Hot Chocolate Fest is back for its 16th season at cafes throughout Vancouver from Jan 17 – Feb 14, 2026.
The Festival is a city-wide initiative to support small businesses in Vancouver – while bringing some of the sweetest flavours out there. As cafes continue to outdo themselves from the previous year, you can only expect what this year is going to bring.
Here are the can’t-miss hot chocolates of Gastown. You will not want to miss them.
East Van Roasters
Drink #1: “Holy Smokes”
A 70% wood-smoked dark chocolate drinking chocolate and a hint of smoked sea salt.
Served with graham cracker chocolate bark.
Dairy-free and gluten-free friendly options available upon request.
Drink # 2: “Zest Intentions”
Lemongrass and chili-infused 70% dark chocolate drinking chocolate.
Served with ginger shortbread.
Location: 319 Carrall St.
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm
Nelson the Seagull
Drink #1: “Butter me up”
A decadent browned butter hot chocolate, made using high-quality grass-fed butter.
Drink #2: “Hot Date”
Deliciously sweet hot chocolate made with date paste, no sugar here!
Served with a date, coconut and pecan cookie.
Location: 315 Carrall St.
Opening Hours: Monday to Friday, 8am to 3pm; Saturday, Sunday and Holidays, 9am to 4pm
Cadeaux Bakery
Drink #1: “Fame”
Our play on one of the most famous food crazes to come onto the scene in recent memory and into the spotlight. Roasted sesame tahini dark chocolate ganache steamed with coconut milk, served with a dark chocolate pistachio rim.
Paired with a Pistachio Kataifi Crunch.
Dairy-free and vegan. Contains nuts.
Drink #2: “Fortune”
Manifest riches with this golden coloured, sweet and salty white hot chocolate blended with fresh vanilla and salted duck yolk. Finished with Chantilly whip, brown sugar drizzle and gold.
Served with a house-made Fortune Cookie. Get extra lucky, and you might draw a fortune for a free pastry!
Drink #3: “I Choose You!”
An Oranberry-inspired drink from the world of pocket monsters for fans old and new! White Chocolate infused with lemon and blueberry, topped with Chantilly and Poke-inspired decor.
Play the Gacha and find your starter! This drink is served with a mystery flavour Pokeball macaron. Will you get Grass (Lemongrass & lime), Water (honeyed current & sea salt) or Fire (orange peppercorn)?
Contains nuts.
Drink #4: “For Good”
All things good and wicked coming together, this drink will leave you changed, for good. Dark chocolate strawberry matcha hot chocolate, finished in a perfectly pink strawberry Chantilly, matcha drizzle and rose.
On the side, a coconut lychee macaron.
Contains nuts.
Location: 172 Powell St.
Opening Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm
Chocolats Favoris
Drink # 1: “Red Velvet Kooky Hot Chocolate”
Red velvet hot chocolate topped with whipped cream, cream cheese icing and white chocolate shavings.
On the side is one small piece of red velvet cake with cream cheese icing.
Drink #2: “Maple Butter Kooky Hot Chocolate”
Maple butter hot chocolate topped with whipped cream, caramel sauce and maple flakes.
Accompanied by a Nun’s Fart (also called a Pet de soeur). This is a French Canadian dessert made from pie dough, layered with brown sugar and butter. And yes, it translates to a nun’s fart!
Location: 14 Water Street
Opening Hours: 2 p.m. to 11 p.m., Sun – Thurs
12 p.m. to midnight, Fri – Sat
DI BEPPE
Drink #1: “Negroni Caldo”
Keeping close to our Di Beppe roots with our love for the Negroni, pairing it with an orange zesty hot chocolate for a warming, aromatic yet sophisticated winter drink.
Orange dark chocolate cookie, crunchy on the outside with a soft interior – perfect companion to our zesty Negroni Caldo.
Drink #2: “Spice Road to Rome”
House-made spiced persimmon dark hot chocolate with a hint of citrus for a cozy indulgence.
Served with a candied ginger almond biscotti – well paired with spice, fruity richness of the drink without overpowering it.
Contains nuts.
Location: 8 Wesst Cordova Street
Opening Hours: 8 a.m. – 10 p.m., Mon – Fri
9 a.m. – 10 p.m. Sat – Sun
