16 Amazing Places for Hot Chocolate in London

Look, London winters are pretty grim. Cold, damp, and grey for what feels like months on end. But there’s one thing that makes it all bearable: really good hot chocolate.

The city’s got some incredible spots. You can find everything from Italian-style drinking chocolate so thick you need a spoon to places where you can concoct your own signature hot chocolate. You’ll even find places that blowtorch the fluffiest marshmallows in front of you.

I’ve spent lots of time hunting down the best hot chocolate in London, so you don’t have to. Whether you want something classic and comforting or over the top, I’ve found the best places to go when you need that chocolate fix.

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16 Amazing Places for Hot Chocolate in London

Chocolate Bar UK 

Chocolate Bar UK | Address: Tower Bridge Collective, 1 Horselydown Ln, London SE1 2LJ

Chocolate Bar, located at Tower Bridge Collective, was one of my favorite hot chocolate spots. You get to build your hot chocolate exactly how you want. Starting with the type of chocolate, then you can add flavorings (chili, mint, orange gingerbread etc.), and then you get a generous dollop of whip cream, and you choose the size of the marshmallow. You can also opt to add a shot of alcohol, which what I did. I recommend the rum!

They also serve cookies and brownies you can pair your hot chocolate with. I didn’t end up getting any, but they looked so good!

This shop is run by Max, who’s been making chocolate for about a decade. He is even the official chocolate maker for the Roald Dahl Museum, so that being said, this place is definitely worth a visit.

Black Sheep

Black Sheep | Address: Multiple Locations

Black Sheep Coffee has locations all over London and the UK. They are known for their coffee and were the first to bring specialty grade Robusta beans to the market, but their hot chocolate is something else.

I ordered their triple hot chocolate made with Ivorian Coast cacao, coconut sugar, and a touch of pink Himalayan salt. It was creamy, smooth, and had the perfect balance of sweetness without being overly sugary. It’s topped with a decadent chocolate whipped cream.

They also do a Signature Hot Chocolate if you want something a bit more classic, but honestly, I recommend the Triple Choc. Black Sheep has spots all over from Southwark to Bishopsgate to Richmond, so you’re never too far from one. I went to the location at Camden, which was the perfect spot to relax after exploring the market.

Chin Chin

Chin Chin | Address: Multiple Locations

Chin Chin has made a name for itself after going viral on social media, and honestly, once you see it and taste it, you’ll understand why. Chin Chin is mainly known for their liquid nitrogen ice cream, but their hot chocolate is my favorite thing on the menu.

So what makes it so special? They use Valrhona 80% dark couverture chocolate, and they make it on the stove in small batches. It takes them about an hour to make just five or six liters.

The result is this thick, glossy, almost pudding-like hot chocolate that’s incredibly rich. They top it with a massive scoop of their secret-recipe marshmallow fluff, then they bring out a blowtorch and char it to a golden, crispy perfection right in front of you.

It can be messy to eat, so they serve it in a paper cup that sits inside a bowl. I tried sipping it right away, and that was a mistake. I recommend using a spoon at least until you have eaten some of the marshmallow because it will get all over your face and hands.

Then, once the drink is a bit more manageable, stir the rest of the marshmallow in with the chocolate.

You can find Chin Chin at a few spots around London. They’ve got locations at Camden Lock (49-50 Camden Lock), Greek Street in Soho (54 Greek Street), and they’ve also got a spot at Seven Dials Market. The Camden location is the OG. You can watch them make everything through the open kitchen.

Venchi

Venchi | Address: Multiple Locations

Venchi has been around since 1878, with several locations dotted around the city. They specialize in ice cream but also make delicious hot chocolate. Most people go for the hazelnut hot chocolate, but I decided to try something a bit more unique and went for their black forest hot chocolate.

Unfortunately, their Black Forest hot chocolate was limited edition, but I have heard great things about their other flavors, especially the hazelnut, which is poured from a tap and super thick with chopped hazelnuts on top. I am adding it to my list when I am back in London!

Venchi had tons of stores all over London. The Covent Garden location is probably the most central. The South Kensington shop is perfect if you’re visiting the museums, and the Hampstead and Richmond branches are great options as well, and both areas are lovely to walk around.

Dark Sugars Coco House

Dark Sugars Coco House | Address: 9 Nelson Rd., London SE10 9JB, United Kingdom

Dark Sugars Cocoa House serves one of the tastiest hot chocolates in London.

Dark Sugars was started by Nyanga, a Ghanaian chocolatier who started out at Spitalfields Market with just two types of handmade truffles. She spent three years researching cocoa on her family’s 33-acre farm in Ghana before bringing authentic West African chocolate to the streets of East London in 2013.

