A Chocolate Lover’s Guide to Newcastle

Shop

Hotel Chocolat, Blackett Street 

Hotel Chocolat came into being twenty years ago and now has 125 shops in the UK. It also has its own cocoa plantation in St Lucia, which is run on very ethical lines. So you can enjoy the company’s delicious chocolate goodness knowing that Hotel Chocolat is not only very popular but very fair too! The Blackett Street shop is an absolute delight for chocolate lovers, with an amazing range of gifts, boxes, accessories, drinks and much more.

John Lewis, Eldon Square 

As you’d expect from a John Lewis store, their Eldon Square branch has a wide and appealing range of chocolate on sale, from companies like the aforementioned Hotel Chocolat as well as Holdsworth, Tony Chocolonely and Montezumas. A great place to pick up gifts, hampers and boxes for special occasions, and maybe just a bar or two for yourself.

Fenwick Food Hall, Fenwick 

A similarly reliable destination for all things chocolate is the Fenwick Food Hall and here you’ll find a chocolate and confectionary department packed full of gifts, treats and gourmet delights. There are handmade truffles and chocolates and even a chocolate bar wall groaning with more than 100 different bars. Check out specialist brands like Anthon Berg, Van Roy, Pana and Pump.

Eat

Pet Lamb Patisserie, Grainger Market  

One of the most popular destinations in Newcastle's famous Grainger Market is Pet Lamb Patisserie, who've been serving up amazing sweet treats for over a decade. Chocolate features heavily in their unique and appealing creations – try their bespoke delights like Wagon Wheel Brownies, Mars Bar Slabs and cookie pies. And if the market is closed, you can order online too!

Heavenly Desserts, Newgate Street 

Dessert bars are a fairly recent sight on the high street – Heavenly Desserts were an early brand and now have around fifty stores, including one on Newgate Street. Here you’ll find all sorts of sweet treats from croffles to cheesecake, tarts to sundaes and their very own dessert tapas (bite size goodies like brownie bites to macarons). And of course lots and lots of chocolate.

Sweet Dreams Desserts Café, St Andrew’s Street 

Another popular dessert café is Sweet Dreams, another lively place to get stuck into everything from waffles to pancakes, profiteroles to chocolate fondue. Their chocolate-heavy menu has churros too! And there’s even a range of mocktails and alcohol-free daiquiris to wash all those sweet treats down with.

Make

La Chocolatrice, Westgate Road 

Based in Coxhoe, County Durham, La Chocolatrice is a local success story that has earned a reputation for fine chocolates and sweets along French chocolatiere lines. They also offer a range of chocolate-making events from their Newcastle studio on Westgate Road – workshops, party gatherings, team building days and the like. There, chocolate lovers can try their hand at making their own sweet loveliness - perfect for indulging in a sweet tooth and getting crafty at the same time!

Blackfriars Cookery School, Friars Street

As well as being one of the city’s best-loved restaurants, Blackfriars also runs a varied and excellent cookery school, covering everything from sushi to pizza, bao to seafood. They also offer the occasional chocolate-themed classes, such as their Cooking With Chocolate weekend and an Easter egg making class for the kids. Keep an eye on the website for forthcoming chocolate-based classes!

Most of us love some chocolate, and like most things moderation is recommended, So rather than inhaling a sneaky bar on the bus on the way home from work, why not make a proper treat out of it in Newcastle? Learn to make a delicious chocolate cake, select something exotic and unique, or sit down in a dessert café with some pals and share some chocolate pancakes - whatever you chocolate lovers fancy, the city has plenty of places to indulge.