The bustling city of Edinburgh is known for its dynamic landscape and historic attractions like Edinburgh Castle, bringing in thousands of tourists every year to enjoy the sights, sounds, and tastes that Scotland’s capital city has to offer. If you’re arriving in Edinburgh with a bit of a sweet tooth, you’ll be happy to know that this capital has plentiful chocolate shops and expert chocolatiers that will sate your cocoa craving.
Scotland is known for its wide range of delicious treats and sweets, including staples like Moffat toffee, chocolate tablets, and sea-salt-infused candy. However, the chocolate Edinburgh is bursting with the talent of local artisans and complex, innovative flavours. From stores like the Chocolatarium, Hotel Chocolat, and several independent family-run stores, visitors coming to Edinburgh with chocolate in mind are spoilt for choice.
Whether you’re looking for a delicious complement to a dram of whisky or want a sweet snack while you explore the city, here are the top Edinburgh chocolatiers and chocolate shops you should visit during your holiday in Scotland!
Hotel Chocolat
Hotel Chocolat is a famed chocolate store franchise that you can find all over Scotland. They offer luxury and decadent chocolates, which are superb gifts if there are chocolate lovers back home who couldn’t make the trip. Edinburgh’s Hotel Chocolat provides an unrivalled selection of chocolates for you to try, from chilli, caramel, ginger marzipan, orange, raspberry, truffles, white chocolate, and countless other cacao confections.
Choosing which chocolates you want to indulge in later is so much fun and an experience. Remember to pair your chocolate bars with a hot chocolate or a gift for your friends and family back home; they won’t forgive you if you do!
There are not one but three different physical stores in Edinburgh that you can discover during your holiday trip to the capital. One on Frederick Street near the Royal Mile, one in St James Quarter, and one out of the way in Fort Kinnard. Pick whichever works for your sightseeing schedule, or purchase your favourites from their online store.
The Chocolatarium
When speaking about artisan chocolate experiences and chocolatiers in Edinburgh, the Chocolatarium stands as one of the best experiences guests to ‘Auld Reekie’ can look forward to. This micro-factory in the heart of Edinburgh offers the chance to purchase some decadent chocolate and have a great time too!
The main attraction of The Chocolatarium is its range of chocolate experiences. Choose from several interesting and exciting tours, including, The Chocolatarium Tour (which includes chocolate making from over 40 flavours), a Truffle-Making Masterclass, or their Whisky or Wine Chocolate Pairing. You can make your own chocolate bars and truffles to take home or experience Edinburgh’s world-class whisky with amazing desserts with a simple booking for their tasting room.
The Chocolatarium Edinburgh is located on Cranston Street in Holyrood. Take advantage of one, if not the top, chocolate experience you can enjoy in this fair city.
Chocolatiers Edward & Irwyn
Chocolatiers Edward & Irwyn boast over 10 years of chocolate-making experience and combine rich, delicious artisanal chocolate with a homely family-run store. In their extensive experience, these amazing chocolatiers are known for their intrepid experimentation that brings forth incredible, if unusual, flavours.
Chocolate lovers will love this chocolate shop’s selection of unique cocoa creations, from their chocolate shards that boast mandarin, rosemary, and tonka bean flavours in a natural and aesthetic presentation to the more traditional gift boxes and nutty bars. If you love to eat chocolate but are vegan, then don’t fret: Chocolatiers Edward & Irwyn have a fantastic vegan collection with a bold taste.
Many of the primary ingredients that this chocolatier chocolate shop uses are locally sourced, making it a truly Scottish experience.
Considerit
Plant-based usually evokes imagery of disappointing burgers, but watch your perception change once you’ve tasted the plant-based artisan chocolates made by Considerit. Edinburgh’s chocolate and confectionary store provides delicious chocolate in all its forms, from doughnuts to macarons and small bite-sized chocolate balls.
The chocolate treats from Considerit are plant-based, dairy-free, and vegan; how considerate! If you’re looking for delectable chocolate but have dietary restrictions or want to try something new, then Considerit is the place to go. Any chocolate lover will be smitten with the selection of chocolate on offer here.
You can find Considerit in Newington, Edinburgh – a stone’s throw away from Meadow Park.
The Fudge House of Edinburgh
With such an awe-inspiring title as The Fudge House of Edinburgh, it’s difficult not to visit this beloved and historic fudge maker. The Fudge House has been creating fudge since 1949 and is Edinburgh’s premier innovator.
Using a slow-cooling cast method to produce fudge with the utmost refined texture and flavour, The Fudge House’s range of indulgent toffee leaves guests spoilt for choice. Between classics like butterscotch and Highland cream to more contemporary and new flavours like Rocky Road, mint, white chocolate, and mocha coffee, there’s much to be excited about when you pursue the treats here.
And while The Fudge House of Edinburgh isn’t a chocolate store, their dedication to artisanal treats makes it an unmissable hotspot.
Chocolate Tree
If you’re setting your sights outside of Edinburgh and looking for delicious food and drink and ample desserts, then the Chocolate Tree is the place to be. The Chocolate Tree sits between East Linton and Dunbar and sports an excellent team of artisan chocolate makers. They offer a curated selection box with all the best flavours of organic chocolate from Chocolate Tree – it’s almost too beautiful to eat.
If you want a simple treat to take with you, then Chocolate Tree’s Bean to Bar ensures you’re getting fantastic chocolate bars made using sustainable cocoa from Central and South America. Your dream chocolate bar awaits when you pay a visit to Chocolate Tree.
COCO Chocolatier
COCO Chocolatier mixes chocolate with art, quite literally! This chocolate shop lets chocolate and creativity collide at one of its artisanal stores, and you can taste this creative cocoa when you purchase one of its chocolate bars. They come in stunning flavours, including ginger, Earl Grey tea, sea salt, and passion fruit.
In addition to chocolate bars, there are giant chocolate buttons (yes, seriously) and incredible truffles too! They make for great standalone treats or toppings for cakes and ice cream. Remember to stop by COCO Chocolatier while exploring the eastern end of Edinburgh and beyond.
Mary’s Milk Bar
Each morning, Mary creates spectacular gelato and chocolate for you to taste. Mary’s makes their products fresh, so the flavours you can expect will be different each day you pay a visit. If you’re enjoying one of Edinburgh’s hot summer days, there’s nothing better than indulging in a soft and cold treat from Mary’s Milk Bar.
In addition to yummy gelato products, you can enjoy a range of chocolate treats, from chocolate bars to cakes and more! Each decadent dessert this Milk Bar offers is artisanal and aesthetic – but make sure to go as soon as possible since this Edinburgh chocolate shop gets busy.
