Moving from California I've been looking for a "go to" place for drinking chocolate. Though Dancing Lion is 40 minutes from my place, the drive is worth it. Rich, the owner and chocolatier, knows his chocolate and has created a beautiful Mayan drinking chocolate which can be ordered spicy or regular or if you're like me, half and half, which has just enough chili to give it heat and to allow the blend of spices with the chocolate to come through elegantly. Served in a drinking bowl, this creation which honors chocolate's historic roots as a drink is a masterpiece. Rich pairs chocolate with spices expertly to allow the natural flavors of the bean to shine in his bars, truffles, and all his creations, given the season and the harvest. But it's not just his chocolate that deserves mention, his chocolate croissants are famous. And because they are made only once a month orders need to be placed in advance. Rich and his staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and although more expensive than some places, everything is made with the finest ingredients and served with love. You can taste the difference. And the classes offered are also excellent. I've already taken the croissant class and chocolate adventure class and have plans to take the next zen brownie class. read more

Dancing Lion Chocolate - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Manchester, New Hampshire

I happened upon this place by accident. You would not expect this type of boutique shop in Manchester. I thought it was a typical chocolate shop but it is a bit more than that. They sell small batch chocolate depending on the ingredients at the time. The owner is very happy to explain their concept and what is in the chocolate. I tried the drinking chocolate, which is an experience of its own. The owner put together a sample box based on my tastes. It was a very pleasant experience and the chocolate is quite good. They have flavors I doubt you've had in chocolate before. It is pricey but worth it. Think of it as buying custom furniture over Bob's or Jordan's. read more

This place is amazing! An accidental find, but we will definitely return for more drinking chocolate! In fact, we will likely have the Chocolate Service for Two next time. Everything in this place looks amazing. read more

Can I give this place 6 stars? I finally caught this place open (they have limited hours) and WOW ... I tried the drinking chocolate and the brownie and they were both unreal. I spoke with the owner for a while too and he is a real artist and very passionate about his work. His chocolates are beautiful and have all sorts of unique flavors - he said he never repeats! I plan on going back here many many times! read more

I love this place. Their drinking chocolate is out of this world. Great spot for a date. Cute lunch menu. Beautiful chocolates. Chocolates can be pricey, but handcrafted and artisanal. We love this place. read more

I'm already planning to come back here! Stopped by to get some chocolate as a treat after a long day of work. The prices did shock me, but the owner(?) was understanding and helped me pick out a couple pieces that didn't break my budget. It was great to listen to him talk about the chocolate and explain how it's made. I only wish I had some more time and money to spend here! read more

This chocolate shop was my must visit list. It was actually the second and last stop before we headed home after helping my brother move into his new apartment in Manchester! They have wonderful chocolate! I especially loved my chai chocolate bar - the price was worth it! I'd definitely get it again next time! Cute little shop with a knowledgeable, pleasant employee working the front. I wish I had the time for some drinking chocolate but we were rushed for time. read more

Every time I step in here, the smell of freshly baked croissants takes me to a different dimension. Croissants and drinking chocolate on Saturday morning has become my husband and my little tradition. The talent housed in the shop is so clearly undisputed with every bite or sip of whatever you decide you want to have when you visit. Richard, the master chocolatier, is just the most interesting fellow. He is a wealth of knowledge and is so warm and friendly, sometimes I think we just want to stop by to converse with him. It really is a pleasure every time we visit. read more

Wow. My wife and I just tried Dancing Lion for the first time, and tried the Mayan Heat (made spicy) along with a pumpkin brownie treat. The amount of spice in the drink was perfect. It was a magical experience, and the owner spent time educating customers on the lost art of fine chocolate. read more

Rick is a great guy. He makes rel New York Egg Creams and wonderful chocolate drinks and goodies

The best hot chocolate I have ever had (that includes BOS, NY, SF, and other): wonderful, balanced flavors; luscious texture, generous quantity. It will cure anything that ails you - okay - spiritually, psychologically, at least. Then I sank my teeth into the chocolate croissant - yup: sublime... and now I've got a problem. I live over an hour away...must move closer... Delicious, fascinating, and beautiful chocolates to eat (and gift), too. The store itself is tasteful, peaceful, clearly designed to complement the chocolate (sounds funny, I know, but you'll see). Owner, Richard, is eloquent on products and process. Definitely must stop if you're in or passing by Manchester. read more

