Author Ursula Kohaupt once said, “Chocolate is happiness you can eat”, and we couldn’t agree more as life is just sweeter with chocolate.
Whether you’re looking for artisanal chocolates or chocolate treats for yourself or for family and friends, these are the places to go for your chocolate fix.
1. Awfully Chocolate
www.awfullychocolate.com/
When Awfully Chocolate opened in 1998, there was nothing quite like it. Its white, minimalist store in Katong had no cake display and only one item on the menu – a 6-inch chocolate cake.
Its bold move worked and it helped that its gooey cake was ridiculously decadent. In fact, many considered it to be the best chocolate cake in Singapore at that time.
Today, Awfully Chocolate is a local magnate of chocolate, offering truffles, cookies, bars, ice cream and raw ingredients. It is also known for innovative chocolate creations like mooncake-shaped truffles for the Mid-Autumn Festival and chocolate cigars for Father’s Day.
To enjoy its café offerings with signature chocolate drinks like Really Fresh Chocolate Milk, Chocolate Affogato, Hot Chocolate, Chocolate Espresso, 70% Dark Martini, Baileys and Chocolate, and Chocolate Espresso Martini, visit its flagship bakery and cafe in Katong.
2. The Dark Gallery
That perfect balance between sweet, earthy and bitter in chocolate desserts and snacks is something The Dark Gallery has devoted itself in producing since 2017.
This Singaporean start-up considers itself “a glossary of dark indulgences”, and specialises in chocolates and desserts made with premium cocoa beans.
Its four outlets – located in Funan, Millenia Walk, Great World City and Ngee Ann City – are also cafes so they offer cakes, pralines, macarons, artisanal ice cream, single origin chocolate platters and house specials like The Chocolate Souffle, Frozen S’mores and The Chocolate Brownie Mess.
Its smooth, rich and luscious signature chocolate drinks are made from pure Valrhona 66 percent chocolate couvertures. Its Chocolate Affogato features 80 percent dark chocolate ice cream while the Frozen Chocolate Cube Latte comes with a choice of matcha white chocolate cubes or dark hazelnut chocolate cubes.
3. Janice Wong
https://janicewong.online
Singaporean award-winning pastry chef Janice Wong is known for creating edible art on the plate and on the wall. She first made waves with inventive dessert spot 2am:dessertbar at Holland Village in 2007, where her plated desserts left quite the impression.
She later pushed the boundaries of “chocolate art” by literally painting with chocolate and creating edible art, and one can see this legacy today in her packaging and offerings, including her colourful handpainted chocolate bon bons and bean-to-bar chocolates. If you wish, try creating your own masterpieces with her Chocolate Crayons. Need a little guidance? There’s her bean-to-bar “painting” classes.
She recently launched a bean-to-bar concept shop with Janice Wong Pure Imagination, and looks towards creating Singapore’s first origin cocoa bean by planting cocoa trees locally.
Chocolate lovers will want to sink their teeth into her all-time crowd favourite cake – Chocolate Madeleine Cake – where layers of heavenly chocolate madeleine, rich coffee mascarpone, luscious chocolate crumble, velvety caramel bavarois and decadent chocolate mousse come together in one scrumptious creation.
4. Laurent Bernard Chocolatier
https://www.laurentbernard.com.sg
French artisan chocolatier Laurent Bernard has been offering a delicious range of gourmet chocolate bars, truffles, pralines, French cakes and pastries since 2006.
To Laurent, the cacao beans he uses “are the result of a long tradition, (and) a connection between the tree and the planters”. With such a perspective, it’s small wonder that the chocolatier also places an emphasis on environmental sustainability to preserve and build the source farming communities.
Taste the difference in his pralines, or choose from a wide selection of chocolate cakes, featuring cacao in all its forms – from flakes and fudge to mousse. For a sit-down affair, head over to its cafe and chocolate bar at Robertson Quay where you can indulge in house specialities like the decadent Chocolate Souffle.
5. Anjalichocolat
https://www.anjalichocolat.com
Expect only freshly made chocolates at Anjalichocolat. Founded in 2014 by former banker Anjali Gupta, the Singapore-based chocolatier offers a selection of luxury chocolates, from bars and lollipops to bon bons and tasting squares, made in its Dempsey Hill workshop. Her retail shop is located at Tanglin Mall.
Trained in the UK and Turkey with beginnings at the now-defunct PasarBella at The Grandstand, Gupta is known for creating chocolates with alluring flavours. Most notable is her “From Singapore Lah!” collection which features truffles and bon bons in local flavours like Kaya Toast Pandan, Chinese 5 Spice, Mango Pudding, Singapore Sling, Gula Melaka, Teh Tarik and Lemongrass Coconut.
