Firstly, it must be noted that the café section of the Hotel Chocolat on New Street does not feel "intentional". Placed at the back of the shop with a few mirror walls are sat a few seats that face away and are hidden from the footfall outside. It's peaceful enough, but doesn't allow for graceful moments where you take a sip of coffee and look up. Moving on from the environment and the greatest letdown of this store, let's talk about the coffee. As a company that serves chocolate infused with coffee, I am pleased that their lattes had no chocolate in them. It sounds like a strange note to make, but it is good that they are sticking to the definition of a latte; foam, steam, and espresso. The portion size to price left a little more to be wanted, especially with high-street coffee shops doing the same thing, maybe with a bit less foam than what I was served. The staff moved between a general till and the café till, meaning there were moments where a person could be left waiting. This didn't happen, and speaking from my visit it was the opposite, where I was served by one friendly employee and my drink was prepared by the other smiling face. A benefit of the café though is that you can order Hotel Chocolat's own products and "try before you buy", a pleasant experience for those that are unsure if they would like a certain product. The possibility of having a biscuit and coffee was too great, and I purchased a box of biscuits to sample with my coffee in-store. I loved both of them, and enjoyed the brief moment of peace at the back of the store. If I were to visit again I would try their mocca and see how it differs from the espresso I had. Fingers crossed it will be made with freshly brewed espresso rather than from their velvetised coffee infused chocolate, but that will be confirmed another day.

If you are a lover of real hot chocolate then this the place for you. There are various blends of chocolate available which will be appreciated by aficionados. Staff were pleasant, helpful and welcoming. There is a sitting area at the rear if the shop as well as an area with chocolate goods and gifts for purchase. Not expensive, but I'd have loved a brandy to accompany my drink, either on the side or poured into the chocolate.