Hong Kong’s best chocolate shops

Founded in Hokkaido in 1983, Royce is a renowned Japanese brand that produces a range of chocolates and sweet treats including chocolate-coated potato chips, wafers and cookies. Made with fresh cream and a hint of liquor, their signature Nama chocolate is incredibly rich and smooth, melting deliciously in the mouth, and comes an decadent cocoa powder sprinkled on top. It's available in five flavours: au lait, Champagne Pierre Mignon, bitter, white and green Tea. There’s also non-liquor options as well. All Nama chocolates are freshly made and served cold. Available in City’ super for $115 each.

Originating from the global chocolate capital, Belgium, Godiva is the go-to place to satisfy your sweet tooth with their wide range of chocolates and chocolate-covered snacks. Bestsellers include their signature truffles and dark assortment gift boxes. Most stores in Hong Kong also offer freshly-made soft serve ($50) and chocolate bevvies of the iced and hot variety. 

Whilst the French are known experts on cheese and wine, they’re also mad geniuses when it comes to chocolates. La Maison du Chocolat, the premier chocolate boutique from Paris, produces collections of luxury artisanal chocolates made with their signature silky smooth ganaches and crunchy pralinés. The upmarket brand also offers authentic French macarons that are not too sweet, and of course, stuffed with decadent fillings between the delicate, shimmery shells.

Boasting more than 1,000 stores worldwide and rated as one of the best chocolatiers in Belgium, Leonidas is a world-renowned brand that produces fresh chocolate made of 100 percent pure cocoa butter and natural ingredients. Whilst there is no doubt these are high-quality chocolates, their assorted chocolate gift boxes are simply a joy to look at. Unlike typical gift sets where chocolates are arranged in separate grids all nice and neat, Leonidas gives you the satisfaction of filling the box up to the brim. Nice one, Leo.

The century-old Italian chocolatier is famed for using the finest natural ingredients imported from Italy. While they offer a collection of luxurious gift box options, a much more popular and fun option is to pick and mix your favourite Piedmont chocolates wrapped individually in colourful foil. With more than forty flavours ($460 per 300 grams) to salivate over, Venchi is the closest we'll ever get to Willy Wonka’s factory. 

Bel-Zims is an up-and-coming brand known for locally produced artisanal chocolates that are genuinely fresh, relying on pure cocoa butter and natural ingredients imported from Belgium. The founder Jacky Vergot, originally from Belgium, has dedicated over forty years to perfecting handcrafted chocolates, opening his own chocolatier in Belgium. The Hong Kong outlet offers a tempting selection of more than sixty varieties of fresh chocolates, mousse, hazelnut chocolate spread, and their signature chocolate cereal collections ($75 per jar) featuring five flavours: milk, dark, white, white with Green tea and white with raspberry. Visit the store in Tai Wai or order online with free delivery on purchases over $600.

Made locally and daily, this handcrafted chocolatier & patisserie cooks up fresh chocolates every day with seasonal ingredients sourced globally. At Vero, you can’t go wrong with either their classic, thin chocolate squares, bonbons or moreish premium chocolates with the added texture of dried fruits and nuts. If you are looking to splurge a bit on gifts, you can go for Vero’s bespoke chocolates where you can choose the flavours, logos and even shapes using the latest 3D printing technology. Purchases can only be made online or by phone with free delivery for orders over $1,000.