Today, they source rare criollo and trinitario cocoa beans directly from Ghana.

Dark Sugars has multiple hot chocolate flavors to choose from, including hazelnut praline (what I got), salted caramel, white matcha, white saffron, Irish hot chocolate, and pitch black (made with a thick blend of 80% extra brute chocolate and cocoa). The hazelnut praline was delicious, though!

They top each cup with a mountain of freshly shaved chocolate. You can pick dark, milk, white chocolate, or a combination. As the shavings slowly dissolve, the hot chocolate becomes richer and more decadent with every sip.

Mamasons

Mamasons | Address: 32 Newport Ct, London WC2H 7PQ, United Kingdom

Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream is London’s first Filipino ice cream parlor. Of course, my reasoning for going to Mamasons was for the Ube hot chocolate, which is made with hot white chocolate, ube cream, and topped with freshly made ube whipped cream and ube flakes.

For people who’ve never tried ube before, it’s actually a pretty gentle introduction to the flavor since it’s not overpoweringly strong. I really enjoyed it, and I did not find it super sweet, but I read some reviews where people did find it too sweet.

It’s definitely worth trying, though! I mean, there aren’t too many places serving ube hot chocolate, which is a shame because ube is so friggin good.

ABC Kitchens

ABC Kitchens | Address: Old Barrack Yard, London SW1X 7NP, United Kingdom

ABC Kitchens has launched a Crullers & Cocoa experience during the winter that is a must try if you are in London around the holidays. They have transformed their courtyard, which was honestly magical. The space is decorated with Christmas trees, twinkling lights, and winter-themed decor. They even have a tree in the center strewn with fairy lights.

It costs £65 per person and includes a hot chocolate with all the toppings (3 different types to pick from) along with 4 crullers. Everything was really good. I also ordered the black truffle pizza for dinner, which was pricey but worth it!

Mercato Mayfair

Mercato Mayfair | Address: St. Mark’s Church, 13A N Audley St, London W1K 6ZA, United Kingdom

During the holidays, Mercato Mayfair is decked out, and they have a lovely little shop called the Christmas Counter. The venue is set inside St. Mark’s Church, a Grade I-listed building on North Audley Street.

The Christmas Counter is located by the entrance as soon as you walk in. And of course you have to order the toasted hot chocolate. A thick Italian-style hot chocolate with blowtorched marshmallow meringue on top.

They grate fresh chocolate over it and add a Le Choux biscuit to finish. Before they grate the chocolate, they give you a bell that you ring when you want them to stop. It took a lot of grating before I was ready for them to stop.

In the corner, they also have a fun setup with a Christmas tree and plush chairs that is meant to look like a Christmas cottage or Santa’s lair. You can sit in the chairs to enjoy your hot chocolate or head to the market and grab some food. I recommend the ramen!

Melt Chocolates

Melt Chocolates | Address: 59 Ledbury Rd, London W11 2AA, United Kingdom

Melt Chocolates is a luxury chocolatier tucked away in the heart of Notting Hill, and if you’re wandering around that part of West London, it’s worth checking out. They are an award-winning chocolate shop where everything is handmade fresh daily.

Melt takes their ethics seriously. They source 100% ethically produced cocoa and partner with top-quality chocolate makers from around the world. Sustainability is a huge part of what they do, too. They’ve been committed to plastic-free packaging for over 15 years, deliver using an electric zero-emissions van, and make all their chocolates with natural ingredients, so you will be helping the environment by ordering a hot chocolate.

Melt serves a delicious and creamy hot chocolate. It’s topped with a gooey marshmallow and honestly was the perfect pick me up after a long day of exploring.

Adam Handling Chocolate Shop

Adam Handling Chocolate Shop  | Address: 17 Maiden Ln, London WC2E 7NL, United Kingdom

Adam Handling is a lovely chocolate shop run by Michelin-starred chef of the same name. They make everything in-house, including roasting and grinding cocoa beans, using single-origin beans from India, Peru, and Madagascar.

They offer 12 different varieties of hot chocolate. You can choose the cocoa percentage you want, ranging from 40% all the way up to 100%. .

Their philosophy with hot chocolate is to showcase the cacao and celebrate the farmers who produced it. Each chocolate comes from a specific region, and you can add extras like whipped cream, marshmallow, or spice if you like, and they do seasonal editions as well.

Beyond hot chocolate, the shop is packed with other chocolate products, including their hand-painted bonbons (21 different flavors in total), and I obviously had to get a few.

