This page is about great chocolate cafes in Asia (sometimes I call them chocolaterie that in French indicates a chocolate shop usually run by the producer). To qualify, the venue must have seats and have a range of original products. Most of these places are “bean to bar” operations, where the maker supervises every step of the process beginning with the choice of the beans. I have also included dessert cafes that have a special attention to chocolate. They are ranked, but they are all pretty awesome. Follow the in-text links for a full review.
1. Maison Marou – Ho Chi Minh City
Maison Marou in Ho Chi Minh City is the flagship outlet, cafe, and laboratory of Marou Chocolate, a brand founded less than a decade ago by two enterprising Frenchmen and using single origin beans from Vietnam. Their cafe showcases some of the stages of the production, their full line up that keeps growing, and some outstanding cakes.
2. Green Bean to Bar Chocolate – Tokyo
As the name Green Bean to Bar Chocolate suggests, this workshop adopts the philosophy to manage all the production process, from bean to bar. Their cakes are nothing less than extraordinary. You do not want to miss their eclair. It is located in the swanky Naka-Meguro.
3. Yu Chocolatier – Taipei
A great French-style chocolate shop, Yu Chocolatier also impressed by the hospitality of his staff. Pay attention to his seasonal creations.
4. Khom Chocolate House
Khom Chocolate House is a charming little cafe in Chiang Mai that offers a number of original drinks, cakes, and bonbons. It works mostly with French and Belgian chocolate. Ms Khom is the pulsing heart of the shop and adds her personal warmth and friendliness to the experience.
5. Cacaotier Gokan, Osaka
The spin-off of the famous Gaokan pastry shop in Osaka, Cacaotier Gokan is all devoted to chocolate using handpicked ingredients from around the world. While the first floor with its bonbons and bars looks like a boutique, the second floor of the venue is a lovely tea room with a retro flavor. The platter with the cake samples when you order is a showstopper.
6. 2am: dessert bar – Singapore
While not focused on chocolate, Janice Wong’s 2am: dessert bar in Holland Village in Singapore deserves a mention because chocolate is indeed a fundamental ingredient of many of the artistic desserts on the menu. The cake called Chocolate H20 is a classic and a must-have.
7. 17°C – Seoul
There are a lot of chocolate shops in Seoul and I may add more to this list as I continue to explore. For now, 17°C stands out especially for its seasonal drinks and a chocolate bingsu.