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Header image courtesy of @charbonnelhk (via Instagram)
Originally published by Beverly Ngai. Last updated by Jianne Soriano.
If there’s one confection that blows every other sweet treat out of the water, it’s chocolate. A welcome gift for any occasion, a source of soothing comfort in times of stress, and a reliable pick-me-up after a long day, chocolate is practically a love language in its own right.
It only makes sense that chocolate-making has been taken to the artisanal level of craftsmanship and appreciation that it deserves. So if you are looking to sample this fiercely adored confection at its finest, ditch the supermarket stuff and send your taste buds on an indulgent journey with the best chocolatiers in Hong Kong.
Nothing spells appreciation like a classy box of gourmet chocolates, especially when every morsel is handcrafted in France and made using quality natural ingredients. Recognised for its tell-tale recyclable cardboard boxes and delicately complex chocolates to match, La Maison Du Chocolat is a reliable go-to for all your gifting needs. Delight your senses with a whirlwind of flavours and textures that go far beyond the standard varieties—from blackcurrant- and passionfruit-flavoured to caramelised mousse-filled and salt-flecked. We’ll bet that its unique and tempting creations will have you coming back to try them all.
Hokkaido is world-famous for its rich dairy products, so it’s no surprise that this Hokkaido-based chocolate maker churns out some truly exceptional truffles using high-quality milk chocolate and fresh cream. Shipped straight from Japan, Royce’ Chocolate’s best-selling nama truffles are rich and luxuriously creamy, coming in a slew of interesting flavours that range from mild cacao and bitter chocolate to au lait, matcha, and champagne. If truffles are not to your taste, Royce’ also deals in individually wrapped chocolate squares, wafers, cookies, and chocolate-covered nuts and potato chips.
Lucullus’s premium Belgian chocolates are more than just confection—they are miniature works of art. You’ll find marbled gemstone chocolates and adorable animal-shaped truffles stunningly displayed on the shelves and in glass cases like fine art alongside cakes, cookies, and other pastries. Never settling into wearying repetition, its team develops new themed chocolate collections every season, so customers are always in for a delightful surprise. For first-time patrons, the dark chocolate gift box is the perfect way to graze through some of its finest creations.
It is not by chance that this century-old Belgium chocolatier has established such a formidable presence across the globe, with nearly 20 outlets in Hong Kong alone—Godiva’s broad-ranging collection of truffles, bars, biscuits, hot chocolate, and other cocoa-packed indulgences exudes innovation and refinement. Whether you want to treat yourself to a premium chocolate bar, gift a chocolate box, or pick and choose your own assortment for someone special, Godiva has something for every occasion that calls for chocolate. If you happen to visit one of the selected stores that carry soft serve, do yourself a favour and grab a dark chocolate ice cream cone on your way out.
You’d never guess that behind Hawaka’s quaint black-and-white storefront on Gough Street, chocoholic duo Mary and Sally are roasting, grinding, tempering, and moulding cacao beans into bars, chocolate-coated nuts, and drinkable chocolate right there on-site!
One of the city's few bean-to-bar chocolate makers, Hawaka take its craft to next-level seriousness, sourcing organic beans from Sri Lanka, Ecuador, and Peru, and ageing them for three months to develop flavour. While the chocolate almonds and 78 percent dark chocolate bar certainly deserve their moment in the spotlight, no order is complete without the housemade drinking chocolate, which can be enjoyed hot or cold, and with varying cocoa percentages.
Hakawa Chocolate, Shop 1B, 49–51A Gough Street, Central | (+852) 6163 3563
Founded by Belgian cacao connoisseur Jacky Vergote, Bel-zims offers much to swoon over for chocolate purists. With an emphasis on artisanal production and minimal processing, this home-grown brand presents decadent sweets free of additives or preservatives, allowing the flavours of Belgium chocolate to shine in their purest form.
Bel-zims is also known to boast a diverse and eclectic repertoire of chocolatey treats, including artful pralines, spreads, nuts and dried fruits, and chocolate cereal clusters—its claim-to-fame—which are available in adventurous flavours like milk chocolate espresso, white chocolate raspberry, dark chocolate sesame, and more. You can visit Bel-zims at one of its pop-up booths around the city or shop the full selection online.
Another household name when it comes to luxury chocolate, Venchi draws on the finest ingredients and over 140 years of chocolate-making expertise to craft world-class Italian pralines, bars, spreads, hot chocolate, and even gelato. Displaying shelves upon shelves of acrylic containers overflowing with colourful chocolates, it’s hard to walk past one of its beautiful boutiques and not stop in for a slice of cacao heaven. Take your time picking and mixing your own bag from over forty indulgent chocolate varieties, or opt for one of the luxurious pre-made gift boxes.
One of Britain’s earliest chocolatiers, Charbonnel et Walker has managed to retain its endearing vintage charm by way of design and time-honoured culinary methods while keeping up to date with modern flavours and influences. Having made its way to our shores in 2020, the British-based chocolatier is best known for its velvety and uber-smooth chocolate truffles, with dark sea salt caramel and dark marc de champagne standing out as best-selling flavours. Your inner child will also delight at whimsical riffs like milk sea salt billionaire shortbread.
Charbonnel et Walker, Shop 104, 1/F, Landmark Alexandra, 18 Chater Road, Central
Armed with a passion for creating food and combining new flavours, this vegan chocolate brand was founded by a Swiss and Israeli couple who met in Hong Kong. Its cacao beans come from a single farm in the Dak Lak province in Vietnam and are hand-sorted, fermented, and dried in natural sunlight. All of its offerings are made with only two ingredients: cacao and raw organic sugar. The result is a 75 percent dark, healthy vegan chocolate. Taking pride in its unique combinations, the Sichuan pepper and salt and caramel chocolate bars are not to be missed!
A wanderer, chronic overthinker, and baking enthusiast, Beverly spent much of her childhood in the United States before moving to Hong Kong at age 11 and making the sparkling city her home. In her natural habitat, she can be found baking up a storm in her kitchen, journalling at a café, or scrolling through OpenRice deciding on her next meal.
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