Since I was there during the holidays, they had Christmas flavors like gingerbread and mulled wine, and they have won awards for their bonbons, so I recommend getting a few!

Leonidas

Leonidas  | Address: Multiple Locations

Leonidas is a Belgian chocolatier with several locations across London, including Baker Street, Kensington, George Street, St James, and St John’s Wood. The brand has been making chocolate since 1913.

To make their hot chocolate, Leonidas uses Belgian chocolate. The chocolate is made with 100% pure cocoa butter, no palm oil, and sustainable cocoa. It’s creamy, indulgent, and worth the trip!

Urban Chocolatier

Urban Chocolatier | Address: Multiple Locations

Urban Chocolate is a dessert shop that specializes in gelato based desserts but serves various other things as well, including wonderful hot chocolate.

I love pistachio, so of course I went for the pistachio hot chocolate, but if pistachio is not your thing or you want to try something different, they have a massive selection.

Their hot chocolate menu includes, but is not limited to:

Classic
Biscoff Hot Chocolate
Nutella Hot Chocolate
Mint Hot Chocolate
Raspberry Hot Chocolate

Fuwa Fuwa Café

Fuwa Fuwa Cafe | Address: 57A Dean St, London W1D 6AJ, United Kingdom

Fuwa Fuwa Café specializes in Japanese soufflé pancakes, but their hot chocolate, on the other hand, is worth trying. They serve it topped with their homemade crushed honeycomb chunks. The chocolate was creamy but not too sweet, and I loved the crunch of the honeycomb.

Hotel Chocolat

Hotel Chocolat | Address: Multiple Locations

Hotel Chocolat is a British chocolate company that’s been around since the 1990s. They’ve got about 125 stores across the UK, with many locations throughout London, including spots in Covent Garden, Regent Street, Victoria, Euston Station, and Angel/Islington.

Many of their London locations have cafés attached where you can sit down and enjoy a hot chocolate. The café menu includes various chocolate-based drinks like Hot Chocolate of course, coffee chocolate latte, chilled chocolate, and teaolat.

They use a velvetiser that makes their hot chocolate smoother and creamier than normal, and it’s served with a decadent chocolate cream on top.

The Velvetiser is similar to an electric kettle but with a custom-designed petal whisk that creates what they call a “vortex effect.” The whisk was inspired by an ancient Aztec chocolate whisk called a molinillo.

Knoops

Knoops | Address: Multiple Locations

Knoops is a British chocolate café chain that’s built its entire concept around one unique idea: letting customers choose the exact percentage of chocolate they want in their drink. The company was founded in 2013 by Jens Knoop, a former IT manager from Germany who had a lifelong interest in chocolate and became a chocolate sommelier.

The first Knoops café opened in Rye, East Sussex, in 2013, and the brand has grown significantly since then. In London specifically, they’ve got several locations, including Covent Garden, Kensington High Street, Chelsea (King’s Road), Notting Hill (Portobello Road), and Richmond, among others.

They have around 20-22 different chocolate options ranging from 28% White all the way up to 100% extra dark.  Each chocolate percentage is personally selected by Jen, and the selection is carefully curated to give customers a spectrum of flavors from sweet and creamy to intensely bitter and focused.

Knoops has also developed what they call “Knoopology,” the art of crafting your perfect chocolate drink. Once you’ve chosen your chocolate percentage, you can add various ingredients to create your own signature drink, such as sea salt, orange zest, or cinnamon.

I recommend getting your drink with “the works,” which includes a generous helping of cream, a giant fluffy marshmallow, and chocolate flakes.

Italian Bear Chocolate Company

Italian Bear Chocolate Company | Address: Multiple Locations

Italian Bear Chocolate is an Italian-style chocolate café chain in London that’s been operating since 2012. They’ve got two locations in London’s West End: one in Soho (41 Broadwick Street) and one in Fitzrovia (29 Rathbone Place).

Their recipes have been developed in-house by their team of chocolatiers and pastry chefs. Everything they create is rooted in Italian cultural heritage.

Back in 2015, they came up with a unique concept that’s put them on the map: “Triple Chocolate,” where they drizzle dark, milk, and white chocolate over their hot chocolate and desserts.

The hot chocolate is what most people come for. It’s incredibly thick and rich, almost like drinking melted chocolate. The hot chocolate comes in three sizes. Honestly though, I got the large, and it was perfect.

I recommend making a reservation, or else you may be waiting in a long line. I waited for about 30 minutes, but I am sure it would have been much longer if I had been with a group. You can make a reservation here.

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