People say that chocolate makes you happy and dark chocolate stimulates the production of endorphins in our brain.
Well, well.. here are 9 chocolate specialty cafes in Singapore for you to feel happy, content, and lift up your mood.
The Dark Gallery
Great World #01-117/118, 1 Kim Seng Promenade, Singapore 237994
Tel: +65 6235 4582
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
The Dark Gallery has pioneered crafting artisanal dark chocolate desserts, becoming Singapore’s first dark choco-centric café and boutique concept.
The Great World outlet spacious dining space for a relaxing day out, a takeaway counter and sit-down cafe area for a quick coffee or ice cream, and retail section for Ice Cream Cakes, Single Origin Chocolate Tablets, Bonbons and Macarons.
Also included is a new dine-in menu crafted by Brand Chef Kimberly Tan, with exclusive plated desserts and savoury dishes.
One of the popular desserts is the Ice Cream S’mores ($14). This plated rendition of a camping favourite is constructed with a base of graham crumble with a smooth and velvety chocolate ganache.
It is topped with the must-be-there marshmallow (then torched) and finished off with a scoop of its Signature 80% Dark Chocolate Ice Cream.
Do have the S’mores warm so that you can better appreciate the perfect amount of chocolate ooey-gooeyness and softness of the marshmallows.
Awfully Chocolate
Greenwich V, The Star Vista, VivoCity, Marina Bay Link Mall, 313@somerset, ION Orchard, Raffles City, Tampines 1, Suntec City, Novena Square, Great World, Jem and Marina Bay Sands
Awfully Chocolate is best known for its signature All Chocolate Cake with dark roast flavour. Of course, there are also the Chocolate Banana, and Chocolate Rum & Cherry Cake.
There is also this Super Stacked Chocolate Cake ($7.90 per slice) which is inspired by the traditional Southeast Asian Lapis Cake.
Each cake layer is baked one at a time, so a completed cake with six layers of cake and fudge (twelve in total) takes almost four hours to complete.
You can say this is a richer and denser version of the signature All Chocolate Cake. When I ordered a slice in store, they offered to heat it up which made the centre a lot moister.
Can almost feel the chocolate overload in the throat, but that’s precisely why some would love this.
Chocolate Origin
Outlets at Changi Village, 313@somerset, Jurong Point, Jewel Changi Airport, Kallang Wave Mall, Northpoint City, Bugis Junction, United Square
Chocolate Origin is known for its Cuppa Lava Cake ($5.80) with a warm chocolate cake on top (with lava oozing out when you dig in) and cold vanilla ice cream bottom.
There is two chocolate cakes with two promising choices – subtly sweet original and bitter dark ($7.80 per slice, $39.80 for whole).
For the original, what you get is two generous layers of chocolate truffles enveloped between two thin and light layers of chocolate sponge cake, finally coated by a luxurious chocolate ganache.
While most commercial cakes have thick layers of sponge, Chocolate Origin’s stands out with a higher percentage of chocolate mousse made with Belgian dark chocolate with no extra sugar, colourings or preservatives.
The slice literally melted in the mouth, though can be a little rich for some to handle. I personally find this one of the better ones in terms of chocolate specialty commercial cakes.
Laurent Cafe & Chocolate Bar
The Pier at Robertson, 80 Mohamed Sultan Road, Singapore 239013
Opening Hours: 2pm – 11pm (Tues), 1pm – 11pm (Wed, Thurs, Sat), 1pm – 11:30pm (Fri), 11am – 10pm (Sun)
Laurent Café is considered an under-rated café located at Robertson Quay, where you can have a cake, coffee and watching people go (or cycle) by.
Their signature Pure Chocolate Cake ($11.40 per slice) is made from a pure origin dark chocolate, using the finest cacao bean from South America.
There are two layers of moist chocolate sponge, dark chocolate creamy heart and dark chocolate mousse. Plus there is no alcohol, or gluten added.
Cakes available include the Trianon, Vanilla Flan, Raspberry Truffle Cake, 3 Chocolate Cake, Orange Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Tart, and Black Forest Cake.
Also recommended is their Lola’s Cake (not related to the Hougang café) with luscious fillings though I thought the sponge layer was slightly on the dry side.
Obsessive Chocolat Desire (OCD) Cafe
114 Jalan Besar Singapore 208834
Opening Hours: 11am – 11pm (Mon – Sun)
OCD Café is not exactly an unfamiliar name for those around Ang Mo Kio. However, the ice cream has moved from the North to the Jalan Besar enclave as its lease at the previous outlet has ended.
