Chococo in Purbeck

I discovered this hidden gem last year when I travelled on the paddle steamer Waverley from Portsmouth to Swanage. The service and fare on offer were exceptional last year, so I sought it out again yesterday. To my delight, the same server, Megan, was still there and she greeted me with the warmth and friendliness I had experienced last year. She even remembered me which was heartwarming as I'd been there only once before and that a year ago. I can't recommend the establishment highly enough; the produce on offer is wonderful and if you are lucky enough to be served by the friendly and efficient Megan, you will have an experience to remember.

Was gifted an afternoon tea voucher, so took the opportunity to participate. The hot chocolates were fantastic, the chocolate chip scones were nice although a little dry.

Deliciously dark hot chocolate and beautiful ideas for chocolate boxes to offer as gifts. The buns were also very nice (if pricey!)

Visited with my daughter while staying in Swanage for Easter. We both liked what we chose to drink and both had millionaire cake to go with our hot chocolate. A really nice Easter treat.

On Thursday 7 Sept I travelled to Swanage from Portsmouth on the paddle steamer Waverley and we arrived late lunchtime at the pier. It was very warm and whilst looking around for something to eat, I didn’t fancy the fish and chips I normally have when I do this trip, but there seemed little else on offer that day. Wandering around, it was my good fortune to come across your premises down a side lane, so I thought I’d pop in. The retail experience I had there was the best I have had anywhere this year. I am now an OAP and retired, but in my working life I was a Customer Service Manager for a multi national concern, so I tend to notice service standards. The young lady who served me on that day was cheerful, attentive, totally at ease, obviously enjoyed her work and was very helpful in recommending me what to have (I decided on the Ecuadorian chocolate drink, with a Dorset apple cake, in case you wondered…Oh yes, I followed that with an ice-cream…..). She was a real credit to your establishment and another couple there at the same time agreed what a lovely experience it was when being served by her. I regret I didn’t get her name, but I am sure you will know who she is. Please thank her for me and treasure staff like her. They are becoming rarer these days and not to be taken for granted….

This is a hidden treasure in Swanage. Although set back from the main high street, this café has a lovely atmosphere, the drinks are wonderful and the presentation is lovely. Moreover, the service is very good. We come here often and are never disappointed!

Have been coming to Swanage for years and have only found this chocolate shop/cafe this year. Hot chocolate’s and milkshakes are brilliant and even the customer service skills and friendliness were spot on even towards the last 30 mins before close. One of our drinks was delayed and Megan came over with some chocolates to apologise with. Thank you for this as it very much made our experience with you and having tried some samples a few days before, we are very much looking forward to trying the different flavours. Megan was friendly and enthusiastic from the second we walked in and we will definitely be coming back again next year! Have a good birthday Megan!

Wonderful ice cream selection and very clean inside. The lady in the chocolate shop was also very helpful. It is tucked away, but definitely worth a visit.

Visited 3 times during recent trip to Swanage. Lovely coffee and cakes. Amazing chocolates too with good Covid precautions.

I've been here quite a few times over the last few years as my sister lives In Swanage. She sometimes sends me chocolate bars from there as she is such a sweetie! So we visit to get their affogato (ice cream with great coffee poured over, what's not to like?) which is such a treat, and of course their gelato which is awesome, also like their savoury scones with cream cheese and chutney. And of course chocs to take home. Very hot sitting outside, I assume there is a reason for not having parasols as it's a walk- through alley?

We always visit when on holiday and although it’s expensive, we buy cheese & marmite scones for lunch and sometimes to take home and usually love them.We have just eaten the scones I brought today which were not pleasant at all. They were so dry and hard they could not have been fresh scones. I don’t mind an expensive treat on holiday but I don’t like being ripped off and £6 for 2 dry and inedible scones is not good.Such a shame as have always enjoyed the food here but we won’t be returning for scones to take home.The shop assistant was not friendly at all and quite abrupt with us - certainly sadly gone downhill from last year.

Search behind the high street to find this hip chocolatier cafe - it's definitely worth it. Not unexpectedly - and sensibly - cafe staff were hidden away behind their corona face masks. But this did not detract from the choco deliciousness, believe me. My son and I ate DIY sundaes - two scoops of Chococo gelato (pick your flavour from a selection), two toppings (we both had mini-Smarties and Maltesers) - and even poetry could not do justice to the delicious chocolate sauce swirled on top. A measure of how sweet, icy and tasty it all was - my son asked me if he could have his next birthday party here.

