I went into a million artisinal chocolate shops in London searching for gifts and the best…read morechocolate and this was one of my favorite places for fine chocolate! (Tied in 1st for my favorite London chocolate was the Pump Street chocolate curated by Harrod's department store, and one from Whole Foods hah!) Paul A Young is famous and won awards for their salted caramel chocolates, unique and unlike any other I've had because they're much softer than the usual caramels, but at the same time not completely liquid. I personally thought their brownies were the best part - they seemed overly dense but were so rich and perfectly decadent. I also purchased the sampler of different varieties of milk and dark chocolates, and it was my least favorite because I felt the darks were a little too dry and bitter and the milks were too creamy and sweet. I'd recommend you taste the samples on the main table before purchasing. The truffles were beautiful and the flavors unique but personally I was not a big fan (except for the salted caramels). Overall, highly recommend a visit here for the salted caramels and brownies!

At a time when investing can be hazardous because of the volatility of the world economy. I have…read morespotted one product which seems immune to the winds of recession. High end chocolate is on the up with chains like Maison Chocolat opening new shops. Paul A Young's flagship shop in Soho follows this pattern of extremely tempting and exclusive chocolates on show with prices which would make your bank manager and my Chinese Thrift Gene blush! My CTG won't allow me to buy these expensive products for myself but it's a good destination for a nice present for someone special. They do sell interesting products like savoury flavours in their chocolate Fortunately, I have more of a savoury tooth than a sweet tooth, so this place won't bankrupt me

Gorgeous chocolate shop in Shoreditch! Love that the chocolate pieces are mix and match as they're…read morepriced the same. I got a variety of chocolates to try and my favorites were the coffee hazelnut and pistachio crunch chocolates! Love that they have a good variety of vegan and dark chocolate options! Everything was so good and super fun to get a variety mix.

This was a worthwhile stop during our stroll along Brick Lane. Located in a small shop at the…read morecorner of Brick Lane and Bacon St. (just to add to its appeal), the vintage feel jives with the overall ambiance of the Brick Lane experience. But inside this shop is an experience all its own. Those of us well into our adult years will still get that proverbial "kid in a candy store" sense when walking into a place like this. The immediate reaction is "I'll take one of everything". The number of choices and sheer number of chocolates displayed in a confined space are both exhilarating and overwhelming at the same time. It was clear from the choices that this was a true artisan shop. In an act of fiscal and dietary restraint, we took away a half-dozen pieces. My wife always compares chocolatiers using their Chocolate Orange Peels (Chocolate Orangettes is what they called them at this place) as a benchmark. This place passed with flying colors. They also offered an intriguing Mango-infused Dark Chocolate with a pipet of Mango compote that you could inject before eating. It was also a highlight. The prices are fair for what this place is and the service is friendly, polite and efficient. If you are meandering up and down Brick Lane, this establishment is worth a stop. If you are a Chocolate fan, then this place is a must-stop. I guess there are people out there who are not chocolate lovers (or at least likers), but that is like not being a fan of oxygen from my perspective. I would like to stop again sometime to try one of the chocolate drinks. We opted to not get one this time on top of the candy pieces we bought to avoid the sugar overload. But they looked amazing from what I saw of others who did indulge.

You know you've got a sweetheart to keep when they surprise you with a hamper of Artisan du…read moreChocolat best sellers! Housed in a white fabric box tied together with chocolate satin ribbon, my chocolatel treasure chest arrived packed with the following delicious treats: Box of couture chocolates - Exquisitely decorated milk and dark chocolates made with rare cocoa beans and infused with herbs, flowers, nuts, seeds and spices. My favourite flavours included Lemon & Thyme, House Tea infused with Orange Blosson, Honey, Basil & Lime, Coffee & Star Anise, Tonka, Green Cardamon and Lemon Verbena. Lumi Bar - Distinctive and moreish milk chocolate infused with the flavour of lumis (ripe limes boiled in salt water and sun dried apparently). Darjeeling Bar - Strong, dark chocolate - 72% cocoa content my friends! - infused with lingering tea leaves. Jamaica Bar - Limited edition, milk chocolate bar with mouth-watering and surprising notes of plums, liquorice and jasmine. Original sea salted caramels - Created by head honcho Gerard Coleman, these are the definition of Chocolat Heaven. Rolled in dusted chocolate, they taste strong and bitter until you bite them and get an explosion of liquid caramel, sweet chocolate and sea salt on your tongue. Before you ask, yes, Artisan du Chocolat do mail order. Yes, the website is open 24-7 and yes, they really do taste S*U*B*L*I*M*E.

Chocolate Couture at its finest. Chocolate Couture you ask?…read more Let me explain. Walk into this shop without seeing the front and you may think the boxes on display contain Chanel perfumes and fine jewellery. Until you notice that decadent displays of chocolate in all its forms. I can't quite put it into words. It is magnificent, if not a little extravagant. But then what person doesn't like a little extravagance every now and then? L'Artisan Du Chocolat have single-handedly redesigned the chocolate wheel. Each product is a finely crafted piece of art and I don't quite know how anyone gets around to eating them. I've thought about framing my chocolate bar. It doesn't have to be expensive either. My tip: Salted Caramels of Pink and Black pepper, created exclusively for Gordon Ramsay's at Claridges. And at £10 for a container and box that looks like a luxurious face cream, it's the perfect gift for a chocolate lover who has everything.