Her Dempsey chocolate studio offers workshops on the art of chocolate-making, tips and secrets behind tempering, molding and decorating chocolate masterpieces, and more.
6. Chocolate Origin
With its clean aesthetics and single mission to bring decadent chocolate to the masses, Chocolate Origin has become a favourite among chocolate cake lovers. Started locally in 2011, the brand is best known for its rich and moist chocolate cakes and lava cakes, all made from premium Belgium chocolate.
Other crowd favourites are its boxes of cubed chocolate truffles, rich chocolate tarts and icy gelato pints.
Its most recent collab with Japanese brand Cacaocat was warmly received, and some of its outlets now offer Cacaocat premium chocolates that are made in Hokkaido.
7. Fossa Chocolate
https://www.fossachocolate.com
Singapore’s first bean-to-bar chocolate company is known for its made-from-scratch single origin chocolates and one-of-a-kind flavours like Salted Egg Cereal Chocolate, Lychee Rose, Pistachio Cranberry Rose and Chilli Peanut Praline.
Fossa roasts, cracks and winnows cacao beans in small batches to showcase the unique flavours of each batch of cacao. The cacao nibs are then ground with sugar to a smooth texture, before being carefully tempered and moulded into bars and hand-packaged. Its dark chocolates are produced in its purest form with only cacao and sugar.
It introduces new, innovative flavours regularly so chocolate lovers can travel the world with their palates. Must-trys include Spicy Mala, Teh Tarik, Satay Sauce, Nanyang Kopi, Pineapple Tart, Tomato & Maqaw Pepper, Blueberry Lavender & Oat, Crema Al Pistachio, Drifting Snowflakes Jasmine Green and Yuzu Sea Salt. Look out too for small-batch and limited releases like Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Bee Pollen and Passionfruit Sour.
This inventiveness and its commitment to sustainability using ethically sourced cacao, is why Fossa has consistently won awards since its launch and can be found in over a hundred stockists around the world.
8. Royce’ Chocolate
https://www.royce.com.sg/index.php
Founded in Hokkaido in 1983, the Japanese chocolate brand opened its first store in Singapore in 2001. Its bestseller is the rich and velvety Nama chocolate, made with fresh cream and dusted with cocoa powder. Alcoholic versions contain a hint of Champagne Pierre Mignon or Hennessy V.S.O.P.
Its Potatochip Chocolate is super addictive as is the Popcorn Chocolate – you’ve been warned! There are also cookies coated with chocolate; dark, white and milk chocolate bars with different percentages of cacao; truffles; matcha pralines and chocolate wafers in four flavours.
For crunch, go for its finger-sized Nutty, Fruit or Matcha Bar Chocolates, Macadamia Chocolate or Amande Chocolat featuring roasted almonds coated in dark, white or milk chocolate.
9. Mr. Bucket Chocolaterie
Named after Charlie Bucket, the main character from Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory book, Mr. Bucket Chocolaterie specialises in artisanal chocolate bon bons made with responsibly sourced single-estate Asian chocolate.
The bon bons come in unexpected flavours – think Strawberry Balsamic, Kaya Soy, Eggnog, Calamansi Surprise, Double Soy Caramel, Coffee Caramel Whisky, Tea & Biscuits, Cookies & Cream and Peanut Butter & Jelly! The Build-a-Box lets you select six and 12 bon bons for delightfully scrumptious melt-in-your-mouth experiences.
You can also create a chocolate slab with your favourite toppings or bring your own containers to fill up with your choice treats at The Dispensary at the Dempsey chocolate factory and store.
Enjoy a leisurely brunch or tea at Mr. Bucket’s cosy alfresco area. Nibble on a Chewy Chocolate Cookie and Sea Salt Brownie, washed down with chocolate beverages like 72% (or 65%) SO Hot Choc Beverage, Chocolate Stout Bottle, Cookie Milkshake, Iced Chocolate and Milkshake 80% Single Origin.
10. Godiva
https://www.godiva.com.sg
The famous Belgian chocolate brand has a long-standing reputation for producing premium chocolates using traditional techniques and high-quality ingredients since 1926.
Its name comes from Lady Godiva, wife of Lord Leofric, who rode through the streets of Coventry “clad in naught but her long tresses” to protest against the taxation of her husband’s subjects. Inspired by Lady Godiva’s passion, generosity and pioneering spirit, Godiva’s legendary name has become a universal symbol of luxury, quality and the most delicious chocolate.
Its chocolate creations are beautifully presented in lavish gift boxes. Choose from its famous truffles and shell-molded chocolate pieces to its European-style biscuits, individually wrapped chocolates, hot cocoa and chocolate soft serve.
*This article has been edited and adapted from Now Boarding by Changi Airport’s “Chocolate overload: 13 drool-worthy chocolate shops in Singapore“