Sadly disappointed with this place. The service was very abrupt not just to us but others trying to get a table. Our chocolate drink, which was in a bowl was cold, very weak and oily. Not great at all. It's a shame because the menu looks nice and promising but sadly didn't live up to the hype. The lady serving most certainly didn't seem to enjoy her job and just complained all the time. Definitely wouldn't come back. Sorry.

Great cream tea and delicious ice creams. Lovely little hidden cafe. Well organised staff and set up.

We had a lovely cup of Tanzanian hot chocolate here. It was not overly sweet and had a great chocolate flavour. Lots of nice chocolates to buy next door too.

We have been visiting and buying chox online from this original shop for years. The shop side is a must - treat yourself to a large selection box and choose your own flavours. The cafe is also fab, with a variety of sweet and savoury foods not to mention a dizzying array of hot chocolate options. Just a lovely place to hang out for an hour or so when visiting Swanage.

Delicious coffee, cakes & savouries....as well as the mouth watering chocolate products...all superb. Visit regularly as local & can get very busy. The staff work as a great team & are really friendly & very efficient. Highly recommended.

Nicely located in side alley in the town. Clean and bright with nice helpful staff. Unfortunately the fare did not quite come up to standard. House hot chocolate was not particularly chocolatey and was not very hot. A choice of 3 different cheese scones was exciting. Unfortunately it was not really very cheesy. Sorry.

Took my friends into the shop on Saturday. Lots of goodies to choose from. Staff very knowledgeable about the products and nothing was too much trouble. It’s great knowing we will be sharing the delights of Chococo with our loved ones when they open their presents over Xmas.

So you probably already love chocolate if you come here and you're in for a treat as not only can you buy a fantastic range of individual chocolates to take away, there is also a cafe. There are cakes and hot chocolate and ice cream - even a cream tea with chocolate chip scones. The coffee is good and helps to balance the sweetness of the cakes - and the hot chocolate got a big thumbs up too!

We took our daughter there for a treat during our week in Swanage. She is autistic and getting on holiday is always a triumph. The main issue we had is that all their cakes were chocolate with salted caramel or chocolate with nuts and there was no plain just chocolate option. We got her some chocolate from the shop but she didn't have any cake. I had the choc chip scone with salted caramel and cream which was delicious and son had a different chocolate nutty option but cant remember what. Husband had a hot chocolate with chilli.Overall no complaints about what we had but slightly disappointed by the choices.

We often visit here for presents for friends and family. The range and the quality of their chocolates are amazing. Also it’s very difficult not to stay for a wonderful cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows and a naughty cake.

We stopped here for a gelato. The server let us any of the flavours, but opted for the strawberry. Mmm

Superb coffee and cakes, as well as multiple ways to drink hot chocolate. Chocolate chip scone with clotted cream and dulce de leche - heaven. And then you get to go to the chocolate shop afterwards.

Amazing vegan chocolate :-) Enough said! Staff were really friendly and helpful and there was so much choice.

Okay it can be overcrowded & furnishings are basic but its the chocolate we come for right?!

This was my first visit but it won't be my last. The coffee was lovely. I had a ginger scone served warm which was melt-in-the-mouth good. Staff were friendly. 100% recommended.

Popped in here for lunch. Excellent tasty scones and a gluten free brownie - yum. The coffee is great too. Good value and service. Highly recommended.

A bit hard to find being off the main high streets but very pleasant area to sit and enjoy a coffee away from the crowded sea front. A excellent selection of chocolate goodies to tempt even the hardest dieter!

We always visit Chococo when we visit Swanage. Be prepared to look behind the main streets into an alley where chococo is almost hidden away along side other artisan shops. There is a good selection of the most delicious locally handmade loose chocolates. There is also the difficulty in deciding which mini bags of chocolates to buy eg Heavenly honeycombe, candied orange chocolate segments plus many more delights. Chococo chocolates taste fresh and delicious and there are usually small discounts offered on some lines. The adjoining cafe offers gorgeous pieces of cake at reasonable prices to eat in or take away. The staff at Chococo are friendly and helpful

Come here very often with my partner, best hot chocolates in swanage, shame tget don't do sundaes but they do have the most amazing gelato that's made in wareham.

