The Cocoa Emporium

Just give me a minute while the last of this Baileys truffle slips over my tongue… one moment… nope, still can’t type, I’m in some kind of euphoric chocolate trance.
As part of Unilocal’s pledge to shop local this Christmas (hope you’re all taking it up too!), I ignored the half price Milk Tray in my local shop, forwent the Thorntons special offers and all those Tesco finest Belgian selections. I finally stepped into The Cocoa Emporium in Afflecks, and boy am I glad I did.
First of all, I’m so chuffed with what’s happened to Afflecks. To think it was so close to closing down, and now that it’s expanded its repertoire you don’t have to be an autonomy-​seeking, identity-​forming teen who likes kohl eyeliner and Kerrang! magazine (or indeed the parent of one) to find a reason to come here. Now, Afflecks is more representative of the Northern Quarter as a whole. Wait, I’d better stop and save this for my Afflecks update.
Back to The Cocoa Emporium, and it creeps up on you on the first floor of the building without you realising. Wander through the narrow shop that’s always been the place with the body jewellery and bright hair dye (aww, my university pink hair. Then my university blue hair. Memories) and there it suddenly is, all sweet little tables and chairs, cupcake displays and… chocolate. And this is serious chocolate. Truffles, bars, varieties you can only dream of, and even options for vegans. It’s perfect.
You might find yourself spending a fair few pennies here, but remember that love and effort have gone into these locally produced treats. No factory gubbins here — these are seriously Mancunian. William who was manning the desk at my time of arrival was lovely, full of character and very helpful. There are different kinds of hot chocolates and coffees to that you can take home, or why not pull up a pew, have a cupcake and indulge right there in the shop? Yep, there’s that option too — it’s a café-​cum-​chocolatier. And for those of you that are still doubting, well, here’s the clinch. I hate liqueur chocolates. I just tried the rum dark chocolate and the Baileys truffle. I loved them. The Cocoa Emporium officially ticks all boxes. Treat your loved ones there this Christmas, they’ll thank you for it… although their bathroom scales might not!

Handmade chocolates, cupcakes and other cakes for very reasonable cost. They can make cupcake towers for weddings and parties. I have so far tried the choc/​coconut cupcake, the cookies and cream cupcake, rocky road slice and chocolate gingerbread, all were fantastically delicious. My favourite being the chocolate gingerbread, lovely moist fat slice of delicious dark chocolate and cinnamon gingery-​bread, best pound I ever spent! They are going to be moving to a bigger unit soon to open a vintage tea room. I can’t wait!

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm. That’s the easiest way of summing up The Cocoa Emporium. Located upstairs in Affleck’s Palace, The Cocoa Emporium is a chocolatey oasis in this often overwhelming alternative shopping centre.
Selling a beautiful range of hand made chocolates, truffles, cupcakes and sweet treats, this shop is as great to look at as it is to taste. If you’re not a chocoholic they sell a lovely range of light and fluffy cupcakes of all colours of the rainbow, as well as some lovely toffees and brittles. If you are a chocoholic (and lets be honest, why else would you even be looking if you weren’t) there are some really special things on offer. From the collection of vegan (yes vegan!) chocolates, to the Pure Collection which is made up of chocolates flavoured by nature rather than sugar, and is not for the faint hearted.
Hotel Chocolat eat your heart out, The Cocoa Emporium has a personal touch and a soul which cannot be captured through fancy giftwrapping. Go online to check out their full range, much of which can be purchased on the web and delivered. Prepare to get fat.

Wow absolutely 100% agreed, this place is a chocolaty heaven. Its literally one of the best chocolate shops I have been to. I always find that places that do all sort of complex chocolates are just doing it to make themselves look good and the chocolate isn’t even actually that nice. I think this of Thorntons, and, wait for it… I also think this of Belgium.
I recently visited Bruges with my mum, and we thought the chocolate was a huge disappointment. There are literally Belgian chocolate shops all over the place. These places sell literally hundreds and thousands of different varieties of chocolate. We tried as many as our constitutions would allow, and the consensus was, no good! It was only when we tried a block of milk and a block of dark chocolate that we realized how amazing Belgian chocolate is. Basically its good to keep it simple.
Here though, all the different types are well nice! So what am I saying? I’m saying its better than Belgium.