Charbonnel et Walker
This year is a big year for Charbonnel et Walker, as 2025 represents its 150th anniversary. Its founders, Madame Charbonnel and Mrs Walker, were introduced to one another by Edward VII, while he was Prince of Wales, and opened their first London store on Bond Street in 1875. Since then, more London shops have launched – plus a northern branch in Leeds – and Charbonnel has amassed an army of sweet-toothed fans. Noel Coward even had a box of the shop’s finest selections delivered to his home every fortnight. The main anniversary celebrations begin in September, so look out for new launches and designs.
charbonnel.co.uk
Baravelli’s
Baravelli’s in Conwy has garnered more than 50 awards for its chocolate, and this Welsh bean-to-bar chocolatier has designed and produced Easter eggs for the likes of Harrods, Liberty and Selfridges. Many of Emma and Mark Baravelli’s creations are akin to edible works of art, and their limited-edition, hand-painted Easter eggs for 2025 are based on Japanese painting, particularly sumi-e. Each egg even has an accompanying kanji character on its back, reflecting the egg’s subject matter. The six available designs are delicious masterpieces – exactly as one might expect from stars of Channel 4’s 2019 series Extreme Chocolate Makers.
baravellis.com
Zara’s Chocolates
Chocolate lover Zara realised a lifelong dream in 2013 when she opened her chocolate shop on North Street in Bristol. The store quickly became a cherished hub within the local community (and beyond), as popular for its indulgent sit-down hot chocolates as for its shelves of handmade truffles, caramels, chocolate bars and more. The in-house open kitchen is a proud feature at Zara’s – behind a glass window at the back of the shop, visitors can enjoy watching the chocolatiers as they create fresh batches of sweet delights to fill the shelves. And as the weather gets warmer, a roster of handmade ice-creams and sorbets takes centre stage.
zaraschocolates.com
Cocoa Wonderland
This ‘emporium of wonders and delights’ is a haven of sweet things on Sheffield’s Ecclesall Road – a cafe and shop packed with everything from traditional sweets and handmade ice-cream to a mouthwatering array of chocolates created in the shop’s in-house chocolate factory. The range of flavours is enormous, including several inspired by the store’s range of sweets. For Easter, beautiful fill-your-own handmade eggs will be on offer to suit all tastes, as well as some exquisite limited-edition spring chocolates, such as Bakewell Tart, Pastel de Nata, Orange Blossom & Honey, and Almond Creme & Apricot Jelly.
cocoawonderland.co.uk
William Curley
Four-times winner of The Academy of Chocolate’s ‘Best British Chocolatier’ award, Scottish patissier chocolatier William Curley is a true artisan. He and his wife, Melissa, work alongside a bijou team of chefs to conjure delicacies laced with British flavours, from Cranachan truffles to Juniper & Blackcurrant chocolates. There’s also a range of bars and slabs for moments when a mouthful just isn’t enough and,
if you really want to indulge on a regular basis, join the Curley Club and await a parcel of signature and surprise morsels each month. Shop online or be beguiled in-person at William’s artfully designed boutique in Soho.
williamcurley.co.uk
Bettys
A beloved Yorkshire institution, Bettys began in 1919 when Swiss chocolate specialist Frederick Belmont opened his first shop in the spa town of Harrogate. Today, there are five tea rooms, their popularity evidenced with queues snaking their way along pavements. To take away a taste of Bettys, beat the line and pop inside to lust over counters of cakes and glossy truffles, handmade in the Craft Bakery, using only the finest Criollo cocoa beans. Seasonal treats abound – expect lemon fondant chicks, chocolate bunnies and Easter eggs piped to the nines, from the Spring Flowers egg, to ingenious flat versions,
perfect for posting.
bettys.co.uk
