Best Hot Chocolate Spots in Cornwall
The clocks have wound back an hour and the leaves are rustling along the pavements and paths, Autumn has arrived to the honk of geese and glow of berries. Wrap yourselves up in hats and scarves and join us for a seasonal stroll along some of Cornwall’s most characterful haunts topped off with some of the most luxurious hot chocolate experiences in the Duchy.
Things are about to get seriously chocolatey…
The Beach Hut, Watergate Bay
View this post on Instagram
With its sweeping ocean views beyond the golden miles of Watergate Bay, The Beach Hut remains one of the north coast’s favourite spots for hot chocolatiers. The baristas serve up an impressive marshmallow-filled mug topped with chocolate buttons, the perfect accompaniment for those comfy seats. Sit back and beguile at the dazzling sunsets while sipping your dreamy chocolate infusion. There are some magnificent walks to be enjoyed around Watergate Bay, from the southern stretches of Newquay’s Fistral Beach to the magnificent headland of the Trevose Head Heritage Coast.
The Sorting Office, St Agnes
View this post on Instagram
Also on the Cornish north coast, in the heart of the characterful fishing village of St Agnes (or “Aggie” if you’re a proper old local) can be found The Sorting Office coffeehouse. This cosy and historic patisserie has been serving up exquisite hot drinks to its patrons since it was revamped in 2015, and its signature chocolat chaud is a real hit with ramblers out exploring the St Agnes Heritage Coast. Watch your dusted, creamy swirl melt into its sweet lagoon of chocolate as you sit by the window and watch the world go by. A word of warning, the cakes are also off-the-charts delicious.
Watering Hole, Perranporth
View this post on Instagram
The ebbing tide at Perranporth reveals one of north Cornwall’s most far-reaching sandy shores, linking up with neighbouring Penhale Sands. This is the setting for the Watering Hole, which lays claim to being Britain’s “beachiest” beach bar and also whips up some of the most stylish hot chocolates on the peninsula. If you’re out exploring the South West Coast Path and need a hug in a mug, this sandy staging post will prove irresistible.
Falmouth
View this post on Instagram
One for all you book worms, Falmouth’s Beerwolf Books provides the ideal combo of brimming bookshelves alongside a free-house bar. This imaginative outlet on Bells Court also houses snug alcoves for some hot chocolate drinking delight, a chance to sit down with a good book and escape the hustle ‘n’ bustle of this flamboyant sea town. It’s also dog-friendly so your waggy-tailed chum can soak up the ambience too.
Also found in Falmouth, on the white crescent sands of Gylly Beach and overlooked by the ramparts of Pendennis Castle, is the Gylly Beach Café. Here you’ll be able to savour a bespoke hot chocolate experience: doused in whipped cream, marshmallows and chocy sprinkles and dustings, the Gylly Beach winter warmer keeps wooing chocoholics from far and wide.
Also deserving of a mention is Espressini found on Falmouth’s Killigrew Street, which has been voted among the best fifty independent coffee houses in the UK and also purveys one of the smoothest and most elegant hot chocolates on the high street.
Café Uneeka, Truro
View this post on Instagram
Tucked away in the historic cathedral city of Truro, Café Uneeka is a trendsetting coffee bar with a penchant for towering cinnamon hot chocolates with the choice of tempting syrups for all those in search of an extra sweet, gooey hit. Take a stroll down Boscawen Street and pull up a pew at this popular mug house beneath the cathedral spire.
Poldhu Beach Club and Shop, Poldhu Cove
View this post on Instagram
Poldhu Cove is one of south Cornwall’s hidden gems, a surfer’s paradise nestled into the sweeping headland. Behind the sedgy dunes lies the Poldhu Beach Club and Shop which conjures up one of the most flamboyant hot chocolates in Kernow complete with floating honeycomb chunks, Rolo dunkers and curly wurley flakes. It’s the perfect pick-me-up for all those out yomping the coastal path or riding the waves.
C-Bay Café, Bar & Bistro, Crantock
View this post on Instagram
Eating venues don’t come more swish that the C-Bay Café, Bar & Bistro with its stunning views past the white sands and turquoise waters of Crantock Beach. Sit out on the open terrace with your hot chocolate, teasing the creamy swirl of your candied infusion with your teaspoon while the sun melts into the horizon. It’s foreshore bliss in a mug.
Rosie’s Kitchen, Bude
View this post on Instagram
A pebble’s throw from Crooklets beach, Rosie’s Kitchen of Bude serves up scrummy shoreside cuisine and continues to attract glowing reviews. Sit out on the sundeck and take in the stunning Atlantic views and warm your cockles by the wood burner on those chillier days. Sporting its American diner style, you’ll be able to indulge in one of the most decadent hot chocolate experiences in the Duchy, be that with a mint twist or some Turkish delight. There are also plenty of tempting vegan options available.
Coffee on the Corner, Newquay
View this post on Instagram
The surfing town of Newquay is the venue for our next slice of hot chocolate heaven. Coffee on the Corner is not only a thriving coffee shop but also a bar, so you can expect a little extra in your mug should you so wish (apparently the amaretto is a big hit with the choc crowd). Vegan friendly and always a warm and excited welcome for your doggy chums, there’s a lot to love about this perennially tempting outlet on Tor Road.
The Sharksfin, Mevagissey
View this post on Instagram
Mevagissey is one of Cornwall’s most adorable fishing villages, its narrow, winding lanes leading down to the old harbour and the fishing boats that clink and bob on their moorings. It’s a popular stop for ramblers out exploring the coastal path that hugs the spectacular Roseland Heritage Coast. Make a beeline for The Sharksfin, a distinguished bar and restaurant set on the waterfront that can conjure up a mean hot chocolate for all those in need of a cocoa buzz.