London’s best places for chocolate

Found within a short walk of The Photographer’s Gallery, Italian Bear Chocolate is a perfect post-gallery sweet snack spot. The hot chocolates here are INCREDIBLE, not to mention the triple chocolate mocha. The team is also super friendly and the chocolate cake topped with pouring melting chocolate is absolutely delicious!

We haven’t included COYA for the epic Peruvian vibe, live music and dance performances, or the epic brunches either, but instead for its incredible chocolate desserts! With a menu that features Milk Chocolate and Dulce de Leche Churros, Chocolate Fundido with passion fruit ice cream and Tarta de Coco and Maracuya, how could we not? Visit COYA for a special Mayfair date night dinner and enjoy the incredible live performances almost every day. This is a super sexy venue with incredible design.

Artisan du Chocolat is a high-end chocolate shop, super close to the Saatchi Gallery in Chelsea. Not only do we love the fancy chocolate here because of the pure artistry and flavour, but also because the cacao is sustainably sourced, and the chocolate is made in the UK. This is true British chocolate luxury. With an established reputation and customers including Gordon Ramsay, this is the perfect place for chocolate lovers that want to be able to take home the highest quality chocolate. Ideal if you’re looking for extra special Easter eggs or Christmas sweet treats!

Open Tuesday through to Sunday, this family-run Italian eatery is a great find. Serving not only delicious mains, we had to include it here for the chocolate desserts! Citro offers classic Italian pizza and pastas, alongside the decadent Chocolate Ganache Tart with hazelnut base, pecan crust and raspberry coulis. Come here with the family for a relaxed atmosphere and good food.

St Moritz is a Swiss restaurant right in the heart of Soho! Primarily focusing on cheese fondues, St Moritz also offers a delicious chocolate fondue with fresh fruit. A gorgeous venue that has long been established in the Soho food scene. Visit to enjoy authentic Swiss dishes for another brilliant date night in town.

We can always count on an American diner for a satisfying sugar hit, and TGI Fridays is undoubtedly one of London’s classic fast food joints. You’ll find a few different ways to indulge here, including: a stack of light and fluffy American-style pancakes topped with Oreo® Crunch, chocolate sauce and ice cream; the Chocolate Fudge Fixation, which consists of a triple-layered chocolate cake with a chocolate and fudge filling served warm with vanilla ice cream; the Brownie Obsession, which is made up of sticky brownies with hot fudge, ice cream and chocolate and caramel sauces; and finally, a shareable salted caramel and chocolate brownie sundae. 

If you like your chocolate best in cake form, then where better to satiate a craving than at Lola’s? There’s a huge array of cocoa-based treats on offer here, including a chocolate and raspberry cake and a striking red velvet creation. You’ll also find moist brownies in flavours ranging from hazelnut chocolate to millionaire’s shortbread and caramel cornflake. Vegans and gluten-free customers are catered for too, and their options include a black forest brownie and a chocolate orange brownie. And if that isn’t enough, you can round it off with a silky, rich hot chocolate!

For some seriously impressive chocolate creations, The Berkeley Cafe is arguably one of the best in the capital. Here, you’ll find some of Cédric Grolet’s edible works of art. The French pastry chef, known for his satisfying and mouthwatering Instagram videos, has created a special seven-course afternoon tea menu called Goutea as well as a curated breakfast menu full of sweet delights. You can also drop by for just dessert: this menu features Goulet’s stunningly intricate mandarin chocolate flower, which consists of chocolate sweet dough, cocoa nib praline, mandarin acid, cocoa with mandarin gel and a chocolate ganache

A cosy spot in the heart of Mayfair, any visit to The Athenaeum Hotel always makes for a lovely little pick-me-up. 116 at The Atheneum is an all-day dining spot where you can enjoy a variety of afternoon teas, including gluten-free, savoury, vegan and vegetarian options. Chocolate-laden morsels might include a mint and dark chocolate brownie or a chocolate sable with strawberry mousse. All of its bite-sized delicacies are decorated ornately, making for a meal to remember — and definitely one to take some envy-inducing pictures of!

This delightful tearoom on the edge of Kew Gardens boasts a rich and intriguing history. It’s the home of the precious maids of honor tart, which was said to be named as such after Henry VIII tasted one when meeting Ann Boleyn and other maids of honour. While the king attempted to keep the recipe a secret, a maids of honor shop eventually sprung up in Richmond — Newens bakery has remained in the area to this day. While the maids of honor tart isn’t chocolatey, the shop also produces other fine bakes in-house, including opera slices, a chocolate swiss roll, eclairs and chocolate sponge truffles — all in its quaint and homely surrounds. This spot really is a slice of old-fashioned paradise.