Guide to the best hot chocolate in London

Dark Sugars was established to tell the story of cocoa from tree to tummy. Nyanga, the founder, started the company in a small market stall at Spitalfields Market before spending a few years researching cocoa on her family’s farm in West Africa. She eventually expanded to Greenwich and Brick Lane, where she serves her handcrafted artisan chocolates, vegan sweet treats and decadent hot chocolate.

This chocolate spot is the perfect place to get your sweet tooth fix; you can enjoy handmade chocolates made fresh in front of your eyes. If you’re feeling extra sweet, opt for their gourmet hot chocolate, made with milk or dark chocolate, organic cocoa solids, sugar and cocoa butter. They also host chocolate-making experiences where you can choose from various fun and educational courses, from brownie making and bonbons to workshops where you just learn about all the different kinds of chocolates available (plus you get to try them all).

Aguamiel in Covent Garden makes a Mexican-style hot chocolate with Ceylon cinnamon and traditional olla syrup, served in a hand-painted mug, with the option of a churro for dipping. You can add a churro on the side, which is worth doing if you're the type to test the dunkability of anything warm. It is a good option for anyone who wants something different from the usual rich-and-sweet hot chocolates around the city. They also serve horchata here, a traditional Mexican cinnamon drink.

Chin Chin serves one of London's most famous hot chocolates, mostly thanks to how thick and glossy it is. The drink is made with Valrhona chocolate and has the kind of texture that sits somewhere between a dessert and a drink. It is rich but not claggy, and the flavour stays smooth from the first sip to the last. You can add a toasted marshmallow if you're feeling extra indulgent.

Create your own perfect hot chocolate at Knoops, where they use their luxury hot chocolate flakes combined with an assortment of other ingredients to craft the perfect hot cup of choccy goodness. They encourage you to experiment with different % chocolates and flavours, using a process they call ‘Knoopology’. Choose your ideal % of chocolate from the 100% single-origin with a marshmallow or make it a milkshake with the zingy ginger Szechuan pepper 28% white chocolate milkshake.

London Chocolate in Paddington focuses on a small menu of hot chocolates made with single-origin Dominican, Tanzanian and Madagascan beans. The space is tiny, and the smell of cocoa hits the second you walk in, which will suit anyone who cares more about flavour notes than toppings or whipped cream. Each hot chocolate is thick, smooth and noticeably aromatic, with berry or hazelnut notes depending on the beans.

Qima Cafe in Fitzrovia serves a hot chocolate that uses a mix of 72 per cent dark chocolate and 70 per cent guanaja, plus brown sugar that gives it a sweetness rather than being overly rich. The mug is big enough to hold with two hands, and the final sprinkle of sea salt keeps the flavour balanced.

If you love chocolate so much you want it oozing all over your cup, visit Italian Bear Chocolate. These modern industrial venues will make your hot chocolate with dark, milk, or white bars, and you can go for the triple chocolate option with layers of chocolate covering the sides of the cup for sheer decadence.