A warming cup of hot chocolate is an absolute essential in the winter months. When it’s grey, dark, and gloomy, there is nothing better than a good hot chocolate that feels like a warm hug in a cup. London is no short of fantastic hot chocolate places to warm you up and satisfy your sweet tooth. Whether it’s a famously thick Italian hot chocolate, a creamy Parisian one, or a unique fusion of flavours, London has it all. In this article, we’ve put together a list of where to find London’s best hot chocolate spots.
Where to find the Best Hot Chocolate in London
Knoops
Knoops ought to be high up on everyone’s list when it comes to London’s best hot chocolate spots. The variety of chocolate percentages, milk, and toppings they offer means that you can customise your hot chocolate to your own taste! Our go-to order is 54% with hazelnut milk and orange, or 34% regular/oat milk with a pinch of sea salt. They always hit the spot, and we always have a few tubes of their Knoopology chocolate flakes to make more at home.
P.S. Their marshmallow is halal-friendly as it is made with fish gelatine. Alternatively, they also offer vegan marshmallows.
Gelateria Danieli
Richmond’s iconic Gelateria Danieli is home to some of the best Italian gelatos and the best thick hot chocolates in London. They grind their own hot chocolate blend in-house, using top-quality single-origin 70% dark chocolate. The hot chocolate blend is available to purchase on their website. In addition to their classic hot chocolate, you can also have it topped with nuts, ground spices, or salted caramel. Or why not get their Hot Chocolate Special Affogato for the ultimate indulgence!
Location: Richmond
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Mello
Mello is a sister brand to the popular Chin Chin Ice Cream, specialising in their improved hot chocolate and their signature halal-friendly vegetarian marshmallow fluff. Go for the Deluxe Hot Chocolate, where they serve you a decadent hazelnut hot chocolate, topped with torched marshmallow fluff and vanilla whipped cream.
Location: Seven Dials Market
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Dark Sugars
Dark Sugars has always been one of my top spots for the best hot chocolate in London. It prides itself on using the finest chocolate sourced from West Africa, and blending extra-brute cocoa with single-origin chocolate to create its signature hot chocolate. Each cup of hot chocolate is then topped with a generous amount of dark, milk, and white chocolate shavings.
Festok
Since launching their shop at St. Christopher’s Place, Festok offers a range of delicious Middle Eastern desserts in addition to their famous Lebanese artisan ice creams. This includes a special hot chocolate for the winter season, featuring hot chocolate topped with whipped cream, candy floss, and a little touch of pistachio. It’s no doubt a rich and indulgent treat, and something a little different than usual as well!
Location: Bond Street
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The Carlton Tower Jumeriah
This would probably be the most luxurious hot chocolate on the list, both taste & price-wise. Before you freak out at the £18 price tag, the hot chocolate at The Carlton Tower Jumeriah is going to truly impress you and be worth it. The portion is enough for 2 people to share, and it comes with cookies, strawberries, chantilly cream, and dulce de leche chocolate. Expect ultra-rich & velvety chocolate and a one-of-a-kind hot chocolate experience!
Location: Knightsbridge
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Italian Bear Chocolate
It doesn’t get more chocolatey than having a rich cup of Italian hot chocolate swirled with triple chocolate sauce around the cup! Italian Bear Chocolate is the definition of chocolate indulgence, and you can enjoy this triple chocolate sensation not just with their hot chocolate, but also on their signature chocolate cake.
Hotel Chocolat
It’s safe to say that we’re all familiar with Hotel Chocolat for their fantastic chocolate gift boxes. Apart from great chocolate confectionery, they also make a good cup of hot chocolate. Their classic 70% hot chocolate is beautifully velvety to taste, and it doesn’t get any dreamier when they top the cup with their signature Cocoa Whip.
P.S. If you’re looking for a gift for your hot chocolate connoisseur friend, Hotel Chocolat’s velvetiser would be the perfect pick!
Darlish
The iconic Baklava Ice Cream spot, Darlish, makes not just great ice cream, but also a great cup of rich and creamy ganache hot chocolate. Regular hot chocolate aside, they also have other alluring flavours such as rose, tangerine, peppermint, and vanilla.
Location: Spitalfields
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Laduree
Visiting Laduree in Covent Garden and sipping on its Parisian hot chocolate (i.e. chocolat chaud) is like a little escape to the French capital. Expect a luxuriously rich and silky cup of hot chocolate, served with whipped cream on the side – just like how it’s done in Paris.
Location: Covent Garden
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Apple Blue Cafe
You may know them as a great halal brunch spot in London, but did you know Apple Blue Cafe makes a mean cup of hot chocolate in winter, too? Their thick cocoa is made of 70% Colombian chocolate, Milk & Cream from The Estate Dairy, and Bourbon Vanilla Bean. Even better, it is served in a chocolate-rimmed cup and can be topped with a torched halal marshmallow if you like!
Location: Balham
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Melt Chocolates
Melt Chocolates is an award-winning chocolatier in London, so it’s no surprise that they make a good cup of hot chocolate too! It may seem like a small cup, but it’s the perfect luxurious cup of hot chocolate to warm you up. Besides eating and drinking chocolates, Melt Chocolates also run lots of chocolate workshops, which would make a fun date activity!
Location: Holland Park / Notting Hill
The Nook
A little local gem in Hampstead Heath, The Nook is one of London’s best spots for hot chocolate. Whether it’s the Nooktella (hazelnut), mint chocolate, orange chocolate, or pistachio hot chocolate, it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Location: Hampstead Heath
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Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream
At Mamasons, your hot chocolate isn’t going to be brown in colour. Instead, you’re going to get the prettiest lilac purplish Ube Hot Chocolate. Ube is purple yam that’s native to the Philippines, known for its nutty and vanilla flavour. The ube hot chocolate tastes just as good as it looks – sweet, milky, with a subtle hint of ube and a light touch of malty flavours.
Location: Kentish Town / Chinatown / Westfield White City
Venchi
There’s just something special about Venchi’s chocolate and hazelnut gelatos. So of course, it’s just as dreamy when you enjoy it in the form of hot chocolate! Expect rich & thick Italian-style hot chocolate, and we recommend getting it with their signature chocolate hazelnut spread for a Nutella-like boost of flavours.
