The Best Hot Chocolate in London

London is hot chocolate heaven. It’s a big brag, but we feel pretty confident that with such a range of choice of chocolate shops, it’s the best city in the world to sample different styles. So, here’s our list of the best hot chocolate places in London, from classic to quirky.

This is our team’s go-to treat, and it’s so good it features on our beloved Borough Food Tour.

And that’s because whatever your preference is – white, dark, milk, almond, or even salted caramel hot chocolate – Hotel Chocolat (who run Rabot) source the best beans, and make the creamiest, densest, most mouth-watering chocolate in town. And at Christmas they excel at festive flair, adding solid chocolate decorations, whipped cream and edible glitter, it’s a gift all by itself.

2-4 Bedale Street, Borough Market, SE1 9AL

Dark Sugars is a unique business – it was set up by its founder Nyanga to showcase her Ghanaian heritage, and chocolate products from across West Africa. When you order a hot chocolate you watch her team prepare it, using a knife to shave huge blocks of chocolate by hand into cups, and topping the flakes with steamed milk. Then stir it yourself as you explore more of Brick Lane, nodding at other people who made the same excellent decision.

Tour guide tip: walk past the original Dark Sugars Cocoa House (124-126 Brick Lane) for its buzz, but we recommend getting your drinks from their sister shop Dark Sugars Chocolates, 141 Brick Lane London, E1 6SB – this one often has less of a line!

This one’s a recommendation from our favourite black cab driver Neil, who trained as a pastry chef. So, when he gives an opinion on the best hot chocolate in London, you take it seriously. 

Well Coal Drops Yard, a new retail space and design destination in King’s Cross, should become a new foodie heaven thanks to the Dorchester’s chef Alain Ducasse. The shop sells the artisan chocolate bars, and the café will make a hot chocolate derived from their dark chocolate, all sourced with a loving care for provenance only found from the French.

Coal Drops Yard, Unit 16, Bagley Walk Arches, N1C 4DH

We understand – a day spent visiting London can be really busy, and you might not have time to make a detour specially for hot chocolate. But that’s no reason to go without – of all the chains we think that Caffe Nero serves the best hot chocolate, using a good standard of chocolate and a nice dusting of cocoa powder to finish.

Multiple locations across London and the UK, see https://caffenero.com/uk/stores/

So, there’s the Totally Tailored list of the best hot chocolates in London. Is there one you’d like to share? Just head over to our Instagram and let us know where we should head to next!