So this chocolatier, it's pretty amazing. However, the chocolatier turns into a pop-up restaurant on Friday evenings and that restaurant is called Eterna. This review is about the restaurant eterna. First thing you need to do is call ahead to find out when the next event is. They will tell you the meal that is being provided and you must be ahead. The average price of the meal is about $25 a person which is incredibly good considering the quality of the cuisine. I'll say as a man I expected that the meat of the main course should be about 6-8 ounces. Instead the veal provided was approximately 2-3oz. This is a photo of a delicious Scandinavian/German plate of breaded veal schnitzel, potato dumplings and sautéed vegetables. The dessert was called "poison Apple" and it was delicious. However! the portions on all were very small, like a kid-size plate. I did recommend to the chef to have a small and large plate size. The meat was 2-3 oz, the dessert was a "sample" size. So, if you want quality and low quantity, it's perfect. If you're looking for a full meal, not here. More of a 1/2 meal. But delicious! read more

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I drank spicy coffee chocolate 2 times a day while I was there for 3 days. It's exceptionally good and the owner, Rich is very friendly and nice. I'm happy to say that this is one of the best places for coffee. Instead of going to StarBucks, I rather visit here daily for my drink. Yes, the price is a bit high but it's well worth it for the exceptional service and high quality drink. read more

Fantastic! Gourmet chocolates as tasty as they are beautiful. Unique flavor combinations that constantly change based on what is available, in season, and on the chocolatier's mind. They took the time to tell us about each creation so we could decide what we wanted to try (everything!). Highly recommend the zen brownie! read more

Space is tight, but it's perfect for a nice little sit down session. Wether reflecting on things or sharing some time with a friend, it's a great place. The Drinking Chocolate is phenomenal and worth a try. It's a nice slow drinker to just really enjoy. First timer here on business and this was well worth the stop. read more

Unquestionably the best chocolate shop in the city of Manchester. The products are superb and the staff knows there stuff.

One of the top chocolatiers in North America is right here in Manchester. The chocolates here are exquisitely beautiful, the come from all over the world, and so. so. delicious. The staff is knowledgeable and friendly. The Mayan hot chocolate is to die for. I make a point to visit here EVERY time I'm in Manchester and you should too! read more

Yes it is pricey $3-4 per chocolate or truffle, but its a very small specialty shop and to be expected. The owner is talkative, clearly very passionate about what he does. He loves chocolate, decorating chocolate, the practice of making chocolate. He also likes to be creative with it. I was happy with the chocolate and my Fiancee was also very happy with the quality as well. She's usually one to savor things and always tells me to enjoy your coffee, eat or drink things slowly. She was popping the truffles in her mouth so quickly that I was like, do you realize how expensive those are? In fact she wanted to go back the next day to get more chocolates but the shop was closed due to a holiday. There are also various dinners/lunches and classes that the owner offers. Its also nice that he has some of the local art students decorate some of the chocolates, giving them a chance to earn some cash while practicing their skills. He's definitely integrated into the community, and its nice to have this shop around. read more

Rich puts thought and hard work with love into his creations. Consistent in being a great experience. Staff has great knowledge and experience. Keeps people off talking on cell phone in the store, which I do sometimes when he is in the back, but it is a great atmosphere. read more

Not sure how I had not stumbled upon this gem located on Elm St. ever before but I am very grateful that I did so yesterday. I was trying to find some special place to take my three grandchildren for a special treat in Manchester and thanks to Yelp, I found it. We all oohed and aahhed as we admired the chocolate delicacies which were truly works of art. We all ordered a white hot chocolate and it was pretty quiet as we just sat, sipped and enjoyed each drop of deliciousness. I can assure you...I will be back for more! read more

All I can say is OMG !!! People are awesome, chocolate is amazing and beautiful. Unique and fabulous

Mayan hot chocolate is a must have. It is worth the wait. Chocolate bars and brownies from this place are totally worth it. If you love dark chocolate (or milk chocolate) and rich flavors, this place is for you. The owner is delightful. read more

Great Chocolate!!! A little pricey but is worth all the hype. It was located in a small little whole in the wall place. But its like finding a gem in the ruff. The Chocolate was delicious and Richard was the man. Introduced us to a whole new experience with chocolate. read more

Discoverd Dancing Lion through Yelp. Besides mouth watering, handmade chocolates and scrumptious chocolate drinks, enjoyable conversation. The owner is passionate about his craft and gladly shares that passion with you. Highly recommended. Unfortunately, I was too early for the croissants. Next time. read more

The work Richard does is pure artistry. The Mayan Chocolate is heaven in a bowl and almost meditative in its presentation, quality, and flavor. The chocolates here are hand crafted and exquisite. The shop is intimate, beautifully decorated, and smells amazing. The service is exceptional, Rick welcomes everyone as a friend he just hadn't met yet. I'll be leaving a lot of money here...I can already tell read more

Food is great. Croissant is really good and so is the chocolate drink. Owner is very nice and took time to explain the chocolate. The only reason I do not give a 5 star is the cost. It is overly priced. Hope they bring the cost down so I would visit more often. read more

