Chocolate Indulgence Tour of Melbourne

Little Cupcakes is a café that has taken Melbourne by storm. Everyone is talking about it, and it’s location in one of the city’s famous alleyways is the perfect starting point for today’s chocolate kick. It’s a small place with a “homey” feeling to it, almost like stepping into your mum’s kitchen. I have a feeling girls will be particularly fond of this cozy corner. The two-dollar bite size cupcakes are delicious and you can easily try four or five different flavors. Order a chocolate milkshake to top it off and you are guaranteed a great start to the day.

Our chocolate indulgence point number 2 is The Lindt Café, which isn’t far away from Little Cupcakes. After winding your way through the narrow and lively alleyways you will reach Collins Street. Head to number 271 and step inside for a completely different experience. The café is elegant and stylish. It’s located in what used to be the former National Bank of Australia building. A tasteful blend of modern and classic architecture makes the interior very impressive. You’ll find yourselves staring at the roof for quite a while. So, you’ve got the atmosphere and now you need the goods. The one guarantee here is you will get all the subtle and delicate refinements of the world-renowned Swiss chocolate house. So order wisely and spend some quality time in there.

From the Lindt café all you have to do is cross Collins Street and find the entrance to the Block Arcade. This is a spectacular place, and you’ll be forgiven if you think you’ve just stepped into the heart of Europe. It was built at the end of the XIX century and its architect was actually briefed to make it look like Galleria Vittoria in Milan. At the middle of the Arcade, just underneath the central atrium is the mouth-watering Haigh’s Chocolates. Here you’ll be spoilt for choice; there are literally hundreds of preparations to choose from. You’re probably better off by just sampling a couple of small pieces and buying a box of mixed goodies to eat later on, cause we’re only at the mid point of our day and you might want to save some of your strength for what’s coming next!

Finally you’ll reach the QV, one of Melbourne’s modern shopping complexes, where we’ll find the last two indulgence points. The first one is Chocolateria San Churro, located just in front of the Victoria Public Library . It has a stylish terrace from which you can watch the world pass by as you slowly dip your crunchy Spanish churros in a cup of melted chocolate. Take your time cause this has to be one of life’s little pleasures. Once you’re done head into the library and check out the impressive dome and the La Trobe Reading Room. While you’re in there you can try finding a book on cacao just to get some background information on this unique product that has been the sole focus of your day. It might also reassure you that nobody has died of a chocolate overdose, at least not that I know of!

Now that you know you have the “all clear” for a final chocolate dose just head back into the QV and find the inner square. It’s an interesting combination of architectural styles in there, and there’s always something happening in the square. It particularly comes to live in the early afternoon. You can’t miss Max Brenner’s Chocolate Bar, where you can have the perfect ending to this sweetest of days. There are some funky options in the menu and surely whatever you go for will leave you with a nice and soothing taste. Just to make it feel healthy I recommend some strawberries in chocolate fondue or if you want to end with a bang maybe go for the chocolate banana pizza. Now it’s time to go home with the satisfaction of knowing you are definitely a hardcore Chocoholic!