Are you looking for the best hot chocolate in London? I got you. And it’s easy to find!. The best hot chocolate in London is the hot chocolate at Knoops. Yeah, I realise this sounds like a press release, but I can guarantee you it’s not. Knoops are not paying me for this post (I wish!), and I don’t even get free chocolate (oh, how I wish!).

So then, why is this the best hot chocolate in London?

So why is Knoops the best hot chocolate in London? Because… customisation. You can basically fine tune your hot chocolate to be exactly what you want.

First, you have 18 cocoa percentages to choose from (16 if you don’t count the white chocolate ones), from 34% cocoa to 100% cocoa, so from the very mild and milky all the way to the very intense bitterness of the pure cocoa bean. Some of the cocoa flakes are single origin, from Venezuela, Peru or Mexico; some are a blend.

Then, you have the optional extras, about 20 of them: choose from salt, or pepper or dry spices, herbs, fruits, roots… Fancy a mug of dark hot chocolate with cardamom? Or a vanilla-lavender white chocolate? Or maybe you’d prefer an extra dark hot chocolate with orange?

You can have standard milk in varying degree of fattiness, or choose from 5 plant-based milks, so how does a nutmeg vanilla dark chocolate made with hazelnut milk sound?

Basically, you could have a different hot chocolate every day for at least a year…

And then you can have marshmallows and whipped cream on top (or their vegan version), and have as many add-ins as you want, so … make that a different hot chocolate every day for the next 5 years. Probably. (Mathematical accuracy not guaranteed.)

You can check Knoops’ full menu here.

On my last visit, I had the 75% cocoa one with whipped cream, and it was dreamy. On its own, the hot chocolate is slightly bitter and acidic (in a good way); mix in the whipped cream, and it becomes a perfect velvety chocolatey moment of heaven.

I don’t want a hot chocolate. Does Knoops sell coffee?

Yes it does! Coffee, a selection of herbal teas (including cacao tea…now that sounds intriguing, and I’m definitely trying that next), and pastries are all on the menu.

Plus they do milkshakes, and iced chocolate, which is like iced coffee… with chocolate.

Lots of vegan options, too.

Can’t make it to any of the branches? There’s an online shop. The shop sells a selection of chocolate flakes to make your own chocolate beverage at home, as well as gift sets, tools (did you know Smeg makes a dedicated chocolate maker?) and sundries. Harrods, Selfridges and Wholefood also stock a Knoops selection.

Knoops have a cookbook, too, which you can buy from the online shop or from a Knoops branch. Most of the recipes are pretty standard, but there are some more unusual ones.

See why I think this is the best hot chocolate in London?

Knoops: practical information

Where to go from there?

The Notting Hill branch is seconds away from a branch of Buns From Home, and wouldn’t it be great if both stores had an agreement? It would be a match made in heaven. Knoops and Buns from Home are also very close in Covent Garden… In fact, here’s a map of all the current locations of both Knoops and Buns From Home on the same map, because you know it makes sense. Right?

And in Notting Hill, you know what’s located right between Knoops and Buns from Home? The original Rough Trade record store. Rough Trade West is a bit smaller than Rough Trade East, and is on two floors, but it’s the same vibe. A must-visit if you like your music.

And, of course, there’s the whole of Portobello Road to explore, but if you fancy exploring further afield, hop on a circle line train to Marylebone for Alfie’s Antique Market (hot chocolate and vintage shopping – another match made in heaven!). Or – still on the Circle Line, but in the opposite direction – why not spend a couple of hours exploring Westminster, or even taking a stroll in the Temple gardens?