What a great place – come for the chocolate (it is amazing) stay for lunch – really great homemade soups – but if you have time do the tasting session. you need to book in advance, but It is amazing – you get to learn stuff that will change your chocolate habits for life, get to taste loads – and make some stuff to take home.

Nice little place to both buy good quality chocolate and enjoy chocolate in its many forms (hot drink, ice cream, etc). Friendly staff. The place is tucked away in a side street but worth looking for it, even if a bit overpriced.

Our first (but not to be our last!) visit here. We tried ice cream and had hot chocolates too. I didn't know what to pick and the wonderful lady behind the till was very helpful in pointing me to their most popular chocolate. Needless to say, both ice cream and hot chocolate were delightful! Yum.

Every time I come to Swanage I go to Chococo and buy chocolate. There is such a range to try though I have developed my favourites.

My favourite shop in Swanage it so hard not to eat everything. I’ve been coming here for years. Love the chilli chocolate. You can also get the chocolate through the post. It’s special this place.

We'd read lots of good things about Chococo & we weren't disappointed. Smooth 70% hot chocolate & a yummy, warm date & ginger scone. Awesome!

This is where chocoholics go for a fix of the real stuff. Tea and coffee is available too, but hot chocolate is the main event, using ethically sourced, locally prepared pure chocolate. You can eat too - from breakfast to afternoon tea - but you can't go there without trying the chocolate. Our daughter - a local resident - brought us here as a treat; we weren't disappointed!

If you love chocolate then you need to visit here. We stayed near Southampton but came to Swanage especially for Chococo as we’d been there 3 times before. The first time we came was 8 years ago so we’ve seen it evolve and grow but the quality has not been lost. The chocolate afternoon tea is a must for chocoholics and you can’t go wrong with a piece of apple Dorset cake. Friendly, helpful staff and incredibly clean. Pumpkin spiced chocolates were a highlight this visit!

This place is my happy place where they serve the best chocolates and everything to do with chocolate. Came here in the Summer and had amazing iced coffees and had hot chocolate this time which was equally as good. My daughter had a ‘create your own’ sundae which I HAD to help her eat, it was fab. Will be back.

Chococo products are the best chocolate products I’ve ever tasted anywhere in the world... I love the brand and feel personally invested... however... be careful Chococo... service is slipping! Not because your staff aren’t always super lovely, but because there is often an unnecessary wait for coffee... I mean - what’s the problem?!!! You don’t go into Nero’s and be told there will be a ‘little’ wait for you order! It’s a coffee shop!! Be prompt. Clear the tables quicker. Be excellent! You’re worth it!!

This is a lovely shop! My husband and I both had lovely hot chocolates, which were delicious. I’m not great with dairy, but they had non-dairy options including almond milk at no extra price.

Been to many fantastic chocolate shops all round the uk, but I have to say this is my favourite. Everything was good as you would expect, but it was the mint chocolates that had the wow factor. They don't use mint oil like most places, they use mint leaf which gives it a more natural smell & taste. We went back 3 times. Hot chocolate & ice-cream milkshakes were well worth the visit too.

We have lived around Swanage for years and have always loved Chococo - the place is something of an institution in the town! We've always dropped in to try their latest chocolates and love how you get a free chocolate with a hot drink (try their signature hot chocolates: absolutely delicious).

I get up early and swim in the sea every morning when I am in Swanage, so this shop with lots of varieties of drinking chocolate is a complementary experience balancing indulgence with bravery.

Go down off the high street and step into a haven of chocolate. Bustling little café and great chocs to buy as gifts

This small cafe serves chocolate treats including hot chocolate in an array of varieties. Decaf coffee and soya milk is also available. This is our favorite cafe in Swanage and wished it opened earlier than 10 am for our morning cuppa when visiting.

We were recommended Chococo when we were looking for an early lunch. What a find!!! Lovely food and great staff. To be honest, the only thing they need to do is get a bigger kitchen to keep up with demand!

Great chocolate! Lots to coose from but on the more pricey side. Nice shop and cafe. Dark choc and almond my favourite.

