I love hot chocolate. It’s my favourite hot beverage besides a good ol’ cup of tea. So living in Bristol right now, we’re seeing a very exciting time for fans of the chocolate delicacy.
I don’t know about you, but when I’m out at ordinary coffee shops, with friends who order cappuccinos and lattes, flat white coffees and the like, I often feel like a bit of a child ordering myself a hot chocolate. But thankfully, in recent years, Bristol has seen a rise in speciality hot chocolate cafes, with huge selections of chocolate types, strengths and flavours, and drinks made by genius chocolate makers who put great amounts of time, effort and passion into every concoction.
Now, you can enter one of these wonderful establishments and order a sophisticated hot chocolate by flavour and strength, almost like ordering a fine wine to go with your meal at a restaurant. So, as it’s World Hot Chocolate Day on Friday January 31, I’ve made the decision to highlight some of my all time favourite Bristol hot chocolate creators, and thank them for providing me – and other hot chocolate fans out there in the city – a sophisticated haven to enjoy the drink I love best.
Ruby Hue
Address: Unit 2 Hawkins Lane Building, East Tucker Street, BS1 6WQ
They say that some of the best things in life have small beginnings, and if you spot Ruby Hue on Finzels Reach, you’ll definitely notice the petite chocolate shop with its red colour scheme, small counter and handful of places to sit. But when you walk through the door, you are not only greeted with a smile by the welcoming and friendly staff member behind the counter, but also by the unbelievably warming smell of fresh chocolate. You can even sit and watch the chocolatiers in action as you drink.
My life when it comes to hot chocolate, and everything I knew about the drink before, changed the instant I tried my very first Ruby Hue hot chocolate. I remember it vividly – a Solomon 70% with whole milk and a homemade marshmallow.
The hot chocolates were brought over on small wooden individual trays, in pink mugs, with an adorable wooden spoon and a special chunk of chocolate on the side. The staff member at the time told us this was an orange chocolate, and it tasted silky smooth and sophisticated, bursting with the notes of orange like no other chocolate I have tasted.
The hot chocolate itself was rich, smooth and full of flavour. My dark option provided just the right amount of bitterness to complement the huge fluffy, sweet marshmallow sitting on the top. The marshmallow itself was delicious – and certainly the best homemade marshmallow I have ever had.
For me, I’m yet to find a place that tops Ruby Hue when it comes to hot chocolate. It’s my absolute favourite and I urge anyone and everyone to make a beeline for it the next time they’re in town.
Mrs Potts
Address: 50 Park Street, BS1 5JN
When it comes to Mrs Potts, I still remember the excitement I felt when I heard such a place as this was opening on Park Street – just mere metres from where I was working at the time. I’d never tasted any hot chocolate like it before, and when they brought out their own range of chocolate flakes, so I could enjoy a Mrs Potts hot chocolate as often at home when I no longer worked nearby, I think I recall buying a bulk load of them, just in case the world ended.
Ironically, this home supply of hot chocolate came in extremely handy during the Covid-19 pandemic. My obsession with and loyalty to Mrs Potts hot chocolate is so deeply engrained in my life now, that friends from abroad will even order me packs of the stuff and have it delivered to my house, even though I’m just a short drive away.
I even have a ‘usual’ order now, because I’ve tried every type of hot chocolate they have on offer. It’s a Dark 72%, described on its menu as ‘deep, rich, unsurpassed chocolate flavour’. And it’s now like a sip of home whenever I drink it.
If you’re not inclined to stockpile hot chocolates, like I am, then visiting the Park Street cafe is a wonderful experience. Inside it’s warm, welcoming and cosy. It’s my go-to choice when I’m meeting up with friends. I just wish they’d bring back their white chocolate blondies (I’ll keep campaigning until they do).
Clifton Observatory
Address: Litfield Place, Clifton, BS8 3LT
If it’s the wow-factor that you’re after, and plenty of novelty, then there’s nowhere better than Clifton Observatory’s 360 degree cafe. Not only can you enjoy views over the Clifton Suspension Bridge, but you can treat yourself to an extremely indulgent hot chocolate, that’s usually piled high with toppings and seasonally themed – because hot chocolates aren’t just for winter, people.
While probably the messiest of the bunch to drink, especially if you take it outside in windier weather, the experience of enjoying a delicious hot chocolate in such an iconic setting really makes the hot chocolates at the Clifton Observatory some of the most standout in my memory.
I particularly enjoy paying a visit during the autumn, when the trees are deep hues of oranges and golds, and the flavour options are as sought after as those pumpkin spiced lattes every coffee drinker seeks out at this time of year. Though the first time I ever had a Clifton Observatory hot chocolate was on a celebratory occasion one March, and my hot chocolate had an abundance of berries and cream to complement it. It was like a hot chocolate fit for Wimbledon.
Knoops
Address: 33 Queens Road, BS8 1QG
Knoops only opened on Queens Road, off the Clifton Triangle back in July 2024 and, despite not being a local independent, I’ve included it in this list purely for its vast selection. The entire wall behind the counter seemed to be covered in different variations of hot chocolate options when I first visited, so much so that I actually found myself rather overwhelmed.
Fortunately, the staff – like the others on this list – are experts in this field, and were on hand in my hour of need to recommend something I’d like. And they were spot on. We ordered two hot chocolates to try – the 65% Single Origin (Columbia), which is described as having ‘floral notes of citrus and vanilla’ and was recommended to me by staff, and the 80% Single Origin (Uganda) for an even darker sample (described as being ‘earthy with a subtle smokiness’).
Both were delicious. And I was instantly desperate to try more of the menu.
Knoops actually boasts venues in some 20 locations across the UK and has even created its own term for “the art of crafting the perfect chocolate drink” – Knoopology. And the Scandi-esque decor and takeaway cups definitely made me picture myself grabbing a sophisticated hot chocolate on a busy commute.
To sum up…
All in all, Bristol is a hot chocolate connoisseur’s haven and, with so many local independent coffee shops and cafes in Bristol I still haven’t tried, I know there are more hot chocolate favourites I’ve yet to discover right on my doorstep.
Do you have a go-to place for hot chocolate, or have you visited somewhere in Bristol recently you’d love for us to shout about? Let us know by emailing [email protected].