Aside from Dine Out Vancouver Festival, Vancouverites look forward to the anticipated Hot Chocolate Festival every year in mid-January. The self-guided festival transforms the cafes, chocolatiers and bakeries in the city, into dreamy comforting havens for hot chocolate fans.
And for the 13th year, the Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival is back better than ever! From January 14 – February 14th, 64 participating food spots and over 100 specially crafted hot chocolate flavours will be available for people to enjoy!
But if you’re like us and are eyeing the most unique and creative hot chocolate flavours, then you’ll want to dive in check out our shortlist below:
*All details are sourced and provided by the vendors/Hot Chocolate festival.
Whisk Matcha Cafe x Level V Bakery
KYOTO SNOW
Details: Vegan, white chocolate*, matcha soy latte with house made organic, Japanese black sesame paste in a white chocolate-rimmed cup.
Served with a vegan mini matcha cream puff filled with matcha coconut oat cream and dipped in white chocolate. Handcrafted by our in-house bakery, Level V Bakery.
Availability: Jan. 14 – 31
Neighbourhood: Mount Pleasant
Address: 39 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC V5T 3H7
Passione Gelato
Have you BEAN to ___?
Details: One of the most famous plant-based ingredients is BEANS! Zenzai is a traditional Japanese dessert soup made with azuki beans. Our original hot chocolate is made with azuki red beans, dark chocolate and organic soy milk.
Paired with Passione’s limited edition vegan tofu kinako gelato (or a flavour of your choice.)
Availability: Jan 14 – Feb 14 | Takeout Only
Neighbourhood: Yaletown
Passione Gelato is mentioned in our best ice cream in Vancouver list.
Address: 55 Smithe St, Vancouver, BC V6B 0R3 (under Parq Vancouver)
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Chez Christophe Chocolaterie Patisserie
THE SORTING HAT
Details: A butter-beer 34% cocoa white chocolate infused with butterscotch and butter-flavoured popcorn milk.
On the side – a mystery house made lollipop filled with 4 different fillings indicating the assigned wizard house.
Availability: Jan 28 – Feb 11
Neighbourhood: Burnaby Heights
Chez Christophe is mentioned in our best bakeries in Burnaby list.
Address: 4717, Hastings Street, Burnaby BC
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Fufú Café
Mi-So CHEESY
Details: An ode to creativity with organic white miso paste, cream cheese and Valrhona 35% Blond Dulcey chocolate, this hot chocolate is topped with house made miso cheese whipped cream and nori (seaweed flakes). It’s a sweet and savoury hot drink that brings an audacious experience to the table.
Paired with a classic cheesecake bar covered with Japanese rice cracker bits.
Availability: Jan 14 – 29
TWO TO MANGO
Details: Inspired by Valrhona 55% Itakuja dark chocolate’s second fermentation process – the use of locally harvested Brazilian fresh fruit purée, sweet mango whipped cream ball with fresh lemon zest clashes with roasted kuro goma (black sesame) purée. This hot chocolate is a journey of fruit aroma explosion followed by rich, roasted cocoa.
Paired with a duo black and white sable cookie (crumble style) with sweet mango filling.
Availability: Jan 31 – Feb 14
Neighbourhood: Kitsilano
Address: 1266 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6H 1G6
Mon Paris Patisserie
AVATAR – 21st-Century Sci-Fi
Details: Blue chocolate flavoured with passionfruit and coconut.
Served with coconut whipped cream on top and a chocolate Avatar medallion and seaweed shortbread on the side.
Availability: Jan 14 – Feb 13
Neighbourhood: Metrotown
Mon Paris Patisserie is mentioned in our best bakeries in Burnaby list.
Address: 4396 Beresford St Burnaby, BC V5H 2Y4
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Koko Monk Hot Chocolate Lounge
PILLOW FIGHT
Details: A 35% premium white hot chocolate is the base for our 10th Year Anniversary Mystery Flavour Challenge. The hot chocolate will contain undisclosed ingredients and you will have a chance January 14th to 20th to come in, try the drink and guess what they are.