We have been visiting Swanage for 12 years as a day trip from Lulworth Cove and we all meet up in this little restaurant before we go home. Hard to find but follow the signs through the alleyways and you will find a real treat. Lovely staff, teas, chocolates and ice creams

Had a fantastic chocolate cream tea with chic chip scone and hot chocolate. Absolutely delicious! Kids had ice cream and milkshakes and each was fantastic and good value

We revisited Chococo last week and I was impressed with the range of savoury scones and hot chocolate. I had a stunning cheese and marmite scone with cream cheese and chutney. Well worth the visit whilst we were on holiday in Poole.

Popped in here for lunch. Excellent tasty lunch. Broccoli and Stilton soup, some wraps and a gluten free brownie - yum. Good value and service. Highly recommended

The chocolates from this place are divine, you will want to buy everything. They do different varieties of chocolates and they put a spin of things too, including the fish and chips its brilliant. They have now expanded the shop so it includes a cafe where you can get ice cream, drinks and a few other things. Well worth a visit, I didn't want to leave.

Wonderful Purbeck award winning ice cream, melted chocolate sauce, coffee with a handmade chocolate. Sunshine in a little courtyard off the high street in Swanage. Just have to come here on every visit.

Great find for a coffee & lunch stop, wraps fresh and nice to find some different fillings. Coffee good & choc that came with it was yum. Only thing that lets Chococo down is its outside seating area isn’t the nicest spot in town, but I’m sure it wouldn’t take too much to soften it a bit.

Still the same great coffee in the expanded coffee shop. But call me a traditionalist, the "old" (smaller) layout had one huge advantage -- the loo didn't open straight into the café. Can't imagine how they got away with that one. Prices seem to have become more expensive too.

We visited on an afternoon in December. The staff were lovely, great service. We had a hot chocolate and it was very nice, very much chocolate and well worth the money. We will visit again when we are back in the area

Its amazing here.Make sure you visit a chococo.If you get to much it can get sickly.Kids can get ice cream.There are toilets here.

Chococo is a regular haven for us on our visits to Swanage and a chocoholic's paradise. The staff are wonderful and patiently wait as the kids make their choices from the overwhelmingly yummy range of choccies on display. We love to sit upstairs on a rainy afternoon and sip a chilli hot chocolate while the kids happily scribble in the drawing corner. Highly recommend.

Over the last 4 years we have made this a priority everything we have come to Swanage. Lovely hot chocolate. Great community feel and always seems friendly

Friendly staff. Kids love the DIY hot chocolate. We love the little chocolate that comes with the coffee!

We found our ‘proper’ hot chocolate to be pretty average - the orange hot chocolate didn’t boast a whole lot of flavour. The millionaires shortbread left a lot to be desired and the staff were pretty miserable/bored!

Great chocolates, but as a cafe you need to be producing drinks faster than one every four minutes. Either stop serving ridiculous hot chocolates or employ more staff. And dirty cups from the previous occupants of our table are never cleared. Not good enough.

What a shame about the wait. This is the first time I have been in here for lunch. The soup...

Usually pop in when we come down to swanage, the chocolate is very nice and serves a wide range of...

DELICIOUS. YOU MUST GO. Some of the best chocolates ever; incredibly tasty. And the cafe is loively too: very friendly...

Fantastic place, great chocolates, best hot chocolate in Swanage worth a visit😎 service with a smile from all staff on...

Great for dairy free hand made chocolates and the best soy hot chocolate ive ever had. Small place but if...

The staff was helpful and our treats including chocolates, ice cream and hot chocolate were good. Be aware if you are visiting from the States that less sugar is used in the hot chocolate than you are used to so be ready for more of a cocoa flavor.

This is our second stay in Swanage and we were delighted that Chococo was still there. We discovered it by chance last year as it's hidden behind the High Street. It's clearly loved by the locals as there was a steady stream of customers. There is a small area where you can indulge in the delicious hot chocolate or coffee and be tempted by the sweet treats. I discovered that there is another seating area upstairs but we didn't visit on this occasion. On the other side of Chococo is a small but well stocked shop where the home made chocolate can be purchased. Really friendly and helpful staff and well worth a visit either to have a drink or buy some chocolate. THey also sell some very tempting varieties of ice cream.