Pros: Highest quality chocolate I've had in the state, drinking chocolates and croissants are standout items. Cons: Runs expensive, limited supplementary menu items. I stopped in at Dancing Lion Chocolates twice in the past week, once on Friday, February 24th and then again the following day. I stopped in around 3:00 PM on Friday and 12:30 on Saturday, and the place was not that busy at either time (there was one pair of people in there on Friday, and none on Saturday). The first stop was on a cold, rainy Friday and I went solo after reading the positive reviews on this website. I ordered one of their "drinking chocolates", which is by and large an advanced hot chocolate ($4.00 for a small cup, $5.00 for a "to-go", and $5.75 for a bowl, which is the size I recommend). They offer a water and milk based option each day, and the one I got was a combination of three different chocolates with a water base with hints of honey (and I believe maple). It was, if not the best hot chocolate I've ever had, in the conversation. The flavor was complex and created with great care, the temperature was perfect, and most importantly, it tasted exceptional. I had a goofy smile plastered over my face for a good hour after drinking it. I also bought a package of five different chocolates ($12.50). All the chocolates were meticulously created and designed, and the selection changes constantly. I still have a couple to go, but the few I have eaten were immensely satisfying, complex, and expertly created. With that said, it is still $12.50 for five small pieces of chocolate. You have to be in the mood to splurge for high-quality, unique pieces. Is it worth it? Depends what you're buying chocolate for and whether you need quantity or quality on that day. I know that I'm not always in that kind of mood, but if you're looking for high-quality chocolate work, you're not going to do much better than DLC. The second stop was the next day, and I went back specifically for the croissants. The owner (Rich) was talking up the croissants with a couple of people the day before, and I had a little time to stop in with a friend. She bought a homemade chocolate bar ($12.50), and I bought two croissants ($3.50 per). I wasn't a huge fan of the chocolate bar (solid enough), but the croissants were clearly better than your typical NH croissant. Is it the best outside of France? Can't say, but they were what croissants should be: buttery, flaky, familiar, and consistent. It's not great value, but knowing what the owner goes through to find the ingredients he deems suitable for his customers, it sure seems worth it. If you have an extra twenty on hand, I'd suggest stopping in and grabbing a drinking chocolate, a croissant (on Thursday/Saturday), and a piece or two of chocolate and just sit there and enjoy a little taste of France. Edit (7/2): I have been back one or two times since. They have added some baked goods to the repertoire, and not surprisingly, they are both pricey and incredible. I had the Zen Brownie with rum-soaked cherries, which was one of the best brownies I ever had and was gluten free to boot. Awesome. read more

Okay, I did not want to give this a star rating, because frankly, there is nothing in the area to compare it to. I had the best hot-chocolate I have ever had. I also paid more than I ever had. The chocolate was great, but could I tell if it was better than any other exceptionally high end chocolate I have ever had - I can't tell. It is certainly better/different than any boxed chocolate I have ever had, including Burdicks (NH's best chocolate according to aficionados). The croissants are the best in the area, on average - they do vary a bit, but even when not at their best, they are the best around. Does that make this a five star place? Well for high end, yes. For the croissants, in the area, yes. For the hot-chocolate, yes. For value, no, but who would go here for value. read more

Absolutely fantastic. We moved to NH from NYC where we often went to Jacques Torres Chocolate. Dancing Lion is better!

Most expensive breakfast I ever had. I am looking forward to the next time we get to stop in and do it again! Absolutely worth every penny! There was just enough milk in my drinkable chocolate to make me uncomfortable but it was d read more

I think I know good chocolate. I tried two things: 1) Spicy Mayan Heat drinking chocolate , and 2) a Small Box $25.00 assortment. The drink was different than you'd expect, though the helpful folks working there (including the chocolatier!) described it accurately. Rather than a thick dark drink, it's thinner, spicy, and chocolatey but in a different way. (Sorry I can't be more articulate.) So: no complaints on #1! Give it a try. For the assortment, I found it a mixed bag. First, at $5/piece, it should be amazing, and some of them were quite good. At the same time (and again, I'm used to fine chocolate where the pieces are not very large), the value was not great. Some of them are pretty thin, and one of the five was simply a solid piece of (very tasty!) chocolate. The chocolatier was enthusiastic about his sourcing, and kudos for that. And no doubt his small batches are time-consuming. However, I think they're a bit too expensive (hence the 4/5 stars). Still, very very good work. I hope that's fair. read more

We are so lucky to have this master chocolatier in Manchester, NH! This is what you might be lucky to find in Paris or maybe, just maybe, in NYC . . . but Manchester?! To call the drinks that are served "hot chocolate" would be a huge disservice, for the experience is unlike any prior drinking chocolate you will have likely experienced. All I can say is don't miss the opportunity to enjoy the best chocolate available anywhere! Rich is not only talented, but passionate about his creations. Everything about the store has his magic touch. As one other reviewer said, you have to try this place, YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED!!! read more