The 14th of October 2013 will mark the start of chocolate week. Yes, you’ve read correctly, an official week of chocolate, which will make cocoa-infused, indulgences a requisite rather than a cheeky treat.
So to make sure you take full advantage of the delicious week ahead we have rounded up a selection of trendy venues to make sure all your sugary cravings are well and truly satisfied. A golden ticket if you like.
New St Wine Shop
There’ll be something a little sweeter filling your wine glasses at the New St Wine Shop this October. Collaborating with Original Beans the New St Wine Shop will be offering diners a Port & Chocolate Flight Menu, which will see luxurious and organic chocolates paired with your choice of three different ports.
New Street Wine Shop, 16 New Street, EC2M 4TR
020 3503 0795
Paternoster Chop House
Known for their succulent cuts of meat, regularly frequented by local tourists and city workers, the quintessentially British restaurant will be joining in with next week’s celebrations via a mixture of chocolaty cocktails and equally rich desserts. Think Chocolate & Orange Bellini’s and Chocolate and Pecan brownies, where rich gooey chocolate meets crunchy indulgent pecans. Yum.
Paternoster Chop House, Warwick Court, EC4M 7DX
020 7029 9400
Old Bengal Bar
Atmosphere is everything when indulging in sweet treats so head East to the Old Bengal Bar where you can treat your taste buds to a chocolate chilli dog whilst enjoying the contemporary, Eastern vibe the bar effortlessly produces. Bar Manager Milos Popovic will also be tantilising diners with ‘Japanese Mist’; a chocolate cocktail concoction created with Yamazaki 12yo whisky, Vermouth and Absinthe Smoke served with the requisite chocolate truffle on the side.
Old Bengal Bar, 16 New Street, EC2M 4TR
020 3503 0780
Sartoria
The fashionista’s culinary playground, Sartoria, will be providing chocolate lovers with a mouth-watering menu this fall. From Dark Chocolate Sorbets to Sea Urchin Risottos with a water-based ganache, there are plenty of cocoa-filled treats and mains to wet your appetite this October. We’ll be ordering the Aubergine and Chocolate cake.
Sartoria, 20 Savile Row, W1S 3PR
020 7534 7000
Salon du Chocolat
Dinner and a show, Salon du Chocolat will be closing the week with a mixture of workshops, demonstrations from leading chocolatiers and a number of talks. Post tasting, and indulging in a limitless variety of chocolates, you will be thoroughly entertained and blown away by the Chocolate Fashion Show finale. Couture cocoa gowns will grace the catwalks for a show like no other. You can buy tickets at the door but we suggest booking as soon as possible, as these tickets are sure to sell out quite quickly.
Olympia National Hall, Hammersmith Road, Kensington, W14 8UX.
020 7385 1200
Beas of Bloomsbury
Mix your love of film with your love of chocolate at Beas of Bloomsbury. This October the restaurant will be teaming up with a number of master chocolatiers for an interactive movie night, which will see a screening of Chocolat alongside many, and we mean many, indulgent treats including chocolate chilli and chocolate popcorn.
Beas of Bloomsbury, 44 Theobalds Road, WC1X 8NW
020 7242 8330
Fortnum and Mason
With some of the finest menus available in the city it comes as no surprise that Fortnum and Mason will be astounding chocolate-lovers everywhere with a Valrhona Grand Cru Chocolate Tasting Evening. So if you would like to sample some of the finest cocoa creations available head to the Board Room on the Fifth Floor on the 15th for a true chocolate week indulgence. Expect a glass of champagne upon arrival.
Fortnum and Mason plc, 181 Picadilly, W1A 1ER
0845 300 1707
Met Bar
Chocolate and alcohol concoctions will be greeting you at the Met Bar come chocolate week. The exclusive menu will be serving up spirits like tequila, creme de cacao and the Met chocolate liqueur infused with rich chocolatey ingredients like white chilli chocolate liqueur, double cream and rose water. Need we say more?
Met Bar, The Metropolitan by COMO hotel, 19 Old Park Lane, W1K 1LB
020 7447 1000
Paradise
Master chocolatier Paul A. Young will be delighting diners on the 15th October with his newest cocoa concocted desserts, including roasted cocoa beans, his new Marmite brownie, and a bourbon and chocolate pairing to name but a few. And after you have had your fill of chocolatey treats you will be shown how to make the best water-based hot chocolate. A skill we are sure the kiddies will appreciate. And if you have any burning chocolate related questions make sure to take advantage of Young’s expertise at the Paradise as he will be on hand to answer any queries chocolate-lovers may have.
An evening that promises to be fun, and filled with chocolate tasting and cocoa-themed demonstrations, we couldn’t have asked for a better way to celebrate chocolate week.
Paradise, 19 Kilburn Lane, Kensal Green, W10 4AE
020 8969 0089
Try making some chocolate goodies from home with our roundup of best Chocolate Dessert Recipes.