This may seem strange but the reason I'm not giving Chococo five stars is there is too much chocolate. If you both like chocolate, great, but sometimes you can have too much and it's nice to have a non chocolate cake with your drink. There is a very limited choice of non chocolate options. They provide a chocolate with your hot drink which is nice, but it would be even nicer if they checked any food intolerance's first. I don't eat nuts, and often my husband gets both chocs. Also, be aware that the seating area inside is very small, and when full, feels a little cramped. However, I would certainly return, but generally only when it is quiet.

We spend nearly £4 on a milkshake yet could hardly taste it. Tasted like sweet cold milk. Neither of us could finish our drinks because they were so sickly and left an horrible after taste In our mouths. (Probably sour milk)

My favourite place in Swanage, and maybe the world! Chococo has the most amazing hot chocolate, ice cream sundaes, chocolate afternoon tea, cakes, scones, and of course their signature hand made chocolates. They use local ingredients where possible. This year was the busiest I've ever seen it but despite the queue the staff remained cheerful and friendly.I must confess to visiting 5 times in a 7 day holiday to Swanage! If you are in the vicinity - GO THERE!

No trip to Swanage is complete unless I have visited Chococo. The hot chocolate is simply the best and there are so many lovely chocolates to buy from the little shop. There is a lovely atmosphere here and would highly recommend it.

Visited with a school group to make chocolate lollipops, Krispy cakes and bars...came away with loads of treats. ...staff are friendly, helpful and patient! It's the 3rd year in a row we've been here and still impressed! Thank you!

The chocolate from here is truly amazing. So fresh, really imaginative flavours. Lots of novelty things for the kids too (the proper ones are too good for children...). The cafe in Swanage is great too - cheese and marmite scone was a highlight, but the coffee and hot chocolate (proper dark chocolate, not too sweet) was great too. Staff lovely.

Been raining most of the day and something warming was called for. We have been to Swanage a few times and must have walked past this side street and not walked down it. It won't happen again! 18 year old grandson loves hot chocolate drink. One sip of 100% Colombian and he said it was the best ever. Various other percentages to suit all tastes. Very tasty pastries ( mainly chocolate) plus scones. Great coffees. Helpfull staff and not silly prices. Young lady who took our order was polite, efficency and is an asset to the establishment. Would definitely recommend.

Lovely little cafe and shop tucked away in Swanage... Delicious ice cream and chocolate versions of everything ;0) The kids attended the workshop today and had a wonderful time making lots of chocolate goodies.

Tucked down a side sreet we found this little coffee and chocolate shop just by chance. We had wonderful coffee which came with one of their home made chocolates. So good that we bought some chocolates to take away, Would definitely visit this place again.

I brought a group of school children to Chococo for a two hour workshop. It was everyone's favourite outing! Our teacher, Sarah, was able to explain the origins of chocolate while the children tried different kids and types. They went on to make all sorts of treats from chocolate lollies to chocolate nests. Every child made a decorated chocolate letter that spelled out, 'School is Cool'. A trip to the shop to load up with presents and other chocolate goodies rounded off a perfect day. Great fun!!

Wonderful place to taste different chocolate, a must have is the cream tea with a twist!!! Get a hot chocolate and a scone with chocolate chips!! The staff are really friendly!! If you are in swanage and fancy something that will taste amazing, in a place that is chilled out and relaxed definitely worth a visit!!

Popped in for coffee and was tempted by the ice creams on offer. Good selection of various flavours. Tasted lovely especially with the other chocolate sauce.

Got to be the tastiest ice cream and the hot chocolate sauce is the icing on the cake. Can't wait to return to this lovely little cafe.

I found this little gem hidden away from the high street via tripadvisor and enjoyed coming here every time i come down to Swanage. They serve really nice truffles and hot chocolate. I have gone for hot chocolate 70% and chocolate chip scone hoping it's as scrumptious as everything else tried in the shop. The scone looked huge and rocky, but i did notice it smelt a little yeasty(or possibly floury) or chemically. When i started eating, some parts were ok (mostly where there was a chocolate piece) but the bread bits were tasting a bit funny (like a plastic smell) which was a huge disappointment. Maybe the person who mixed the batter used strong smelling cosmetics?

Great variety of chocolates. Coffee is good and it's in a good location dropped back from the main tourist area and shopping street. However it is pricey and I agree with some of the other reviews saying that the ice cream portions are really a bit mean compared considering the cost which is now £2.50 a scoop with cone! They do some classes I believe in chocolate making which would be fun but as a cafe it is a pleasant atmosphere. The upstairs is less good but OK...

