chocolate cream and sprinkled with chocolate flakes. It’s definitely one for the chocolate lovers!
Hotel Chocolat,4 Monmouth St, London WC2H 9HB www.hotelchocolat.com
2. Triple Hot Chocolate, SAID Dal 1923
SAID DAL 1923 does THE most indulgent hot chocolate in London. If the drinking chocolate itself wasn’t thick and luxurious enough, they take it one step further by covering the entire cup in three types of molten chocolate. Once you’ve finish your drink don’t forget to grab a spoon and scrape the cup clean. Choose from milk, dark, white or gianduja (hazelnut) chocolate.
41 Broadwick St, Carnaby, London W1F 9QL www.said.it
3. Stacked Hot Chocolate, Cereal Killer Cafe.
The Cereal Killer Cafe was the first of it’s kind to bring ‘gourmet’ bowls of cereal to the masses in their East London restaurant. As well as cereal, they also do a cocoa pebble milk hot chocolate stacked with cream, cereal and sauce.
Cereal Killer Cafe,139 Brick Ln, London E1 6SB www.cerealkillercafe.com
4. Ube Hot Chocolate, Mamason Dirty Ice-cream
Mamasons Dirty ice-cream is a funky little dessert shop that does a range of Filipino treats including their very unusual ‘ube’ hot chocolate. Ube is a purple potato used widely in Filipino cooking and they somehow make a hot chocolate from it. It’s so pretty, it’s so purple and it’s probably THE most unusual and interesting hot chocolate you will ever come across.
91 Kentish Town Rd, London NW1 8NY http://dirtyicecream.co.uk
5. Valrhona Hot Chocolate, Chin Chin Labs
Chin Chin Labs are known for their crazy ice cream flavours and combinations made using liquid nitrogen. However, in 2016 it was their epic hot chocolate that went viral all over the world. Their hot chocolate has a thick Valrhona chocolate base that sits beneath a mountain of marshmallow fluff that is toasted with a blow torch right before your eyes. You can see a full behind the scenes feature of how this hot chocolate went viral here
49-50 Camden Lock Place, London, NW1 8AF www.chinchinlabs.com
6. Traditional Hot Chocolate, Venchi
If you’re exploring Covent Garden and want a really decadent treat then Venchi is the place. Their Italian hot chocolate is super thick and is topped with a very generous squirt of cream. It’s more of a dessert than a drink!
18, Covent Garden, 40 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8RB, www.venchi.com
7. Triple Hot Chocolate, Dark Sugars.
If you walk into Dark Sugars on Brick Lane you will be surrounded by hundreds of chocolate truffles in every design and flavour you could possibly wish for. Once you think you’ve reached chocolate heaven, go to the counter and ask for their hot chocolate. Their creamy hot chocolate is topped off with a huge pile of dark, milk and white chocolate shavings that have been freshly cut right in front of you. A real feast for all the senses.
141 Brick Ln, London E1 6SB, www.darksugars.co.uk
8. Aztec Hot Chocolate, Paul A Young
Amongst the shelves of artisan chocolate at Paul A Young’s chocolate boutique, you’ll find a saucepan of bubbling, molten chocolate sat proudly in the middle of the store. This is their hot chocolate! If you ask a member of staff they kindly pour this molten chocolate into a takeaway cup and stir in your choice of spices. There’s sea salt, cinnamon, chilli or ginger to choose from.
143 Wardour St, Soho, London W1F 8WA www.paulayoung.co.uk
9. Blossoming Hot Chocolate, Dominique Ansel
*Click to play video* Never did I EVER think I would be describing a hot chocolate as ‘theatrical’ but it turns out that’s exactly what I am doing. This beautiful hot chocolate from world-famous bakery Dominique Ansel involves dropping a flower of marshmallow into a pool of milky chocolate which actually blossoms in front of your eyes. If that wasn’t already good enough it melts down into your drink so a layer of thick gooey mallow sits on the top and is present in every sip. Style AND substance with this hot chocolate.
17-21 Elizabeth St, Belgravia, London SW1W 9RP http://www.dominiqueansellondon.com
10. French Style Hot Chocolate, Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse
The famous Parisian chocolate shop by Alain Ducasse has a new residence in Kings Cross, North London. Alain Ducasse has two stores next door to each other; one that sells fancy boxes of chocolates and the other a cafe that does hot drinks and a small selection of sweet treats. Their signature hot chocolate is dark, intense and super luxurious. A real decadent treat.
COAL DROPS YARD – KING’S CROSS, UNIT 15, BAGLEY WALK ARCHES, N1C 4DH, https://www.coaldropsyard.com/retailers/le-chocolat-alain-ducasse/
11. DIY Hot Chocolate, Ruby Violet
Ruby Violets is a quaint and colourful ice-cream shop in North London. Order their long and frothy hot chocolate and you get to pour hot milk into a cup of molten chocolate and watch it come life. On the other hand. order a short and intense hot chocolate and you’ll get a cup of pure liquid chocolate to drink. Which one will you choose?