On my way from work to a friend's house for book club and dinner, it was my responsibility to bring…read morethe dessert. But with a convenient bus going directly from Bank to just around the corner from her house, I was a frantic mess searching for a basic shop in which to buy some sweets. Luckily, I didn't find a convenience store (let's think about the location here) -- I happened upon Paul A. Young and was in choc heaven. It's a wonder that the place was still open, considering the area -- shops and cafes usually close at 5 or earlier when you're surrounded by office buildings. I can guarantee I was the only customer that day, which meant I got wonderful personal treatment from the shopkeeper. First of all, I want to bottle the smell of the shop's interior and sell it for millions. I could spend hours in there just sniffing. The kind man behind the counter was very helpful in pointing out EVERYTHING in the shop that was dairy-free. Because he was so nice, I ignored the prices and bought 4 dark chocolate mice, a small box of ferrero rocher style chocolate clusters, and a small box of mint chocolate slices. All wrapped up in some tissue paper in a beautiful carrier bag, and I was on my way. And I have to say, the girls were impressed with my dessert choice. I'll definitely be going back to Paul's again.

Get the Aztec hot chocolate! It's amazing, pure decadent chocolate that just coats your tongue and…read moresends bolts of pleasure straight to your brain. You can add various spices to it to customise it for your tastes, but overall it will satisfy even the most demanding of chocolate cravings. I first went to this place to find an appetiser for the "dessert as dinner" concept for a first date. I had heard rumors of delicious chocolate mice and had to see these for myself. I can confirm the rumours, they are delicious and well worth the hunt. I was grinning like the Cheshire cat as I walked away carrying my prize. The shop is small but stacked with chocolate in all conceivable forms and flavourings. The smell is overwhelming and breathing deeply can be enough to hit your chocolate limit.

Adorable & delicious treats await you at Jeff de Bruges…read more Staff is nice as can be - we were interested in their super-cute animal shapes like horses, cows, pigs, chickens, fish..... but did not want to purchase the pre-filled boxes or bags since they also contained shapes & flavors we did not care so much about They happily offered to fill a hand-selected bag just for us so we ventured through their cases & selected all our favorites The milk chocolate is creamy & has a fantastic melty factor - the animals contained bits of toffee, coconut or hazelnut & they were just the treat we were seeking Wonderful stop after the V&A Museum!

If you are giving 5 stars to an ice cream place you visited in rain, you know it was worth the…read moremoney. I treated myself with a cup of mixed Madagascan Vanilla and Chocolate ice cream (italian style from a machine). I chosen some fruit toppings and small salted caramel cubes (awesome texture, a must-try) which meant I received the portion in a plastic bowl - but that was my negligence to say I wanted it coned. Looking at all the beautiful pralines I asked for a couple and so I can now comprehensively recommend John de Bruges for authentic excellency.

We visited their smaller location on a super hot day, however, we didn't want to miss out on the…read moredeliciousness.

Came here with my coworkers and was expecting it to be bigger but it was a quaint packed shop. The…read moreline was out the door but moved quickly. We each ordered a different flavored hot chocolate and were amazed at the customer service and the guy preparing the toppings for the drink. We were all in awe at the taste. Definitely worth the two tune rides and the street was amazing. Can't wait to check out the main location.

High-quality London-based chocolatiers with truly decadent and enticing offerings. How can anyone…read morepass up their salted caramels... or their cups of melted candy bars that pass as hot chocolate... or their truffles...or? Well, it goes on and on. Aside the fact that the chocolate is well-executed chocolate, one of the more unusual things about this chocolatier is their fantastical flavours... and these aren't flavours that are done *just* for the sake of having strange sounding flavours - no, they actually *work* - and magnificently so. I'm especially partial to the cinnamon, the black cardamom, and the red wine - probably because I like warm spices, and, well...red wine. This shop is also ideal place to pick up a box of chocolate for a gift. The staff are always patient and lovely, and will let you really contemplate just *what* of their myriad of offerings should go into your hand-selected box. The chocolates themselves are artistic and colourfully decorated in some cases - and there are so many to choose from, if you really know your recipient's taste, they will inevitably know these trifles of divinity were picked just with them in mind. *Plus* the little "couture box" they come in is so intricate and well-crafted that it undeniably *proclaims* high-quality... so a person is sure to be well aware that this is no ordinary chocolate parcel even if they've never heard of the brand before. All that, and I would say that the prices are not that unreasonable. Hurray!

Best chocolate ever. We had a custom made bag with nearly two of everything in the store. The best!…read morePeriod. Go get some now. Stop reading this review.

Excellent chocolate shop- it smells amazing inside! The customer service is excellent as well!…read more You can purchase a box or a few pieces, I ended up getting two 26 piece boxes (the smallest ones they had and I believe it's 26 or maybe it's 16 pieces haha I don't remember); along with that I got two pieces to treat myself, and a bar of vegan chocolate for a friend. The ones I tried are delicious! Will absolutely be back and recommend this spot to others. So excited to gift a box to my S/O and family!

Lovely chocolate shop in Notting Hill ! I like to pop in for a hot chocolate on a cold day after…read morewandering around portobello market. We walked in one day when their cafe space had been reserved for a private event and the staff was very kind and accommodating, clearing up the little nook by the window for us to sit and enjoy our drinks. It's a fun visit, made even better by the nice staff and great music they play. Needless to say the hot chocolate in wonderful!