This place is awesome, and I have been coming here annually for years. The staff are wonderful, and the chocolate is utterly delicious! I love the ingenious flavours, honestly one of the highlights of my year.

Wir haben das Lokal nur durch einen puren Zufall gefunden, da es sehr versteckt mehr oder weniger in einem Hinterhof liegt. Hier gibt es traumhafte heiße Schokoladen und dazu frische Kuchen. Auch die Schokoladen zum Mitnehmen schmecken fantastisch.

Quite small café, so be sure to arrive early. 70% Madagascone chocolate with a chocolate on the side. Not too sweet and didn't burn back of the throat. Brilliant.

My friend and I usually come here every time we go to Swanage for the lovely ice cream and chocolate. However this time we were disappointed by the size of the portions of ice cream. I had salted caramel which was delicious, but a little more ice cream would be good.

Stopped by for an ice cream, whist it was delicious and the cone very nice the amount of ice cream in it hardly covered the top of the cone, therefore very disappointing, especially at a cost of £2.25. Lots of places sell good ice cream in Swanage I'd recommend going to one of them.

Having walked from Sandbanks to Swanage we decided to sample the cafeWe had 2 hot chocolates which were delicious and the children had milkshakes which again were wonderful A lovely place to go for a drink especially after such a long walk The shop was very busy and had a selection of chocolate

Have visited countless times and absolutely love the place. Lovely cakes and choccies. Unfortunately they don't serve a standard decaffeinated tea. Sometimes the waitresses can be a little brusque but I understand they get very busy. Overall great and will continue to go as often as I can!!

Wonderful chocolate heaven. Its really the Lush for chocolate. Very helpful staff and delicious samplings! Beautiful presentation. I cant keep away!

Wonderful cafe selling all sorts of chocolate products! Friendly attentive staff! Reasonable prices and chocolate wonderful.

If so, you may love this place but I found it disappointing. The cardamom addition to the supposedly hot chocolate made the drink gritty and irritating while the cafe is cramped and rather shabby.

Visited on an afternoon and found the shop and cafe not that busy. We really should have walked back out of the door and gone elsewhere after being ignored by at least three staff . Never having been before we were unsure if it was table service as there isnt much room, or if orders were placed at the counter. After a few minutes my partner asked at the counter what the form was. We ordered at the counter from the boards around the walls. Most of the hot chocolate is displayed with the country of origin and a percentage. I asked for a white hot chocolate which i think was 31%. It was served with another chocolate , possibly milk, grated on the top. Why ever would you do that? Surely the idea is to taste the product that you order uncorrupted . It would even have been nice to be given the choice.White hot chocolate is a bit of a rarity and my experience was spoiled. My partner had one of the higher percentage dark hot chocolates which was quite a nice product as was the actual chocolate served in the saucer.I also had a cheese and marmite scone . Not great. I think it may just have seen the marmite jar as i could barely taste it. This also took ages to arrive having to ask if they'd remembered first.While we were sitting drinking a previous customer came back in to the cafe and asked if he had left a rucksack behind. He was told rather curtly that he had left the shop with it as the member of staff had to squeeze passed when serving.I dont know if this was an off day after reading previous reviews on here but our customer service experience was poor. There were at least 3 members of staff trying to work behind the cramped counter area. There was also a lady that brought in a supersized pushchair and was offered no help as to where to store it safely and then a lady using a wheelchair that sat at a table and was looking for somewhere to put the chair out of harms way. No help offered in either case. Wont bother again.

Friendly staff,lovely hot chocolate,the shop is well stocked with all things one shouldn't have ,but can't resist

Chococo make the best chocolates I have had the pleasure of ordering and sending to business associates and friends! A close friend, who is a world-renowned Wagnerian Tenor, received a birthday pyramid of Chococo chocolates which proved very popular with his co-star ... Placido Domingo! The Chococo shop enables one to sample the best Chococo has to offer ... well worth popping in!

Chococo can be hard to find down a small alley in The centre of Swanage. The hunt is well worth it. If you just want a 'simple' hot chocolate (made from real chocolate) or a fantastic do it yourself chocolate sundae. It also has a great shop full of excellent chocolates.