Domestic Sluttery is changing! Visit our new homepage to check out our fabulous makeover.

X




Friday 2 September 2011

London's Best Chocolate shops

London isn't short of a chocolate shop or seven, and last week I got to go and visit several (for work, honest). So if you're in town and fancy some posh chocs, here's where you should head.

Charbonnel et Walker: My new favourite food shop. I have never had truffles as good as these. Their pink champagne truffles are like gloriously girly crack. They start at£11 a box, but they do bars of the same chocolate for £3.99. You can get them delivered and I can't think of a prettier, tastier package to find on your doorstep.

Hope & Greenwood: Forget Mr. Simms and Mr. Humbugs, if you're after traditional sweets there's nowhere better than H&G.

La Maison du Chocolate: The most expensive of the bunch. I'll be honest, I'm not sure it's worth the price. At £20 for a teeny tiny box of chocolate (nine, I think), I wanted excellent service with a smile and I just didn't get that. I'm not smitten with the chocolate either - far too rich for me.

Melt: I don't come here for the chocolate, I actually come for the caramels. Little treats wrapped in brown paper sweeties wrappers, they're perfection. Love their branding and boxes as well.

Montezuma's: These guys have fun with their chocolate, but they've also got a strong eco message behind their tasty goodies as well.


Paul A Young: Regarded by some as the best chocolatiers in London. They certainly do an excellent sea salt caramel. They've just opened up in Soho, but there's a certain charm about their flagship Camden Passage location.

Prestat: I'm so sad that by the time I got to Prestat in Prince's Arcade at the weekend, Prestat was shut (I may have been buying glassware in the market down the road). I'm very taken with their packaging and I've heard very good things, anyone tried their chocolatey treats?

The Rabot Estate
: This little chocolate cafe is cute, and a perfect pit-stop if you've been playing in the foodie haven that is Borough Market. They have their own chocolate brand, but they also stock Hotel Chocolat - a firm favourite of mine and great value despite being a little bit commercial.

Rococo: Thumbs up for their absolutely beautiful packaging (pictured), and excellent chocolate to boot. I'm a massive fan of their chocolate chilli bars.


William Curley: Honestly, Curley is the king of desserts. If you're after fine chocolate puds, then head here. Their chocolate is pretty darn tasty as well.

Phew! So many to choose from. You might as well start at the top and work your way down the list. Have I missed one? Tell everyone about it in the comments!

14 comments:

  1. Oh no! This has ruined my chocolate detox!! I'm determined to visit nearly all of these now. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds good, but what about us oop north! I think you should delve into the chocolate shops of Manchester / Liverpool - and I am happy to take one for the team and do it for you!

    ReplyDelete
  3. THE best chocolate shop in the UK is Chococo in Swanage... amazing.... http://www.chococo.co.uk/

    Their Chocolate is smooth and rich but not too sickly!

    I recommend the Chocolate dipped Oranges!!!

    mmmmmmmmmm!

    ReplyDelete
  4. What's that amazing dim sum place in Soho that does a pretty swish afternoon tea? They do amazing chocolates too - pretty to look at and interesting flavours. I've totally forgotten the name of it. Gutted.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yauatcha on Broadwick Street. http://www.yauatcha.com/soho/

      Delete
  5. Also: I now need to try every single one of these places. Damn you, Meades. Am already a fan of Charbonnel et Walker - mostly because of the pretty vintage boudoir-esque packaging.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Artisan Du Chocolat! Brilliant shops in London, and they have concessions in the Selfridges in Birmingham and Manchester. Feel the love northerners! Expensive but amazing. Honest.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am so with Victoria - you even get to gaze through the window and watch them making them! I can just never quite decide which chocolate I like the best...

    ReplyDelete
  8. @digressica is that Yauacha?

    Paul A Young have just redecorated their Angel shop to match Soho, it looks very smart!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yeay! I'm visiting London in november (I'm from the Netherlands) so I'm definately going to look out for these shops. On second thought: O no, here goes my diet! : )

    Any other good tips for London?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Siany,

    You still have to come on one of my chocolate tours!

    Prestat make what was Roald Dahl's favourite chocolate truffles. People seem to like them on the tours. If the man who wrote Charlie & the Chocolate Factory shopped here it must be alright!

    Other great chocolate shops in London are Demarquette, Artisan du Chocolat and Cocomaya. See them all at www.worldchocolateguide.com

    Jen xx (@chocolateguide)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I agree with Jen on Demarquette - my favourite chocolate shop by a long shot, and well worth breaking any diet for ;) x

    ReplyDelete
  12. I do need to come on a tour, Jen! I've only heard good things.

    Dermarquette and Le Prestat visits happening very soon. They sound so fancy, don't they?

    ReplyDelete
  13. You don't have talked about The Melange in Bellenden road( http://themelange.com )! This place is my favourite to get new flavours and original chocolate bars. They offer wathever you can wish.
    I also tried a workshop one time, where I had tasted chocolates and wines, it was just amazing!
    I really advise you to get there!

    ReplyDelete

Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

DS

DS