When it comes to chocolate, I can't get enough of it, no matter the format. Truffles, barks, pralines, ice cream, even a good old Toblerone — I can't get enough of it and have never understood how someone wouldn't like it. Luckily, even just the sheer number of London chocolatiers proves that I am on the right side of things, so with my sweet tooth and sense of style I'm on a mission to introduce you to the very best chocolate shops in the city.
To do so, I followed the same criteria that guided me in the selection of the best London hotels: staying true to Livingetc's appetite for design-forward destinations, I went on a hunt for London chocolatiers whose mesmerizingly crafted delicacies and equally impressive locations could satisfy our readers' longing for sweetness and aesthetics. Here's what I found.
1. Birley Chocolate
Chelsea Green has got a Wes Anderson setting of its own in Birley Chocolate, the sidekick, sibling business of the just-as-whimsical, and delicious, Birley Bakery, situated only steps away from its retro-inspired shop front. Responsibly sourced and crafted in the chocolatier's factory in Battersea, Birley Chocolate's sculptural edible offerings — ranging from customizable chocolate boxes, cakes, and chocolate sticks to ice cream and French-style pastries and savories — are not your ordinary sweet treats. Packaged in precious-looking pouches, they echo the muted reds and pastels and the otherworldly, Chinese décor-informed interiors of this confectionery wonderland, allowing you to bring a slice of it back home.
Shop all of Birley Chocolate's products.
2. William Curley Patissier Chocolatier
At William Curley Patissier Chocolatier, the testing ground of Scottish William Curley and his life and work partner, Melissa Curley, the two translate the globe-trotting inspirations that have shaped the confectionery disruptor's gastronomic journey into extraordinarily conceived products that redefine what chocolate and patisserie are all together. Having cut his teeth at some of the world's foremost restaurants and hotels, Curley has made himself a name for infusing chocolate with widely unexpected flavors — from thyme and Scottish heather honey all the way to Japanese black vinegar, yuzu, and wasabi.
At the heart of his boutique, though, first established in 2004, is a desire to celebrate the power of these products to revive memories and spark joy, as shown by Curley's Nostalgia line, featuring anything from Jaffa cakes and Bounty bars to Millionaires shortbread. Obtained from the finest, freshest, and most organic ingredients, William Curley Patissier Chocolatier's offerings are further enhanced by the hypnotizing setting of the house's Soho flagship, which bears the signature of Jonathan Clark Architects.
Shop all of William Curley Patissier Chocolatier's products.
3. Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse
Unit 15 Bagley Walk, London N1C 4DH
At first glance, the industrial interior design of Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse's Coal Drops Yard shop doesn't look anything like the majority of other chocolate shops in London, yet I can assure you that Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse's workshop is one of the most fascinating, sensory-led chocolate stores I have ever laid my eyes on.
Needless to say, his creations are even better than the eye meets: created using the highest-quality beans and natural ingredients, Ducasse's chocolate is the fruit of old-style, truly artisanal approach to confectionery manufacturing, resulting in brutalist slabs of coco goodness that are as sublime to the taste as they are to people's gaze. Whether you are after a gift for someone else or a one-of-a-kind tasting experience, Le Chocolate Alain Ducasse won't let you down.
Shop all of Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse's products.
4. Harrods Chocolate Hall
Harrods Food Halls, GROUND FLOOR, Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Rd, London SW1X 7XL
Recently revamped by David Collins Studio and now oozing British grandeur, the Harrods Chocolate Hall is one of those places every child dreams of getting lost in. After all, with glimmering chocolate bars and pastel-colored boxes of candy filling up every corner of the department store's most cherished section, there would be no way for them to get bored.
Gathering the world's most luxurious chocolate, the Harrods Chocolate Hall is a feast for all senses, with the maitre chocolatiers of award-winning brands like Rococo, Charbonnel et Walker, and Pierre Marcolini bringing their mouth-watering extravaganza all under the same roof. Visitor tip: brace yourself if you're considering heading there ahead of Christmas.
Shop all of Harrods' products.
5. Maison Samadi
Luxury and chocolate-making blend into one at Maison Samadi, a brand originally founded by Muhieddine Samadi in 1872's Beirut and now headed by his great-granddaughter, Maria Chehab, and her husband.
Having opened its doors to the London public in 2016, the house is renowned for channeling the centuries-spanning tradition of Middle Eastern confectionery into a lavish, European-inspired range of products. Characterized by transitional style interiors bridging the brand's past with its present and future, the boutique invites customers on a journey to the discovery of its art-like truffles, nougat, and pralines, all boasting the most researched ingredients.
Fragrant notes of rosewater, pistachio, and saffron, signature traits of Lebanon's dessert heritage, are reinvented for the cosmopolitan palate in an enriching, soulful cultural exchange.
Shop all of Maison Samadi's products.
6. Melt Chocolates
Stepping into Melt Chocolates at any of their London locations will rekindle the excitement for chocolate, from its color-organized product displays to its sculptural macaroon installations, it's certainly like being a kid in a candy shop. Launched by Louise Nason in 2005, the brand stands out for its dedication to healthy, seasonal, and premium ingredients, which are then reworked into tantalizing, chocolatey works of art.
I am especially fond of their Notting Hill store, from which Melt Chocolates operates, and its open kitchen setup that allows customers to catch its creative minds in action. Also offering workshops, team-building activities, and cacao-filled well-being experiences, this London concept store isn't just a place to know to get a taste of one of the finest London chocolatiers, but also a platform to meet like-minded people sharing a love of gastronomic artisanry and — let's face it — a sweet tooth.
Shop all of Melt Chocolates' products.
All this talk of chocolate is bound to get you hungry, and if these London chocolatiers has whetted your appetite, both for gastronomic experience and design, then next it's time to look at the best cafés in London — your ultimate design-driven guide to enjoying coffee and pastries in the capital, whether in Hackney, Chelsea, or Fitzrovia.
