I went into a million artisinal chocolate shops in London searching for gifts and the best…read morechocolate and this was one of my favorite places for fine chocolate! (Tied in 1st for my favorite London chocolate was the Pump Street chocolate curated by Harrod's department store, and one from Whole Foods hah!) Paul A Young is famous and won awards for their salted caramel chocolates, unique and unlike any other I've had because they're much softer than the usual caramels, but at the same time not completely liquid. I personally thought their brownies were the best part - they seemed overly dense but were so rich and perfectly decadent. I also purchased the sampler of different varieties of milk and dark chocolates, and it was my least favorite because I felt the darks were a little too dry and bitter and the milks were too creamy and sweet. I'd recommend you taste the samples on the main table before purchasing. The truffles were beautiful and the flavors unique but personally I was not a big fan (except for the salted caramels). Overall, highly recommend a visit here for the salted caramels and brownies!

The chocolates are definitely works of art, especially the ones adorned with gold dust or gold…read morewrapping. Unique flavors give the truffles personality, such as basil, porter with pretzel chunks, PB&J, mango and lime daiquiri, and my favorite named chocolate: Seedy Soho. So they do a twist on classic flavors with fun names, and of course, a beautiful presentation. Each chocolate runs £2 each, with a quantity discount as you buy more, example, a box of 4 will be £7. If you're looking for something the kiddies may enjoy, the chocolate covered brownies are the way to go, and are not only pretty but are fairly large and only run £2 each. Expiration dates vary, so definitely be sure to ask about each before making a purchase, if you are planning to gift them later down the line. Many of the hand-selected chocolates last only about 7 days, others a little longer depending on the contents. I always feel strange about going into a business where people hover and follow around as if I might break or touch something they don't want touched--that's sort of how it's felt the few times I've been inside the store. No doubt, there are phenomenal displays of chocolate out in the open that they simply don't want messed with: a round table in the center of the room with truffles and other delicacies jutting out in intricately placed rows, a vat of "Aztec" hot cocoa that appears as thick as sipping chocolate, trays and trays of chocolate covered brownies, and shelves adorned in boxes of truffles and molded chocolates, so perhaps that's why the staff make it a point to keep a keen and wandering watch over their guests. So I'll definitely return for the chocolate covered brownies since they're so rich that they taste like chunks of pure fudge, an also pop in for hand-selected chocolates for gifts, I just wish it didn't always feel like "big brother" was watching all the time...

This was a worthwhile stop during our stroll along Brick Lane. Located in a small shop at the…read morecorner of Brick Lane and Bacon St. (just to add to its appeal), the vintage feel jives with the overall ambiance of the Brick Lane experience. But inside this shop is an experience all its own. Those of us well into our adult years will still get that proverbial "kid in a candy store" sense when walking into a place like this. The immediate reaction is "I'll take one of everything". The number of choices and sheer number of chocolates displayed in a confined space are both exhilarating and overwhelming at the same time. It was clear from the choices that this was a true artisan shop. In an act of fiscal and dietary restraint, we took away a half-dozen pieces. My wife always compares chocolatiers using their Chocolate Orange Peels (Chocolate Orangettes is what they called them at this place) as a benchmark. This place passed with flying colors. They also offered an intriguing Mango-infused Dark Chocolate with a pipet of Mango compote that you could inject before eating. It was also a highlight. The prices are fair for what this place is and the service is friendly, polite and efficient. If you are meandering up and down Brick Lane, this establishment is worth a stop. If you are a Chocolate fan, then this place is a must-stop. I guess there are people out there who are not chocolate lovers (or at least likers), but that is like not being a fan of oxygen from my perspective. I would like to stop again sometime to try one of the chocolate drinks. We opted to not get one this time on top of the candy pieces we bought to avoid the sugar overload. But they looked amazing from what I saw of others who did indulge.

The variety of chocolates available to select from at Dark Sugars is quite impressive. Everything…read moreis sold by the pound so we were able to grab a few different types of chocolates as we browsed around. They had a lot of different types of truffles which looked more simple compared to the fancy chocolate pieces that had little pipettes with flavored purée (which as raspberry & mango). Most of the chocolate seemed to be dark chocolate, lesser amount of milk chocolate, and a few white chocolate pieces. If you're around this store, stop in to grab a sweet treat!

"You can even eat the dishes!" (kind of)…read more If you're a chocolate lover, look no further. Wonka would be a fan. I sure am. The hot chocolate here is dark, rich, and if you order it with "triple chocolate," the cup itself is dunked in dark, milk, and white chocolate. So with each sip you can also lick and enjoy the thick chocolate on the cup--and eat it all with a spoon. Everything edible here can be drenched in chocolate. The people at the next table got a big slice of chocolate cake--with more chocolate poured over it. Incredible. I went to the Fitzrovia location and visited late so it wasn't crowded at all. A unique experience for chocolate lovers. Highly recommended!

They have three different varieties of chocolate, all of them will be your favorites by the time…read moreyou leave. This place is so decadent and the food is sinfully delicious. Steam punk/urban decor, infuse presentation. Very friendly and welcoming but you will want a reservation. The Italian lady who owns the place is a delight. Make time for this Soho gem. Hey, it's also just next to the old Victorian Typhoid water well head so there's history here too!

Excellent chocolate shop- it smells amazing inside! The customer service is excellent as well!…read more You can purchase a box or a few pieces, I ended up getting two 26 piece boxes (the smallest ones they had and I believe it's 26 or maybe it's 16 pieces haha I don't remember); along with that I got two pieces to treat myself, and a bar of vegan chocolate for a friend. The ones I tried are delicious! Will absolutely be back and recommend this spot to others. So excited to gift a box to my S/O and family!

