The best independent chocolatiers in Manchester

Aside from making the Barry Manilow classic loop around your brain, Cocoa Cabana, located in Ancoats and Didsbury, is a destination high on the list of the city’s chocoholics. Going viral with its Augustus Gloop hot chocolate that’s essentially a mug filled with three types of melted chocolate topped with marshmallows, mini eggs, a cream egg and even more chocolate drizzled on top, the chocolatier also houses a cocktail bar and a space for workshops. Open from 10am Monday – Sunday, the venue teaches everything from truffle making to cocktail masterclasses and tasting events, which can also be booked for hen parties, weddings and corporate events.

Life with a newborn usually means a non-existent sleep schedule, a head full of nursery rhymes and difficulty finding time to truly wind down. Nina, the brains behind Born Chocolate, turned to her love of chocolate-making to relax after her days of new mum doting. Born’s geometric patterned bars of bean-to-bar chocolate celebrate simplicity with good quality, ethically sourced, minimal ingredients. Born is stocked by various shops around Manchester, including Isca in Levenshulme, and Nina can be found at markets across the city with samples of her newest creations, including her vegan chocolate. There’s also the option to subscribe to receive three sustainable bars each month directly to your door.

Cocoa Tree is a family run business with locations in Chorlton and Ramsbottom. Headed up by husband and wife duo Vicky and Chris, the chocolatiers have a knack for creating bars and boxes using natural, high-quality ingredients. They create vivid-coloured splatter-effect chocolates with flavours like lemon meringue, strawberries and clotted cream, madagascan vanilla and the fan favourite salted caramel. Their cafes are a relaxing retreat with an enticing counter of cakes and truffles. Apparently, the mocha is their most popular winter warmer on the drinks front, so make sure you try a cup.

Have you ever wanted a piece of chocolate stamped with a picture of your cat? Of course you have. Located on a farm in Stockport’s High Lane, CocoAimes AKA Amy is crafting her very own brand of personalised slabs of Belgian chocolate, where you can get bars topped with everything from your pregnancy scan to a quote from your favourite movie. Very much a one woman operation, Amy’s business often pops up at markets across the region, but you can also pre-order personalised treats online, with every bar handmade to order.

A multi award-winning chocolatier tucked away on Deansgate Mews, Dormouse is a single estate chocolate maker that crafts bespoke confectionery from beans processed in its own little chocolate factory out back. Honoured with the prestigious accolade of Indie Food Producer of the Year at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival awards 2023, Dormouse specialises in bars with a northern nod. Take its popular bread and butter milk chocolate made using brown butter and toasted sourdough from its neighbours at Holy Grain. They’ve also previously made an egg on toast style bar and a pancake day bar.

Knoops in the city centre offer 20 different types of luxury hot chocolate. From milder 39% single origin through to 100% single origin from the Solomon Isles, if you’re looking for a bougier way to consume your liquid cocoa, Knoops has got you covered. Knoops also allows you to add additional flavours to your hot chocolate blend, including turmeric, pink peppercorns, chilli, rosemary and lavender.

At Pure Cocoa, you can get a glimpse of how the chocolate making process works from start to finish as the open plan cafe offers insight to a real life chocolate factory. The shop is full of handmade chocolate gifts or you can take a seat in Pure Cocoa’s cafe. On its menu you’ll find chocolate in every form, from rich hot chocolates to cakes, teas, milkshakes and the chocolatier’s famous chocolate brownies – huge slabs of freshly baked chocolate made exactly how they should be, fudgey on the outside and gooey in the middle.

The only kosher chocolatier on our list, R&M’s chocolates are certified kosher under the supervision of the Manchester Beth Din. There are both vegan and milk chocolate selections on offer as well as all kinds of chocolate making kits that come with everything you need to make your own truffles as well as a one hour Zoom class with their head chocolatier to show you the ropes. Chemical factory worker turned chocolatier, Raanan, the owner of R&M Fine Chocolates grew his Salford-based business from a hobby and also offers classes at his Salford base, covering everything from bonbons to truffles and Easter eggs, as well as chocolate parties for any occasion .

Altrincham’s Market House is the ultimate Sunday destination, complete with an array of Manchester’s most loved indies selling pottery, cheeses, artisanal bread and vintage fashion. Nine years ago Sam and his friend Claire decided to set up a chocolate business of their own after working together in hotels and restaurants. They moved into the market six months later, making and baking all of their spectacular products on site. Sam Joseph sells bars, chocolate covered fudge, brownies, ice cream and desserts, and you can even watch them making it all in their cosy on-site kitchen.

Simon Dunn began making chocolate almost 40 years ago. At 15, he took a temporary role at Stockport’s Squirrel Horn sweet factory before going onto practise his chocolate graft across Europe. Now, his High Lane shop isn’t just popular with the local community, he’s even got the golden seal of approval from Coronation Street stars and Salford-born Jason Manford. You’ll find boxes packed full of 72 individual chocolates, personalised gifts, seasonal collections and boxes of vegan alternatives for any plant-based Bruce Bogtrotters. There are even chocolates printed with bees, very Manchester.

Providing bespoke chocolate since 1967, Whitefield’s Slattery is a third generation family business housed in a three storey workshop. Similar to the iconic Betty’s Tea Rooms in York, Slattery has an onsite bakery, a retail shop and also its Masons dining room that provides breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and even a mammoth chocolate challenge that only a small number of chocoholics have managed to complete. For £20, diners can tackle a large portion of Slattery’s American style chocolate fudge cake, served warm, with a portion of homemade chocolate ice cream, fresh cream and two chocolate pots filled with liquid chocolate sauce. Add on top of this a glass of hot chocolate and the challenge begins. The winner will take home a Slattery chocolate medal and a 100g box of handmade chocolates – because there’s always room for more.