Coco on Broughton

Their homemade chocolate bars are divine… Try the honey and almond milk chocolate or the strawberry and green pepper white…

I had the genuine pleasure of attending one of COCO’s tasting evenings in their new Broughton Shop, and am pleased to report that I walked away from it richer in both knowledge and stomach contents. The instruction was skilled, the tastings well spaced and timed, and the chocolate was, of course, plentiful.

We were treated to the entire spectrum of chocolate, from raw ‘nibs’ and a hunk of cocoa butter, to highly refined and polished (apparently, yes) finished product. There was plenty of exposure to ‘inferior’ chocolate, and we left with a keen eye for the dual coco demons of sugar crystallisation and heat bloom (woe-betide anyone who attempts to pass a substandard product off on THIS Qyper…).

Since our class, we have already returned for a hot chocolate (namely the fiery chilli blend) and plan on making this shop a regular haunt when venturing over to Broughton street. Not cheap, but highly recommended for all who claim to appreciate the finer pleasures Edinburgh has to offer!

I attended a qype event here recently and WOW if you love chocolate this is the place for you. I had no idea that your run of the mill chocolate is made with vegetable fat (yuk) which is what gives you the coating on your mouth. Of course, Coco’s chocolate is made with cocoa butter instead which melts at body temperature and is much better for you. We also tried some standard chocolate and then their own chocolate – the difference was amazing.

I am normally a fan of dark chocolate but since the event, I have honestly not been able to stop thinking of how amazing the white chocolate was. I would totally recommend their hot chocolate too – the rose and black pepper was so good!

The shop also looks beautiful and a great place to buy a gift or stop for a hot chocolate.

I’ll be back soon again for a chocolate fix! :-)

Attended this cosy little shop for the first time for the Qype event. I really liked the off kilter decoration and it had a very warm, cosy atmosphere…although it was a little on the small side.

The general manager took our event and she was incredibly knowledgeable about her products, the store and the historical connection behind chocolate. Fantastic presentation skills too. Good job!

We tried various pieces of chocolate, ranging from the base chocolate to the cacao nibs to Cadburys. Trust me, it is surprising how noticeable the difference between ‘real’ chocolate and Cadburys is!!

I will definitely be back here as Cocos provide a niche product which would go down well as a treat/gift.

4 Badger stars.

Heading along to the qype event at coco on brought on street I was filled with a mixture of excitement and slight nerves (I love chocolate but have never enjoyed the darker variety). The next hour or so passed in a haze of chocolate glory, with samples of the most amazing hot chocolate I have ever tasted followed by a history of chocolate and more eating! We compared coco’s chocolate with more famous branded bars and there is no comparison! I will never be buying cheap brands again-much better for my taste buds and waistline to spend a little more on a smaller quantity of real chocolate. All in all a great night and I’m only upset that the credit card machine wasn’t yet working so I wasn’t able to buy anything but I will definitely be back!

I Love love LOVE chocolate … let me just get that out of the way… white, dark, milk, coffee, everything so you can probably already see where im going with this review! What I love more is that Coco’s of Bruntsfield which pretty much everyone in Edinburgh knows about has now opened a new boutique in BROUGHTON STREET!!!!!!!! My FAVOURITE STREET in EDINBURGH! Also its within walking distance of my house so its pretty handy….

Coco on broughton really fits in well with the vibe of the street and the other boutiques around it and even though its a really small shop I think they are going to do well. You can sit in and try their stuff although seating it very limited and everytime Ive walked past since theyve been opened (only 3 weeks since your asking) they have been pretty much packed.

What I love though is the absolutely exquisite quality of their chocolate… Everything is so beautifully done and done by such a small team that everything is done with such care! Incidently the creator and the whole Cocos mastermind is responsible for most of the artwork and design in the store and the design on the actual chocolate herself – I know AMAZING! But thats just how they are in here, they take pride in every tiny detail .. and you can tell.

The hot chocolate – which is actually stocked in a couple of carefully selected coffee shops in Edinburgh is divine … divine doesnt even do it justice.. Its the best hot chocolate Ive ever had – and Ive had a LOT! Rose flavoured hot chocolate!!!!! They do have many other different flavours you can try in store or take home.. I cannot recommend them enough – there is no need to ever go anywhere else again for hot chocolate once youve tried this..

The chocolate itself is delicate, so beautiful you dont actually even want to touch it let alone eat it .. although Im sure I can force myself and the perfect gift for anyone that loves chocolate … The packaging for their giftboxes is beautiful for every box and so different and the design of each piece of chocolate is unique like a piece of art….

I know you are thinking – have she had something slipped in her drink ? But no its really that beautiful and such high quality its the only place in Edinburgh you need to buy chocolate from. The prices are a little higher than your Cadburys roses box of chocolates but when you pop into the shop and see the product on offer you will know why.

Friendly, extremely knowledgable staff who take as much care and pride in their service as they have in preparing the chocolate on offer. A must visit.

A great night was had by all who attended the Chocolate Connoisseurs Qype evening.

We learnt all about the background and history of chocolate with numerous tastings to distinguish the differences between different types of chocolate and how to actually taste it (yes there is an art to it, with some people actually being able to distinguish the country of origin just from the taste!). We were also given our very own Chocolate Connoisseur Certificate at the end of the evening.

As someone who isn’t a big fan of dark chocolate, usually finding it too bitter, I was pleasantly surprised to find it doesn’t always have to be bitter and is actually rather nice – I have been converted! My favourite flavour though, and something I would have been unlikely to try had I not attended this event, was certainly the rose milk chocolate which was divine, melted in your mouth and reminded me of Turkish Delight. We also tried some hot chocolate which was truly amazing and I will certainly be popping back in to try some more of these and work my way through the flavours.

The shop is pretty tiny but packs so much deliciousness into it and in addition to the tasty chocolate, the packaging is gorgeous too. There are a few seats available for those who want to sit in and sample the hot chocolate, space is limited but you can always buy a box of the hot chocolate to make at home too so you can have it whenever you wish.

I’m looking forward to my next visit already :-)

Great Qype event at Coco on Broughton Street. Ten would be connoisseurs, eyes aglow with the childlike delight only chocolate brings, learnt all about chocolate tonight! :o)

From the growing of the cocoa bean itself right up to the difference between commercially produced and “real” chocolate, we were exposed to a world of chocolate I never knew existed and can’t quite understand why I never did.

The chocolate is superb, so many different flavours to try. Our host was lovely, with an extraordinary knowledge of chocolate, answering all our questions and entertaining us with chocolatey tales.

I can’t guarantee I’ll never again grab a bar of whatever’s handy but I have a much better appreciation for real chocolate and the skill and processes that are involved and I’m much more willing to pay the extra pennies for some good proper chocolate. You wouldn’t believe the difference!

I’d never been to coco before but I can definitely say I’m coming back! :o)