Find more information at kokomonk.com and keep an eye on Koko Monk’s Instagram account for all the details about the exciting prizes you could win (lots of chocolate) and other contests you can enter. (Hint: How flashy are your pajamas?)
The Mystery Flavour Drink is paired with a house made double chocolate gelato taster and an Oat milk option is available.
Availability: Jan 14 – 25
Neighbourhood: Kitsilano
Address: 2883 W. Broadway, Vancouver, BC
Honolulu Coffee
RAINCOUVER
Details: You’ll know you’re in Vancouver when you see this fun, 70% dark hot chocolate (with pink Himalayan salt ) melting a cloud-shaped mass of cotton candy suspended over the cup. It’s raining!
Availability: Jan 20 – Feb 14
Price: $9.50
Neighbourhood: Downtown Vancouver, Kerrisdale, False Creek
Address:
-888 Nelson St. Vancouver, BC
-2098 West 41st Ave. Vancouver, BC
-97 West 2nd Ave. Vancouver, BC
Broyé Cafe & Bakery
THE BLACK GOLD
Details: For the first time ever – the combination of world-famous egg coffee with premium Belgian Callebaut dark chocolate. A special sensation for the mouth.
Paired with a petite Banh mi (Vietnamese Sandwich).
Availability: Jan 14 – Feb 14
THE PEACE MAKER
Details: This is a fusion of tropical pandan and premium Belgian white chocolate. It’s beautiful natural colour, delicious smell and incredible taste will have you feeling peaceful and delighted.
Paired with a slice of Young Coco Pandan Cake, or any of our unique mochi melon pan.
Availability: Jan 14 – Feb 14
Address: 6414 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC V5W 3A4
Bella Gelateria
PURPLE DREAM
Details: White Chocolate and Ube gelato is made by mixing our Filipino ube paste with Michel Cluziel Elianza 33% Ivory chocolate to create this unique hot chocolate. We slow cook the ube until it becomes smooth with no clumps and then we melt it inside the hot chocolate The drink will come with whipped cream on top.
On the side: cannoli filled with coconut gelato.
Availability: Jan 14 – Feb 14
Neighbourhood: West End
Address:
-1301 Robson Street, Vancouver
-1752 Davie Street, Vancouver
Beaucoup Bakery & Cafe
AFTERNOON TEA SET 1
Details: Inspired by Hong Kong-style afternooon tea sets. Salted Milo and Horlick Blond Hot Chocolate infused with Madagascarian vanilla. Topped with whipped cream and pineapple bun topping cookie crumbs. We will be using Valrhona’s Dulcey 35% which has a subtle, mellow biscuit flavour with a subtly salty, caramelized milky undertone.
Served with a pineapple bun brioche with salted honey whipped butter.
Availability: Jan 14 – 31
AFTERNOON TEA SET 2
Details: Also inspired by Hong Kong-style afternoon tea sets. This spiced milk tea and coffee milk hot chocolate uses Valrhona Caramélia 36% milk chocolate which is known for its soft, rich and. voluptuous undertones of rich, milky flavour and salted butter caramel. Served with a crunchy egg tart.
Availability: Feb. 1- 14
Neighbourhood: Kitsilano
Beaucoup Bakery is mentioned in our best bakeries in Vancouver list.
Address: 2150 Fir St, Vancouver, BC V6J 3B5
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Aiyaohno Cafe
OBAACHAN’S PLUM WINE STASH
Details: Chocolate combined with non-alcohol umeshu plum wine made with Nanko ume plums from Kishu, Japan.
Served with a non-alcohol Umeshu Chocolate Truffle.
Availability: Jan 14 – Feb 14
Neighbourhood: Chinatown
Address: 425 Carrall St, Vancouver, BC V6B 6E3
For the full list of participating vendors and flavours, you can find them here.
Looking for more events in the city? Take a look at our events calendar for more fun and delicious events happening in the city this month!