The best hot chocolate in London to stay cosy this winter
Last winter, I turned to London's hot chocolate scene to soothe my broken heart. From milky-sweet cups topped with canned whipped cream to tiny shots of neat, molten liquid, I tried them all. The daily habit lasted for several months and often meant resorting to instant sachets and lukewarm takeaways from high-street chains. Even in desperate times, the watery dribble of petrol station vending machines. But then there were the good ones. These had the power to transport me to being six or seven and watching my granny pour warmed double cream straight into the mug, to dark bonfire nights, to icy toes in ski boots, to steaming bowls of chocolat chaud dipped into with a rip of warm baguette. Deeply comforting and nostalgic, hot chocolate is a treat that really can make you feel a bit better. Plus, dark chocolate has been proven to ease anxiety, which makes it practically medicinal.
The key is to look for specialist chocolate shops or ice cream parlours that offer proper hot chocolates in the winter months. Over the past few years, tasty corners of Wonka-level creativity have been popping up all over the city. From cutesy cafés serving classic winter warmers to candy-coloured havens with innovative takes, these are the best hot chocolates in London to try to stay cosy this winter.
Our favourite hot chocolate spots in London
- Italian Bear Chocolate
- Chin Chin Labs
- Knoops, multiple sites
- Dark Sugars, Greenwich
- The Connaught Patisserie, Mayfair
- The Nook, Hampstead
- The Parlour at Fortnum and Mason, Piccadilly
- Prestat, Piccadilly
- William Curley, Soho
- Gelupo, Soho
- Lucocoa Chocolate, Bermondsey
1. Italian Bear Chocolate
Best for: Instagram-worthy hot chocolate
This café has taken social media by storm. Italian Bear’s cups of steaming cocoa have gone viral again and again for their thick, decadent creations. Three different types of melted chocolate (white, milk and dark) are ladled into a mug as the base before being topped up with rich hot chocolate. The triple-layered fudge cake is also a must-try – a true Bruce Bogtrotter-style delight drizzled with marbled chocolate. Find branches on Soho’s Broadwick Street or on Rathbone Place in Fitzrovia.
Address: 41 Broadwick Street, London W1F 9QL; 29 Rathbone Place, London W1T 1JG
Website: italianbearchocolate.com
2. Chin Chin Labs, Soho and Camden
Best for: marshmallow lovers
This brand is known for its quirky treats, such as nitro ice cream sandwiches and hot chocolate topped with mounds of blow-torched marshmallow. Visit its labs in Camden and Soho, or for nationwide home delivery, order the pre-blended kit that's been handmade in their Soho kitchen using Valrhona chocolate. Add a mini pot of marshmallow fluff to top it all off.
Address: Chin Chin Labs, 54 Greek Street, Soho, London W1D 3DS; 49-50 Camden Lock Place, Camden Town, London NW1 8AF
Website: chinchinicecream.com
3. Knoops, multiple sites
Best for: next-level hot chocolate
After making its name in Rye, East Sussex, Knoops now has a handful of shops across London, from Kensington to Chelsea via Chinatown. Molten chocolate comes in a standard form at many spots – but this is where Knoops differs. Choose from sweet 28 per cent white chocolate flakes up to 100 per cent dark, via variations such as 34, 54, and 80 per cent. It may take a few visits to find the one that tickles your taste buds best. Besides serving some of the best hot chocolate in London, visiting is a great way to pick up gifts, thanks to takeaway chocolate shavings.
Address: Chelsea, Covent Garden, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Notting Hill and Richmond stores
Website: knoops.co.uk
4. Dark Sugars, Greenwich
Best for: a destination store
If anything proves the popularity of Dark Sugars, it's the recent opening of a four-storey Cacao House in Greenwich. Inside, check the full range and stock up on indulgent bars of chocolate, tasty truffles and tubs of hot chocolate inspired by West African flavours. Thick hot chocolates are served covered in a mix of white, milk and dark chocolate curls and sprinkles for a super chocolatey hit.
