There’s nothing to dislike about a store that has “chocolate” in the name. Nothing.
The Chocolateria is all things chocolate, ice cream, dreamy and delicious in one little Roncesvalles Avenue shop.
Having just celebrated their three-year anniversary last week, owner Tim English didn’t have a life-long ambition to make cavity-inducing sweets. He was a corporate lawyer for 20 years before he opened The Chocolateria (361 Roncesvalles Ave). Having dabbled in pastry and chocolates at George Brown College, Tim decided to leave law behind and open a shop that he describes as, “Willy Wonka for baby boomers.” Sweet memories from childhood are combined with high quality ingredients to make an adult treat for more sophisticated taste buds.
The shop is filled with food dipped in chocolate. Oreos dipped in chocolate, Twizzlers, candied orange peel, pretzels, sponge toffee, potato chips, and an array of candies…dipped in chocolate. Tim says customers occasionally bring their own items in to be coated. Like the customer who brought in small peppers to be dipped.
Bars of chocolate ($5.75) include classic flavours (almond bark), and playful nostalgia (cookies and cream, a bar covered in Smarties), and current trends (candied bacon, wildflower honey and hazelnut).
The ice cream is worth having while we have a few weeks of hot weather left ($3.32 single scoop). Not only does Tim make a popular salted caramel flavour, he also churns out a burnt caramel ice cream with bits of sponge toffee. Other harder-to-find flavours include a lemon meringue pie with chunks of graham cracker crust, and a “very berry” ice cream with vanilla, blueberry, strawberry, and raspberry ice creams swirled together.
Tim isn’t afraid to offer unconventional flavours. He’s made garlic chocolate truffles and garlic ice cream, in addition to porcini mushroom truffles. There’s always something new at The Chocolateria. Tim is working on more fruit and spice-infused chocolates and a single-origin line of specialty chocolates from places likes Tanzania, Ghana, and Mexico.
Fudge is making a comeback as well. It was a huge hit for the shop last year, and it’s dipped in chocolate. Of course.
Follow The Chocolateria on Twitter: @TheChocolateria
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