What can brighten up tiresome weekdays and cold winter evenings? Of course, this is a cup of delicious hot chocolate and a tile of exquisite chocolate. Why chocolate? Scientific facts confirm that a chocolate bar, (at least once a week) and a drink made of it, can not only prolong life for a year, but also rejuvenate our body. This is a merit of catechins – natural antioxidants that are contained in chocolate. They protect cells and prevent the development of malignant tumors, as well as cardiovascular diseases.
So, after the proof of the positive features of the chocolate, let’s consider where can you taste it in Vancouver?
Chocolate Arts
Situated near W 4th Avenue in Kitsilano, Chocolate Arts demonstrates how the world’s best chocolatiers can combine the old world (raw chocolate from Belgium and France) with a new one (local organic ingredients). Chocolate Arts, to a greater extent than other chocolate boutiques from this list, makes products with a unique taste, which is typical for Vancouver and the whole Northwest Pacific coast.
Address: 1620 W 3rd Ave, Vancouver
Working Hours: Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday closed
ChocolaTas
One of the best chocolatiers in Vancouver can be found on the island of Grenville in ChocolaTas cafe. This establishment is owned by the ‘Master of Chocolate’, who studied in Belgium and immigrated to Canada together with his wife in 2002. ChocolaTas is loved for chocolate without preservatives and for a wide range of chocolate ganache and vegan chocolates.
Address: 151-1689 Johnston St. Vancouver
Working Hours: Monday-Sunday 9am-7pm
Mink Chocolates Café
Mink Chocolates Café is another spot, which is well-known all over Vancouver thanks to the magnificent chocolate. In Mink you can taste not only branded chocolate or delicious sweets, but also to drink real hot chocolate – not cocoa, that we used to order under the name of ‘hot chocolate’. In a cafe this drink is called ‘drinking chocolate’.
Address: 863 W Hastings St, Vancouver
Working Hours: Monday-Friday 7.30am-6pm, Saturday-Sunday 9.30am-5pm
XOXOLAT
One of the greatest chocolate boutiques is situated in Yaletown, and its name is XOXOLAT. The highlight of XOXOLAT is not in local ingredients – its essence is to bring the world of chocolate to Vancouver, including Canada’s widest assortment of organic chocolate bars according to the concept of ‘fair trade’. It’s also known for unique chocolate shoes.
Address: 1271 Homer St, Vancouver
Working Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10.30am-6pm, Sunday-Monday 12pm-5pm
Gem Chocolates
Gem Chocolates in Kerrisdale district has many fans among tourists and locals, who were conquered by their famous ‘shiny’ gluten-free chocolates. They also sell chocolate bars made especially for vegans. By the way, chocolate ganache with blueberry filling from Gem Chocolates represented British Columbia at the International Chocolate Awards in 2012 and received a silver medal.
Address: 2029 W 41st Ave, Vancouver
Working Hours: Monday-Saturday 11am-7pm, Sunday 12pm-5pm
CocoaNymph Chocolates
CocoaNymph is a local chocolate boutique located on Point Gray, and its chocolatiers create unusual and unique tastes. The owner of the establishment Rachel Savatski offers a wide range of delicacies: truffles and sweets, chocolate bars and caramels like English toffee.
Address: 3739 W 10th Ave, Vancouver
Working Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 10.30am-6pm, Sunday-Monday 12pm-5pm
Thierry Chocolaterie
The most famous chocolatier in Vancouver is Thierry Busset, and he is considered to be one of the best dessert masters of the world. Its confectionery is situated in the center of Vancouver, and it’s most known for its incredible macaroni, but also there is a series of author’s chocolates of Thierry.
Address: 1059 Alberni St, Vancouver
Working Hours: Monday-Friday 7am-12am, Saturday-Sunday 8am-12am
Koko Monk Chocolates
Koko Monk Chocolates is placed in the East Side of Vancouver and its chocolatier Pierre Gruege uses natural organic ingredients to make delicious confectioneries without nuts, gluten, soy lecithin and refined sugar. Instead of this, Gruege adds honey, maple syrup, coconut juice, dried date fruits or an exotic monk fruit.
Address: 1849 W 1st Ave, Vancouver
Working Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 11am-7pm, Sunday 11am-5.30pm, Monday closed
Cocoa West Chocolatier
Cocoa West is situated on the island of Bowen, so adding it to the list of the best chocolate cafes of Vancouver is a little trick, but it just needs to be done because there are such amazing combinations of organic chocolate with local ingredients, that this makes Cocoa West truly unique chocolate establishment on the west coast.
Address: 581 Artisan Ln, Bowen Island
Working Hours: Wednesday-Sunday 10am-5pm, Monday and Tuesday closed
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Chocolate is an iconic delicacy in Vancouver. Therefore, there are so many local cafes specialize in chocolate creating incredible culinary combinations and turning them into unique chocolate dishes.
So, after checking out the above-mentioned establishments, you can choose your favorite one in order to visit it on your next trip to Vancouver. It’s recommended to use Vancouver car rental to make your chocolate journey much easy.