Ice cream is priced at $4 for a single scoop, $7 for double scoops, additional $1 for cone and $4 for a normal or roasted black sesame or earl grey with almond banana waffle.
16 flavours are available at any one time ranging from their signature chocolate flavours (as their name implies) to classic ones such as Vanilla Chips and Pistachio.
The highlight is definitely their five choices of chocolate ice cream from different origins: Madagascar 33% Milk, Ecuador 40% Milk, Belgium Dark 60%, and Africa 85% Dark.
The percentage refers to the amount of cacao in a chocolate bar.
Both milk and dark chocolate are made similarly from cocoa solids/ cocoa liquor except that the former contains less cocoa but with milk products within.
The Africa 85% Dark had a stickier texture that is similar to a gelato, and was strong, robust, and chocolatey all at the same time without any lingering bitterness.
Lemuel Chocolate
The Star Vista #B1-31, 1 Vista Exchange Green, Singapore 138617
Opening Hours: 10am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)
Not just an ordinary chocolate maker, Lemuel Chocolate focuses on unique, handcrafted bean-to-bar chocolate-making.
Their chocolates are made with only 2 ingredients: cocoa beans and organic cane sugar.
Offering more than 16 different single-origin chocolates, it sources and imports quality cacao beans from cacao farmers and reputable cacao agents around the world.
Aside from single-origin chocolates, they also offer a selection of chocolate drinks, pastries, products and tarts – available in flavours such as Signature (72% Dark Chocolate), Sea Salt Dark Chocolate, Liquid Gold (Sea Salt Caramel), Pistachio, and Hazelnut to tease the chocoholic in you.
Angelina Singapore
2 Bayfront Avenue, Canal Level #B2-89/89A, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 018972
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm (Mon – Sun)
Angelina is the Parisian tearoom famous for their Old-Fashioned Hot Chocolate “L’Africain”, signature cake Mont Blanc and brunch items.
If there are only two items you need to have, it would be their defining signatures – the Old-Fashioned Hot Chocolate “L’Africain” and Mont Blanc.
The hot chocolate remains as one of my favourites, made with three different kinds of African cocoa from Niger, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoir, served in an elegant pitcher alongside a little cup of whipped cream.
(Do you know: Angelina has a history from 1903, where Proust and Coco Chanel have been customers at the tearoom room at Rue Du Rivoli in Paris. “Angelina” was named after the founder’s daughter-in-law, Angeline Rumpelmayer.)
Take sips, not gulps, and just relish that rich, velvety dark chocolate in small delightful nips.
Add some cream, share with a friend. Drinking that alone could result in some ‘over-heatiness’.
Godiva Belgium 1926
ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn, #B1-05, Singapore 238801
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Mon – Sun)
GODIVA Chocolatier is best known for its famous truffle, shell-moulded chocolate pieces, and European-style biscuits.
Its Chocolate Soft Serve ($9) which is rich, smooth and indulgent, has been popular among ice cream lovers as well. Available in Vanilla White, Dark Chocolate, or Chocolate Twist. Yums to crispy cone, velvety smooth soft serve and dark chocolate sauce.
Venchi Singapore
Marina Bay Sands #B2-56A The Shoppes, 2 Bayfront Ave, Singapore 018972
Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm (Sun – Thurs), 11am – 10pm (Fri – Sat)
The Venchi brand was created in 1878 by Silviano Venchi, who opened his shop crafting artisan chocolate in Turin – known Gianduja and Italian confectionery.
The chocolate specialty shop also offers pralines, chocolate bars and chocolate spreads.
Venchi is said to avoid industrial bases when producing their ice-cream, using fresh ingredients and quality fruits and single-origin chocolate from Ecuador, Venezuela and Peru.
I couldn’t help but notice the price was quite steep (yes, I know this is MBS) starting with $8.90 for a regular cup, $10.50 for a large cup, $49.50 for a 1kg take away.
Whipped cream and grains at additional $1.
Dark Chocolate was still deep, slightly bitter and intensely flavoured, one of the better ones around.
A key ingredient is Piedmont hazelnuts, which is used in gianduja, a sweet chocolate spread containing hazelnut paste.
Other Related Entries
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10 SIGLAP Cafes In The East Coast
10 Traditional Dessert Shops In Singapore
10 BEDOK Cafes And Ice Cream Shops
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