'I tried Leeds' newest luxury hot chocolate store Knoops - and was overwhelmed with choice'
This luxury hot chocolate spot in Leeds is the perfect place for a quick and easy pick-me-up.
As temperatures drop, I have found myself reaching for hot chocolate more and more.
While there’s a plethora of cafes in the city, which is perfect for coffee-lovers like myself, there are slim options for venues specialising in hot chocolate.
That’s why when Knoops landed in Trinity Leeds in June this year, taking over a small unit opposite H&M in Albion Street, it created a buzz in the city like no other.
Named after its founder, Knoops first opened in East Sussex in 2013, and the business has since taken the UK by storm with 16 more venues opening across the country, including London, Manchester and Oxford.
It has built a name for itself offering more than 20 different percentages of chocolate, which allows for customers to customise their drinks to their taste perfectly.
It’s one of the reasons I feel incredibly overwhelmed whenever I enter the store that swings for a sleek and minimalistic aesthetic.
The light walls make the space feel bigger than it is, which is helpful as there are often queues around the venue. I actually hadn’t anticipated there to be so many people when we visited on a Monday afternoon on an unseasonably warm October day.
Behind the counter, there’s a list of different chocolates on offer and the notes in each. But the thing that caught my eye the most was the huge croissants and other delicious sweet treats on offer.
Feeling a little rushed due to the volume of customers, I read the very helpful large ‘how to order’ sign behind the cashier.
It’s simple, once you know how. Choose your preferred drink, choose a percentage of chocolate you like, choose the type of milk you enjoy and let them know if you’d like any add-ons like handmade marshmallow.
Overwhelmed with choice, I quickly opted for what I would call a ‘safe’ option - a small hot chocolate made with 54 per cent, a dark chocolate that is also vegan, which is priced at £4.05.
My friend decided for a more seasonal drink - a small pumpkin spice hot chocolate, which set him back £5.05.
For this price point, we had high expectations. While we waited for the drinks to arrive, we looked around the venue, finding some seating downstairs, away from the bustle of customers grabbing quick drinks to-go.
I also decided to take a look at the menu a little closer during the wait. Knoops also offers coffee made with all different percentages of chocolate, iced chocolate, milkshakes and mocha.
Percentage of chocolate ranges from 28 per cent white chocolate up to 100 per cent extra dark.
My simple hot chocolate was much sweeter than I had anticipated. I came to the realisation that a darker chocolate was probably more suited to my palate - or perhaps a drink with a shot of espresso.
On the other hand, the pumpkin spice hot chocolate was the perfect mid-afternoon pick-me-up for my friend.
The concept of Knoops is fantastic - there is little to complain about an all-day venue offering a range of customisable drinks.
But with this comes a little trial-and-error; finding the perfect concentration of chocolate for your drinks can take a few trips. And for the price point, this can be a luxury to do.