Hot chocolate lovers in the Tri-Cities will have six locations to tickle their taste buds and warm their bellies in the 15th annual Greater Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival that begins Saturday, Jan. 18.
There’s even a couple of hot chocolate beers being poured at Patina Brewing Co. (2332 Marpole Ave.).
The Port Coquitlam brewery has crafted an ember lager hot chocolate that will be available from Jan. 18-31. The malty lager is combined with a house-made chocolate syrup with cinnamon and vanilla then cartelized with a glowing beer poker. According to the brewery, that brings out “warm, toasty notes like marshmallow.”
It will be served with a candied bacon strip dipped in chocolate.
From Feb. 1-14, Patina will feature a maple nutty bliss hot chocolate made with maple-pecan beer, creamy cashew puree and hot cocoa.
“The result is an Irresistible, silky-smooth hot chocolate with a subtle nutty sweetness and an unexpected, but oh-so-delicious, depth of flavour,” said the brewery.
The beverage will be served alongside a croissant cup topped with smoked butternut squash custard.
The hot chocolate festival started 10 years ago in Vancouver as a way to showcase some of the best chocolatiers, pastry shops, bakeries, cafes, gelato and ice cream makers. It has since spread to 10 different regions in British Columbia.
“In the damp and gloomy days of our West Coast winter, you’ll find our motto to be true: chocolate makes you happy,” said the event’s organizers on its website.
Participants can also win gift certificate prizes by posting photos of the hot chocolate treats they’re enjoying to Instagram, tagging @hotchocolatefest and including #HCFphotocontest2025 as the first word in the caption box. All eligible entrants will be put into a random draw for the 10 prizes worth a total of $1,950.
The other local hot chocolate purveyors participating in the festival are:
- BjornBar Bakery (111-581 Clarke Rd.) is featuring a banana and milk chocolate ganache hot chocolate paired with a peanut butter cookie until Jan. 31, then a strawberry white chocolate ganache hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and sprinkles and served alongside tricoloured sweet and salty popcorn.
- C Market Coffee (110-820 Village Dr., Port Coquitlam and 111-100 Schoolhouse St., Coquitlam) will have a hot chocolate topped with Cochujang-infused roee cream and Gochujan caramel drizzle served with a Gochujan biscotti stick, as well as a hot chocolate topped with chocolate dalgona cream and paired with crunchy dalgona bits and chocolate soil. Both beverage are available through the entire festival.
- Cannoli King (1125-950 Seaborne Ave., Port Coquitlam) is pouring a cocoa-misu hot chocolate served with a cantucci biscotti until Jan. 31 then a Baci di Dama blend of Nutella and hot chocolate paired with a Nutella cookie from from Feb. 1-14.
- Cassandra Cake Co. (105-2331 Marpole Ave., Port Coquitlam) features a white chocolate pistachio hot chocolate laced with honey Chantilly cream, pistachio drizzle and honeycomb crunch from Jan. 18-30 followed by a non-alcoholic red win reduction dark hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and red wine drizzle in a chocolate-rimmed cup alongside a piece of red velvet cake from Feb. 1-14.
- Doughnut Love (107-1655 Como Lake Ave., Coquitlam) has prepared three special concoctions for the festival. Twice the Black Forest is a vegan and gluten-friendly drink available for the duration; it features hot chocolate made with oat, almond or coconut milk, a dark chocolate vegan ganache, vegan whipped cream and dark chocolate shavings. It’s served with a gluten-free and vegan chocolate cherry cake doughnut. From Jan. 18-31, Cookie in a Cloud is a decadent hot chocolate made with steamed milk, Callebaut milk and dark chocolate ganache with a touch of vanilla and topped by whipping cream and scoop of cookie dough mousse. It’s paired with vanilla old fashion doughnut topped with vanilla glaze, mini chocolate chips, chocolate drizzle and a scoop of edible cookie dough. A standard version of Twice the Black Forest made with steamed milk and served with a yeast brioche doughnut filled with cherry compote and whipped cream, then dipped in a dark chocolate ganache.
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