118 Fortess Rd, London NW5 2HL www.rubyviolet.co.uk
12. Godiva Hot Chocolixir, Godiva Cafe.
Godiva is one of the most well-known chocolatiers’s in the world and people go to Harrods just to visit their chocolate cafe. As well as chocolate cakes, chocolate fondues and chocolate shots, you can get their chocolixir hot chocolate which comes in a choice of milk, dark or white with frothy milk on top. It’s super sweet and super delicious and if you’re shopping and feel like a treat, it’s one to visit.
Harrods, Knightsbridge, London SW3 1QF www.godivachocolates.co.uk
13. French Style Hot Chocolate, PAUL Bakery
You can’t go into Paul’s Bakery without ordering one of their signature French hot chocolates. It’s thick, it’s luxurious and paired with a mini pain au chocolat for dunking – it’s the perfect indulgent treat. As the French would say – Oh la la!
29 Bedford St, London WC2E 9ED, www.paul-uk.com
14. Extravagant Hot Chocolate, Chocywoccydodah
Chocywoccydodah are known for their extravagant, crazy and colourful cake creations in their dedicated cake boutique. As well as their shop, they also have a cafe where you can find their signature hot chocolate. In all honesty, it’s a little bit style over substance. Don’t expect a cup of thick molten chocolate but more of a modest cup which has been decorated well and tastes as you would make at home. So, why have I included it on this list you might be thinking? Well not everyone wants a gourmet cup of chocolate and you may want something that’s a bit fun and colourful for the kids.
30-32 Foubert’s Pl, Carnaby, London W1F 7PS https://www.choccywoccydoodah.com
15. Signature Hot Chocolate, Rococo Chocolates
Motcomb Street is a very sophisticated road in Belgravia that is home to designer fashion, beauty and food. Nestled in this small street is a quaint artisan chocolatier called Rococo who do luxury handmade chocolates and gifts to take away. What a lot of people don’t know is they have a secret garden where you can enjoy one of their homemade hot chocolates in their snug outside space. If you order a hot chocolate it usually comes with a little piece of their chocolate on the side to enjoy too. A lovely quiet corner of London that doesn’t feel like London at all!
5 Motcomb St, Belgravia, London SW1X 8JU https://www.rococochocolates.com
16. Vegan Hot Chocolate, Chin Chin Labs
*Click to play video* Remember the toasted marshmallow hot chocolate from Chin Chin Labs earlier on in this post? Yes, that one looks and tastes absolutely delicious but unfortunately it’s not any good for you if you’re vegan. Fortunately, the guys at Chin Chin Labs have created an alternative version and topped it off with whipped coconut cream. It’s so decadent, so tasty and never would you know it doesn’t contain dairy.
49-50 Camden Lock Place NW1 8AF http://www.chinchinlabs.com
17. Classic French Hot Chocolate, Laduree
If you want a true Parisian hot chocolate in the centre of London then look no further than Laduree. This famous bakery is known mostly for its gorgeous macaroons but they also do a great ‘French style’ hot chocolate. Don’t be fooled by it’s thinner consistency than some of the others in this post. It seriously packs a punch!
Covent Garden, 1 The Market, London WC2E 8RA www.laduree.com
18. Gelato Hot Chocolate, Gelpuo
Have you ever had affogato? If you haven’t heard of it before it’s ice-cream with hot coffee poured over the top. Gelupo is an artisan Italian gelateria in London and they do a similar version but instead of using coffee, they pour hot chocolate over a big dollop of their freshly made gelato. The best thing is you can choose whatever flavour icecream you want and customise your own.
7 Archer St, Soho, London W1D 7AU http://www.gelupo.com
19. Handmade Hot Chocolate, Copper House Chocolate
I featured Copper House Chocolate on my North London breakfast bucket list. They’re a lovely little chocolate shop ran by two friends Jaz & Jul’s who have a passion for all things chocolate. Inside their cafe, they make and sell lots of different flavoured hot chocolates to drink in or takeaway. All ethically sourced and made in London.
1 Chapel Market, London N1 9EZ, http://www.jazandjuls.co.uk
20. Hot Chocolate Bowl, The Haberdashery
The Haberdashery is a cozy coffee shop in North London. The walls are lined with fairy lights and drinks are served in vintage mismatched crockery. Their hot chocolate is the exception to the rule and comes in a bowl rather than a cup. It’s the perfect spot to settle down on a dark, wintery afternoon.
Crouch End ,22 Middle Lane, London N8 8PL
170 Stoke Newington High Street, London, N16 7JL
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Love them all ..good job I don’t live there ?
What a great post omg! Can I request for the Hotel Chocolat hot chocolate to come like that?
I’ve been Mamasons before but never tried the hot chocolate. How would you describe the taste a bit more? I wonder if it is just ube or like the milkshake you can change the flavour to milo perhaps. I’m eager to try Chin Chin, Godvida and Paul’s especially the latter two as I heard they are quite good.
Absolutely fabulous! Loved reading through and making notes for my next visits. Thank you.