Knoops: Making Willy Wonka Proud Since 2013
With the cold winter days approaching and the Christmas spirit in the air we cannot go any longer without knowing where the best hot chocolate spot is in London. For all the chocolate lovers out there, Knoops is a must-go destination. Picture yourself walking down the frosty London streets, looking at the Christmas decorations with a one-of-a-kind cup of hot chocolate in your hand! It will make you wonder why you never ventured to Knoops before.
Knoops might not be exactly like the Willy Wonka Chocolate factory with the chocolate river and all the crazy experiments. However, this fact might be for the best, as you will not have to be stretched out or fight off squirrels to win your chocolate prize.
Hot chocolate at Knoops can be completely tailored to your preferences and tastes. With over 20 different percentages of chocolate to choose from, ranging from 28% white chocolate to 100% single-origin Philippines dark chocolate, your mind can roam wild with the different flavours to test out. For all the vegans out there, there is no need to worry, Knoops accommodates also your preferences with the 38%, 54% or any percentage above that being vegan.
Not only is the percentage of chocolate customisable but at Knoops you also have the opportunity to add salts, peppers, and dry spices, as well as herbs, fruits and roots. You cannot tell me that the mere thought of a cinnamon hot chocolate with whipped cream does not warm your heart and make you salivate on the spot in anticipation. Some of the most popular spices are Maldon sea salt, chilli, nutmeg, cardamom and cinnamon. Among the herbs, fruits and roots the mint and orange particularly stand out.
Nevertheless, Knoops is a place where out of the ordinary creations can be made too! Have you ever thought of a thyme and ginger dark-hot chocolate? Or a star anise and lavender white-hot chocolate? If the answer is no, which I assume probably is, Knoops is the place where these concoctions can be made reality. Furthermore, every hot chocolate can be topped off with whipped cream for the ideal hot chocolate or a handmade soft and squishy marshmallow which will remind you of a fluffy cloud on a sunny day. Hot chocolate does not get any better than this.
If you catch yourself daydreaming and fantasising of Knoops in the summer or during a hot day, there is no need to panic! Knoops has plenty of iced drinks and milkshakes to choose from! The cold chocolate is available in six different percentages (of which four are vegan), is customisable with spices and roots and will evoke that winter feeling even in the summer. Personally, the 34% cold chocolate is just so good that I even get it when it is cold outside. If you do get it in the winter though make sure you wear gloves, because from my personal experience, your hands will freeze! The milkshakes are also a safe bet as who does not want to evoke that retro feeling of being at a 1950s diner and listening to the jukebox playing your favourite songs. Unfortunately, the milkshakes got in fact stuck in the 1950s and no vegan options are available.
Knoops understands the importance of hot chocolate as part of daily life, hence they provide the option to buy the chocolate, chocolate makers and marshmallows in the stores and on their website. You can turn your home and kitchen into your personal north pole hot chocolate workshop for the Christmas season. Moreover, if you are thinking of what to get for secret Santa, there is no need to keep looking as Knoops offers the perfect gift sets which will make your friend kiss your feet for days.
Knoops also has date night covered; picture cuddling up on the couch with your special someone watching a cosy movie like Home Alone and enjoying a cup of Knoops in your hand, does it not sound like a dream? Well, Belly and Conrad did in ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’. And if you are like the rest of us single folks out here, you can still picture this but in the image replace the special someone with your roommate, family or even your beloved pet - though your dog might need to skip the hot chocolate. No need to cry because you are single, at least you have hot chocolate to make you smile.
Do not let having to order in person intimidate you, take the opportunity and let the Augustus Gloop within you go wild. Try every combination imaginable! Believe me when I tell you that once you go to Knoops, no other hot chocolate will stand a chance and you will find yourself making recurring trips to get your very own customisable hot chocolate.
My personal recommendation:
My favourite Knoops order is the 60% single origin Venezuelan chocolate with notes of tropical fruit, walnuts & spices, with oat milk, and cinnamon (sometimes I even add chilli). Of course, I always top it off with the whipped cream.
My roommate’s recommendation:
My roommate’s go-to order is the 85% single origin Colombian chocolate, with normal milk and cinnamon. Do not let the 85% intimidate you as it is floral & fruity with notes of vanilla & pepper. As always, she finishes it off with the whipped cream as it is the last and crucial step to perfect the hot chocolate.
Edited by Matthew Pellow, Food and Drink Editor
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