Afternoon Tea at York Cocoa House - Ever Changing Scenery

As the birth place of many of the most famous names in chocolate, including Nestle, Rowntree and Terry's, it's no surprise that York was once known as the Chocolate City. Though many of the factories have since shut down, there are still a handful of places keeping the tradition alive, one of which is York Cocoa House. 

York Cocoa House - Ever Changing Scenery

As soon as Ian and I stepped inside I was overwhelmed by the sheer quantity chocolate; jars of chocolate flakes lined the counter, packets of chocolate buttons lined the shelves, and numerous varieties of chocolate cake filled the fridge. As my I looked around at the never ending displays of chocolate, and the scent of of chocolate filled my nostrils, I could barely contain my excitement!

York Cocoa House Menu - Ever Changing Scenery

We skimmed the menu and were amazed to discover every single item contained chocolate; from chocolate infused coffee to chocolate chilli with nachos, and everything in between. Unable to narrow our choice down to just one or two items, we instead opted to try a little bit of everything in the aptly named 'Afternoon Chocolate'.


As I sipped on the most chocolatey milkshake you could ever imagine, this three tiered stand arrived at the table, and I knew we were in for a treat! 

Welsh Rarebit at York Cocoa House - Ever Changing Scenery

First up was the Welsh rarebit; thick slices of freshly baked bread topped with mustard and melted cheese, sprinkled with chocolate drops. Next, a chicken wrap smothered with chocolate mole. Then to finish the savoury selection, if you can really call it that, mini slices of toasted ciabatta covered with a chocolate and olive tapenade and a chocolate and chilli relish.

Chocolate & Cherry Scones at York Cocoa House - Ever Changing Scenery

As we moved on to the second tier we were very impressed with the cherry and chocolate scones, complete with lashings of freshly whipped cream and sweet strawberry jam. They were everything you could ever want in a scone; crunchy on the outside, yet soft and crumbly on the inside. I thought it couldn't get much better than this, but boy was I wrong!

Afternoon Chocolate at York Cocoa House - Ever Changing Scenery

Last, but certainly not least, it was time for the dessert plate. The homemade meringues with a chocolate and ginger ganache were good, but the highlight of the day were the salted caramel and chocolate slices. Sweet, but not too sweet. Rich, but not too rich. As I savoured each and every bite, letting the flavours melt in my mouth, I really did think I'd died and gone to heaven. I was incapable of any sort of conversation, only able to mutter repeatedly to Ian that this was the best thing I'd ever put in my mouth. And it really was. I've been dreaming about it ever since...

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION

York Cocoa House is located on Blake Street in the centre of York, England. They're open every day of the week until at least 5.30pm. They have a shop filled with chocolate goodies, a cafe where you can treat yourself to a number of sweet and savoury items, and they even run a range of chocolate making workshops. Find out more on their website.

What is the best cake you've ever eaten?

PS. Is ice cream more your sort of thing? Take a look at The Best Ice Cream Parlor In The World.