Address: Dark Sugars, 9 Nelson Road, London SE10 9JB
Website: darksugars.co.uk
5. The Connaught Patisserie, Mayfair
Best for: chocoholics
The marble counter teems with cakes at the rose-coloured Patisserie at The Connaught. They include the signature Connaughty Hound, a chocolate hazelnut cake in the shape of the hotel’s canine emblem, and a lip-smacking spread of fruity tartlets and almost-too-pretty-to-eat creations. If that isn’t enough to satisfy chocoholics, there’s also the velvety hot chocolate made with dark Valrhona stirred through with Madagascan vanilla and topped with whipped cream.
Address: The Connaught Patisserie, 10 Mount Street, London W1K 2TY
Website: the-connaught.co.uk
6. The Nook, Hampstead
Best for: on-the-go treats
On a corner of Hampstead Heath's green expanses, the team at The Nook serves speciality coffee and luxury hot chocolate to dog walkers and strollers in search of sweet fuel. Hot chocolates are made using the finest Belgian chocolate drops. There are six options ranging from 28 per cent cocoa white chocolate to 80 per cent dark. On sunnier days, milkshakes are also crafted using melted chocolate, while mouth-watering ice cream flavours include pistachio, banana split and vegan options are also on offer.
Address: The Nook, 43 S End Road, London NW3 2PY
Website: thenookhampstead.co.uk
7. The Parlour at Fortnum and Mason, Piccadilly
Best for: an indulgent afternoon
The Fortnum’s Parlour specialises in ice-cream sundaes in summer and hot chocolate in winter. Choose from dark, milk, or salted caramel hot chocolate and smother the gloopy treat in whipped cream and chocolate shavings. Stick around for a variety of sweet and savoury treats, from Scotch eggs and lobster rolls to rich brownies and slices of treacle tart.
Address: Fortnum and Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1ER
Website: fortnumandmason.com
8. Prestat, Piccadilly
Best for: classic hot chocolate
With a tiny, chocolate-box shop in Princes Arcade, Prestat is the place to pick up colourful selections of truffles, and there’s also a small counter where you can order hot chocolate to take away. Choose a flavour of real chocolate shavings; they’re then swirled into frothy milk.
Address: Prestat, 14 Princes Arcade, Piccadilly, London SW1Y 6DS
Website: prestat.com
9. William Curley, Soho
Best for: hazelnut hot chocolate
Chocolatier William Curley’s boutique is tucked away in Soho’s tranquil Smith’s Court, with tables indoors as well as out in the leafy, fairy-lit courtyard. Try the Gianduja, made with Piedmont hazelnut and 70-per-cent dark chocolate, for a flavour like grown-up Nutella, or the Aztec, which has a warming chilli kick. For a sweet treat to break up a shopping spree, pick up fine chocolates and other treats in the Harrods concession.
Address: William Curley, 33 Smith's Court, Soho, London W1D 7LR
Website: williamcurley.co.uk
10. Mello Deluxe, Seven Dials Market
The team behind Chin Chin (which secures its own spot further up on our list of the best hot chocolate in London) have worked their magic again, this time at the world's first marshmallow dessert bar. Marshmallow is, naturally, the main event, as they're swirled into drinks and torched to order alongside indulgent sides of baked Alaska lemon meringue bombs.
Address: Seven Dials Market, Earlham Street, London WC2H 9LX
Website: sevendialsmarket.com
11. Gelupo, Soho
Best for: molten hot chocolate
This Soho stalwart is well known for its gelato, but a lesser-known fact is that it also serves an indulgent take on hot chocolate in the winter. Forget milky, marshmallow and whipped-cream concoctions: here you get a small shot glass filled with molten dark chocolate. A rich, grown-up treat.
Address: Gelupo, 7 Archer Street, Soho, London W1D 7AU
Website: gelupo.com