I went in search of the best hot chocolate in London and here’s what I found

I’ve been looking for the best hot chocolate in London (according to TikTok), and now I’ve found it. Frankly, it’s the most enjoyable thing to do in winter.

You know it’s time to switch to hot chocolate when the temperature drops and the city turns various shades of grey. For our mission, we’re looking for the thickest, most indulgent, and spoonable kind of hot chocolate. And we’ve gotten our inspo from TikTok.

Hot chocolate London-style has become something special. It’s no longer an afterthought. The best hot chocolate in London will be molten, or maybe theatrical. It might be served with a spoon because pretending it’s just a drink would be dishonest. And not as fun.

And it’ll be all over TikTok, because how could the best hot chocolate in London not be?

So we’ve trawled through the videos and searched out each hot chocolate, ranking them to find the best in the city.

Some hot chocolates are better than others. Some make me stop mid-sip and think, could this actually be the most scrumptious hot chocolate in London?

This isn’t about crowning one winner and declaring the search over. It’s about celebrating the many excellent ways London does hot chocolate, from Italian-style drinking chocolate that borders on fondue to marshmallow-heavy cups that feel closer to dessert than drink.

Here’s where to go when the cold hits and only the best hot chocolate in London will warm you up.

Map of the best hot chocolate in London according to TikTok

• Thickest and richest: Italian Bear Chocolate
• Best dark chocolate flavour: Dark Sugars
• Most customisable: Knoops
• Cosy all-rounder: Half Million
• Classic Italian style: Gelateria Danieli
• Most theatrical: Mello
• Sweet-tooth favourite: Cocomelt
• Dessert-first indulgence: Humble Crumble

1. Italian Bear Chocolate, Soho

Could this be the best hot chocolate in London?

Let’s start with the hot chocolate I think about the most.

The hot chocolate at Italian Bear Chocolate in Soho is barely a drink. This is melted ganache, or even chocolate fondue in a cup. In fact, it’s something you order knowing full well that you’ll need to sit down and commit.

Which works, because Italian Bear Chocolate has ample seating inside so you can take your time.

Italian Bear hot chocolate has to be one of the best hot chocolate drinks in London, and it’s my personal favourite by some distance. It’s the thickest hot chocolate on this list, no contest.

And a tip from TikTok – add the triple chocolate drizzle. It’s a trio of white, milk and dark melted chocolate drizzled all the way around the cup. The white chocolate in the drizzle cuts through the milk chocolate base beautifully. And it’s the contrast that keeps this hot chocolate from tipping into cloying territory.

It’s rich, excessive and deeply indulgent. If someone asked me where to find the most scrumptious hot chocolate in London, this is where I’d send them first.

Rating – 5/5

Address – 41 Broadwick St, Carnaby, London W1F 9QL

2. Dark Sugars, Brick Lane

One of the best Hot chocolate spots in London for depth

At Dark Sugars on Brick Lane, hot chocolate is serious business. That’s the way it looks on TikTok anyway, with videos of shards of chocolate melted into the hot chocolate. Swoon.

This is one of the best hot chocolate London offers if you prefer depth over sweetness. The chocolate is frothy and velvety rather than too thick, so it doesn’t tip into pudding territory, and the flavour leans cacao-forward rather than sugary.

Thanks to TikTok, we also go in knowing to ask for the addition of chocolate shards – they melt into the hot chocolate beautifully. That’s if you can stop yourself fishing them out to eat.

If you like your hot chocolate velvety and balanced, Dark Sugars deserves a spot on your list.

Read our full review of the hot chocolate at Dark Sugars
Does Dark Sugars London Make The Best Hot Chocolate?

Rating – 4/5

Address – 141 Brick Ln, Bethnal Green, London E1 6SB

3. Knoops, Notting Hill

A highly customizable hot chocolate in London

Knoops understands that one persons favourite hot chocolate may be entirely different to anothers. And they do customisation incredibly well.

At Knoops, you choose your chocolate percentage, from white to a whooping 100% extra dark, your milk, and your extras. We personally love the 36% hot chocolate the best because it’s smooth, rounded, and comforting.

It’s not the thickest or the most dramatic cup, but it’s consistently good, which absolutely earns it a place among the best hot chocolate in London.

This is the hot chocolate you reach for when you want something dependable that still feels considered.

Read our full review of the hot chocolate at Knoops
Which Knoops Hot Chocolate to Order From the London Menu

Rating – 4/5

Address – 199 Portobello Rd, London W11 1LU

4. Half Million, Oxford Street

A cosy take on the best hot chocolate in London

Half Million have one of the most viral hot chocolates on TikTok. They have a cult following, and fans will often quote this as being the best hot chocolate in London.

