Chocolate recommendations please!

[Roverbarks]

I need help finding nice chocolate please!

The first is a box of chocolates to say thank you to someone. Happy to spend a lot of money on this but they need to be nice chocolates (have bought Godiva before and didn’t think they were that good!).

Second is an advent calendar for DH. He likes simple chocolate ones, as in no flavours, etc. Just chocolate on its own. I’ve bought the Hotel Chocolate Milk Chocolate one before but wanted to go for something different but again, struggling to find one!

Any recommendations anyone?

Yes, but the common people aren't enjoyong the exquisite Charbonnel et Walker chocolates of 50 years ago, they are getting something far more mass produced.

I would consider Friars of Keswick as a wonderful treat,their parcels have always arrived safely. I visited Keswick many years ago and due to the internet I can order online. Also Madame Ouisseau

I would recommend Madame Oiseau in Canterbury and Friars of Keswick and Hendrick's of Hythe in Kent. All three are makers of beautiful chocolate. Sorry I didn't check my info in my first post. Also came across The chocolate Pig company of Birchington on sea last year. I am very fond of lovely chocolate and find out about places before I go on holiday.

Concur with Madame Oiseau.
How about Hill Street Chocolate, great chocolate selections and they do an advent calendar
https://www.hill.st/products/advent-calendar

Laderach are the nicest chocolates ever! I discovered them in Switzerland a few years ago, and haven’t tasted anything better. And I’m very hard to please with chocolate. They have a few shops in London, and I think you can buy them online, enjoy 😋

Absolutely love Chococo chocolates

Rococo ✌🏻

Definitely checking out Chocolate Pig. Have ordered a box :). Thank you.

Andrew King - very crisp chocolate with smooth fillings;
Lauden - Intense flavours, smooth fillings;
La Fleur de Chocolat - some unusual and tasty combinations
for chocolates. They may do bars as well. I don't tend to buy those for myself.
Edited to add to an earlier recommendation of the Chocolate Box in Lydney. The caramel boars are outstanding, but some of the alcohol truffles are a bit bland.

Laderach are very sweet, which doesn't suit everyone. Melt are delicious. Have you tried Hill St, an excellent small chocolatier in Saffron Walden? wonderful boxes in several sizes.

Absolutely sickening that common people can now enjoy those luxuries now too....

Oh come on. It’s not at all unusual for chocolate, and indeed other foods, to not taste as good once they become mass produced.

No need to look for offence everywhere.

Everyone is entitled to try a luxury chocolate as it's a special treat. Life is tough for many, having a luxury chocolate helps.

And no one said otherwise on this thread at all…

Art Chocolat

https://art-chocolat.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorjxAJFB_MWAiN1FlcrfUpkXLBNknNHJT_10iluj3MZEgvfEFfV

Very pretty and taste amazing. They do an advent calendar too but sadly I have never been able to afford that…

Laderach is a great brand - very premium

Ah, just seen your DH doesn’t go for flavours so maybe not this advent calendar! Sorry. The boxes are lovely for gifts though - very special and something different. The chocolate is amazing.

I have just remembered Carousel Chocolates on Steep Hill in Lincoln. If you visit please check opening days and be mindful it is along a steep hill but my goodness it is so worth it. Oh and Crofts of Scarborough is worthwhile. I visit whenever we are staying there. My first visit I said to the chocolate maker your job is my idea of heaven and he said I have a task each day I have to eat some from each of the chocolates I make and then added you are right it is so enjoyable. I saw someone ask about how we know our chocolate places. Well I ask google before I book holidays. The lady who owns Madame Oiseau is lovely and all staff at Hendrick's are wonderful. A few years ago I called in there and the lady told me some of them were at that moment deciding on a new chocolate and I mentioned I had done a review on trip advisor and she said when I told her a bit more that they had seen my review and a few customers have become regulars since reading it. Hendricks also do delicious hot chocolate drinks .Hythe is a lovely place to visit as we often stay in Folkestone and the bus goes there. I like the place as a comedy was set there that the BBC did and when it was on we remembered lots of the places. Sadly the star of the programme didn't go into Hendrick's for chocolates or a drink.

For a great advent calendar, try Brecon Chocolates. Their chocolate selection is amazing, but they have an unadulterated chocolate calendar that would probably suit your DH.

Charbonnel et Walker 's chocolates are not mass produced!

They sell them in my local John Lewis…

And on the John Lewis website.

They are way past the days of being sold only in just a few chocolateries.

Exactly. A posh shop🤣

😂😂

Now whether John Lewis can be classed as a decent shop is another debate altogether!

Another vote for Hill St Chocolatier. Their simple chocolate is delicious (they do dark, milk, white and caramel) and they also do "creations" which are delicious too, as well as the classic boxes of chocolates.
https://www.hill.st/collections/creations

This isn't true. Thornton's were bought out by Ferrero pre covid and hotel Chocolat were bought out by Mars in 2023/24. Both ruined IMO but not co-owned. I have a relative in the industry.