Among Edinburgh’s many lovely specialty shops and cafés are a number of establishments that are pure heaven for chocolate lovers. If you’re a fan of the cocoa confection (and really, who isn’t?), check out some of our favourite haunts for chocolaty treats…
.
The Chocolate Tree
This comfortable, quirky café sells its own organic chocolates, which are handcrafted in Haddington and feature an array of unusual and highly tempting taste combinations, such as Mango & Chilli or Beer & Ginko. Also on offer are a range of artisan hot chocolates, gorgeous specialty cakes, and exotically flavoured chocolate bars.
123 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh EH10 4EQ, 0131 228 3144
www.the-chocolate-tree.co.uk
Iain Burnett, the Highland Chocolatier
Specialising in gourmet truffles, pralines and exquisite wedding cakes, this award-winning artisan chocolatier works with gourmet-grade, single-origin chocolate and carefully selected, locally sourced ingredients. Although based in Perthshire, his stand next to the Forth Floor Foodmarket Delicatessen in Harvey Nics is a prime pilgrimage site for Edinburgh chocolate connoisseurs.
Forth Floor Foodmarket at Harvey Nichols, 30-34 St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2AD, 0131 524 8322
www.highlandchocolatier.com
The Fudge House
For fans of chocolate in its softer, creamier incarnations, this family-run shop (founded in 1949) offers almost 30 delectable flavours of fudge, including some wonderfully gooey chocolate blends (think Triple Dark Chocolate or Chocolate Peppermint Cream). The fudge is handmade in their kitchens on the Royal Mile using only pure, natural ingredients, and with a range of traditional and more creative flavours, there’s a treat for everyone.
197 Canongate, Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH8 8BN, 0131 556 4172
www.fudgehouse.co.uk
Chocolate Soup
The name of this bustling café alone earns it a mention, and it does specialise in massive cups of thick, ultra-sweet chocolate drinks. Its prime location and big windows overlooking a busy corner of the Royal Mile make it a prime people-watching spot, but also a bit loud and hectic at times. Still, if the idea of hot, rich “chocolate soup” appeals to you, or you’re in need of a substantial sugar fix, this is the place to be.
2 Hunter Square, Edinburgh EH1 1QW, 0131 225 7669
The Cellar Door
Tucked away on a corner of George IV Bridge, The Cellar Door includes a cosy patisserie and coffee shop above its recently refurbished restaurant. The patisserie serves a small but delectable collection of continental-style cakes and brownies, as well as rich silky truffles and an appealing selection of individual chocolates. The Cellar Door also conducts chocolate workshops if you’re feeling inspired to create your own.
44-46 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EJ, 0131 226 4155
www.thecellardooredinburgh.com
The Harvest Garden
From the outside, this Morningside florist is a mass of greenery and blooms, but inside there is also a tempting chocolate shop boasting a wide selection of high-end brands, from Valrhona and Neuhaus to Laura Secord and Charbonnel et Walker. The Harvest Garden also offers an inviting assortment of handmade Belgian chocolates, and specialises in pretty packaging and gift arrangements that are sure to impress.
58-60 Morningside Road, Edinburgh EH10 4BZ, 0131 447 1788
www.flowersbuydelivery.co.uk