With such acclaim, it’s only natural that we seek it out for review. At Half Million cafe, the hot chocolate is rich and smooth, with a rounded flavour that encourages slow sipping. It’s thick enough to feel indulgent without being overwhelming.

This is hot chocolate London-style for when you want to warm up after a day of shopping on Oxford Street. The fans are right, this is a very good hot chocolate. I only wish the cafe were bigger so you could sit down and really enjoy it.

Read our full review of the hot chocolate at Half Million
Is The Half Million Hot Chocolate Actually As Good As People Say?

Rating – 4/5

Address – 407 Oxford St, London W1C 2PE

5. Gelateria Danieli, Richmond

Old school Italian style hot chocolate in London

At Gelateria Danieli, hot chocolate is done the traditional Italian way, and it’s properly thick to boot. After seeing TikTok videos of spoons swirling through it’s thickness, we had to try it for ourselves.

The Gelateria Danieli hot chocolate comes with a wooden spoon for good reason, as we find out when we too begin to spoon it rather than drink it. This has got to be one of the most scrumptious hot chocolates in London.

There’s something deeply satisfying about this cup. It doesn’t rely on extras – it’s just proper drinking (spooning) chocolate that warms you from the inside out. If you’re after a classic contender for best hot chocolate in London, Gelateria Danieli delivers.

Read our full review of the hot chocolate at Gelateria Danieli
Spoonable Hot Chocolate at Gelateria Danieli Richmond

Rating – 4/5

Address – 16 Brewers Ln, Richmond TW9 1HH

6. Mello, Covent Garden

The best hot chocolate in London if you want theatre

Mello turns hot chocolate into a performance. Which is obvious the moment you watch any TikTok video of it.

At Mello, you watch your hot chocolate being poured before it’s crowned with an enormous load of marshmallow, which is then torched dramatically in front of you.

The hot chocolate is then given to you in a cup, in a bowl. Which is necessary, because this is really more of a dessert first, than just a pure hot chocolate. To do it justice, you need a spoon, a seat and some time.

It’s not the most practical hot chocolate for navigating busy London streets, but absolutely enjoyable if you want the most theatrical hot chocolate in London. And you have the time to stop and really enjoy it.

Rating – 4/5

Address – Earlham St, London WC2H 9LX

7. Humble Crumble, Covent Garden

When the best hot chocolate in London meets dessert

Humble Crumble are most well-known on TikTok for their delicious crumble desserts (which are fabulous btw). But, you should also come for their hot chocolate.

It’s rich, sweet, and designed to compliment their crumble. The Humble Crumble hot chocolate also stays very foamy and velvety for a while, and that consistency makes it one of the best in London.

You can also choose to add a rim of whipped cream, which is a lovely addition that also doesn’t get in the way of the hot chocolate itself.

Read our full review of Humble Crumble
The Top Crumble to Order at Humble Crumble, Covent Garden

Rating – 4/5

Address – 50a Seven Dials Warehouse, Earlham St, London WC2H 9LA

8. Cocomelt, Soho

Sweet fun but not the best hot chocolate in London

Cocomelt are a cafe that specialise in all things chocolate, and their chocolate covered strawberries have a cult following on TikTok.

At Cocomelt, the hot chocolate itself is very milky, with a gentle, rounded flavour. We choose ours with toasted marshmallows and topped with whipped cream.

It’s an enjoyable hot chocolate but, outside of more theatrical seasonal specials, it’s probably not the best hot chocolate in London if you’re chasing depth or intensity. Fun, yes. Essential, no. I find it a little too sweet for my palate.

Rating – 3/5

Address – 132 Wardour St, London W1F 8ZW

So what really is the best hot chocolate in London

It would be an understatement to say I enjoyed trying out all the best hot chocolate in London – according to TikTok anyway. Some of the hot chocolates were better than others, but overall there was nothing too bad – and lots of really good ones. Yum

• If you want drama, go to Mello.
• If you want depth, go to Dark Sugars.
• If you want choice, go to Knoops.
• If you want comfort, go to Half Million.

But if you want the hot chocolate that ruins all others, the one that blurs the line between drink and dessert and lingers in your thoughts long after the cup is empty…

Italian Bear has the best hot chocolate in London.

And honestly, searching for the best hot chocolate in London has never been a hardship.

Read more
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Have you tried any of the best hot chocolate in London? Let us know.