The second annual Victoria Hot Chocolate Festival is warming up the city from February 1st to 28th, 2025. This year, over 25 local businesses are participating, each crafting unique hot chocolate creations. Notably, $1 from every hot chocolate sold is donated to the BC SPCA Victoria Community Animal Centre, blending indulgence with community support.
Featured Participants and Their Creations:
Q Bar & Veranda at the Fairmont Empress: Offering "Marshall’s Marshmallow Melt," inspired by Paw Patrol’s firefighting Dalmatian, featuring milk chocolate crèmeux, roasted hazelnut, gooey marshmallows, and a spiced dog bone cookie.
Courtyard Cafe: Serving a special hot chocolate combining rich chocolate syrup, house-made peppermint syrup, and house-made brownies, available at 463 Belleville Street.
Caffe Fantastico: Collaborating with Victoria’s own Sirene Chocolate to melt their Winter Warmer chocolate, steamed with your choice of milk, offered at multiple locations including 965 Kings Road.
Flourish BeauTea: Presenting a Strawberry Hot Chocolate at their downtown location, 667 Fort Street.
Pendray Inn and Tea House: Focusing on quality ingredients, their Traditional Hot Chocolate is made without additives, syrups, or artificial flavorings, served with freshly made whipped cream at 309 Belleville Street.
Duo Cafe Bakery: Indulge in their velvety Valrhona Hot Chocolate, balanced with a hint of vanilla and kosher salt, topped with a house-made peppermint marshmallow, located at the Inn at Laurel Point, 680 Montreal Street.
Pure Lovin’ Chocolate: Offering a Black Forest Hot Chocolate made with 72% organic, Fair Trade chocolate and creamy oat milk, topped with coconut whipped cream, house-made candied cherry syrup, and gluten-free chocolate cookie crumble, found at 102-3 Fan Tan Alley.
Cold Comfort Ice Cream: Featuring a Dairy-Free Chilly Chili Conetta—spicy hot chocolate ice cream with dairy-free fudge, marshmallow, and toasted meringue on a dairy-free/gluten-free cone, available at #2-1115 North Park Street.
Malahat SkyWalk: Serving the "SkyWalker Hot Chocolate," a velvety steamed chocolate milk crowned with whipped cream, caramel sauce, a crispy stroopwafel, chocolate minis, and a chocolate M&M-covered marshmallow, located at 901 Trans Canada Highway.
Working Culture Bread: Offering a Passionfruit Dark Hot Chocolate paired with a buttery shortbread cookie, at 2506 Douglas Street.
Blue Crab Seafood House: Featuring a hot chocolate made with Callebaut Belgium chocolate, smoked lapsang souchong syrup, homemade whipping cream, double smoked bacon powder, and orange, located at 146 Kingston Street.
Chocolats Favoris: Serving a Strawberries and Cream Hot Chocolate topped with whipped cream, mini meringues, and dehydrated strawberries, as well as a vegan dark peppermint hot chocolate made with oat milk, at 1010 Government Street.
Beacon Brewing: Throughout February, offering three rotating hot chocolate-inspired beers—a Chocolate Stout with flavors of peppermint, marshmallow, and Mexican hot chocolate, located at 9829 Third Street in Sidney.
The Courtney Room: Presenting a hot chocolate featuring Woods Crema Nocciola, Green Chartreuse, oat milk, chocolate, and orange oil, at 619 Courtney Street.
Green Cuisine: Offering a Praline Brownie Hot Chocolate, located at 560 Johnson Street #5 in Market Square’s Courtyard.
L’Apero Wine and Cheese Bistro: Introducing a Hot Chocolate Fondue with Belgian dark and milk chocolate, red wine reduction, and three fine cheeses for dipping, at 1028 Blanshard Street.
The Drake Eatery: Serving "Beet This! Hot Chocolate," a blend of rich cocoa, earthy beets, and warming Árbol chilies, topped with oat milk whipped cream and beetroot powder, with optional additions of Lot 40 Dark Oak Rye Whiskey or Mezcal, at 517 Pandora Avenue.
The Ruby: Offering a Mexican Hot Chocolate infused with cayenne, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, topped with cinnamon-sugar whipped cream, with an option to add crème de cacao, and a Biscoff Hot Chocolate with caramel-infused delight topped with caramel and chocolate-dusted whipped cream.
For a complete list of participating businesses and their unique hot chocolate offerings, visit the festival's official website. This event not only showcases the creativity of Victoria's culinary scene but also supports a noble cause, making it a must-visit for locals and visitors alike.
For more information and updates, follow the Victoria Hot Chocolate Festival on Instagram.