Lovely chocolate shop in Notting Hill ! I like to pop in for a hot chocolate on a cold day after…read morewandering around portobello market. We walked in one day when their cafe space had been reserved for a private event and the staff was very kind and accommodating, clearing up the little nook by the window for us to sit and enjoy our drinks. It's a fun visit, made even better by the nice staff and great music they play. Needless to say the hot chocolate in wonderful!

Talk about yum! 1. I…read morewas walking down the street and came in because I saw a picture of their hot chocolate and am so glad I did. 2. They have different kinds of hot chocolate to choose from, which is great, but the best part is you can add chocolate whipped cream on top. 3. This hot chocolate is the best hot chocolate I've tasted. It was so rich and smooth, and the whipped cream was so perfectly light and chocolatey. 4. As for the store, they have so many different chocolate products, like they have a shelf of all of their bon bons. I left with a bag of different bite-sized chocolates to have a little tasting at home. My favorite is the raspberry panna cotta. 5. This spot is perfect for a hot chocolate break and for souvenirs.

Overpriced, mediocre hot chocolate no different than the run-of-the-mill franchise store, but a few…read morepounds more. Ordered their popular premium hot chocolate without cream. A little less than six pounds I was expecting a more premium and refined taste. Nope. Unlike the other chocolatier joint I visited that offered hand-crafted hot coco, this one was straight up from a machine. Tasted like liquid coco powder heated up, key word being 'heated.' And just because it was heated doesn't mean it was hot per se. The beverage was offered nothing more than lukewarm at best . They didn't even fill it up to the brim. It was filled about 80 % .

Adorable & delicious treats await you at Jeff de Bruges…read more Staff is nice as can be - we were interested in their super-cute animal shapes like horses, cows, pigs, chickens, fish..... but did not want to purchase the pre-filled boxes or bags since they also contained shapes & flavors we did not care so much about They happily offered to fill a hand-selected bag just for us so we ventured through their cases & selected all our favorites The milk chocolate is creamy & has a fantastic melty factor - the animals contained bits of toffee, coconut or hazelnut & they were just the treat we were seeking Wonderful stop after the V&A Museum!

If you are giving 5 stars to an ice cream place you visited in rain, you know it was worth the…read moremoney. I treated myself with a cup of mixed Madagascan Vanilla and Chocolate ice cream (italian style from a machine). I chosen some fruit toppings and small salted caramel cubes (awesome texture, a must-try) which meant I received the portion in a plastic bowl - but that was my negligence to say I wanted it coned. Looking at all the beautiful pralines I asked for a couple and so I can now comprehensively recommend John de Bruges for authentic excellency.

When I need a little something for someone - whether it's to say "Thank You" or to apologise - I…read morecome to Rococo Chocolates. I especially like their various "fun" chocolate designs and they quirky packaging. A chocolatey gift from here will make even the fiercest heart melt...

These chocolates were bought for my Mum's 60th birthday, I splashed out and spent nearly £60 and…read moreshe said all of the three times tasted old and really unpleasant, she normally likes all chocoolate. It all ended up in the bin! Total waste! I emailed for a refund and I can't see that happening. Bad customer service and bad quality overpriced chocolates. I am so disappointed with the service I have received from them. If this review stops one person from wasting money like I did then I am happy. I would say buy Cadburys much cheaper and without the disappointment!

Immaculate Store Delicious chocolate with abundance of…read moreflavours. Lindt chocolate for specific occasions be it Mother's Day or Easter. Reasonable prices compared to the supermarket. What is the complaint? It's Lindt chocolate for goodness sake!!

There are only a couple things that you can get here that you can't get at other shops in London -…read morethe hot chocolate is one of them. Regular prices aren't great, but I would definitely come here AFTER holidays to clean out what they don't sell :-)

Amazing delicious high quality chocolates. Great for gifts, or for a tasty treat. Surprisingly…read morereasonably priced too. They also serve coffee and hot chocolate.

When in London, afternoon tea is a must…read more I booked a reservation with Fortnum & Mason a few months in advance but when we arrived on a Sunday at 12:30PM, there seemed to be plenty of open tables available. A live pianist played in the front entrance. Staff were kind and proper. They offered to hang our coats in the closet. Afternoon Tea came with refillable teas, sandwiches, scones, and desserts. A Savory Afternoon Tea was an option as well, which doesn't have any sweets. I enjoyed all of the sandwiches. Everything was equally delicious, except the Cucumber and Lemon Mint. The Suffolk Ham with English Mustard had a nice kick. The Egg Mayonnaise was a classic for me. The Coronation Chicken was a mini chicken salad in a sandwich. The Kames Bay Trout with dill Cream Cheese is a great combination. I'm not a huge scone person, but the savory scones were very good. The Fortnum Strawberry Preserve was our favorite. For the desserts, my favorite was the Dark Chocolate with Hazelnut Praline. The Hazelnut Praline cookie bottom was airy and crisp. The chocolate inside was a light mousse. All of the desserts were extremely fragrant. The Rose Eclair and Orange Mousse played no games. I also liked the Treacle Tart because of its nutty flavor. I was incredibly full that I couldn't finish the Coconut Loaf, which was my least favorite. For the price of £85 per person, it was well worth the experience and the quality of the food and the service. Treat yourself!

This was not just food. This was not just an experience of a lifetime. This was pure, unadulterated…read moreimmersion into the British Culture. The food here was fantastic and nothing I had experienced before. I'm obviously not one who partakes in Tea Parties all that often. But holy cow did this blow me away. The ambiance was upscale. You felt like a royal family while dining and eating the queen's favorite finger foods. The service was unfortunately subpar. But the whole experience is one of the few that can overshadow that fact. It's expensive. But well worth the price of admission.