New Yorkers have a new import to obsess over: Chococo, the Dorset-born chocolatier, has quietly planted its first New York City shop on the Upper East Side and is gearing up to open a flagship Chocolate House at 500 Madison Avenue on May 2. The concept pairs a retail counter stocked with bean-to-bar chocolates and gifts with a café built for tastings, grab-and-go treats and quick sit-downs. The Upper East Side storefront is already serving ahead of the Madison Avenue debut.
Flagship features and tasting experiences
According to Time Out, the 500 Madison flagship will pour gelato from Il Laboratorio del Gelato, showcase pastries from SMOR and serve coffee from Abbotsford Road Coffee, all alongside Chococo's own hot chocolates and single-origin bars. Time Out also reports that the space will feature a tasting setup with more than 100 chocolate varieties plus a decorate-your-own chocolate-bar workshop for hands-on visitors.
A Dorset origin and two decades of awards
Chococo was founded in 2002 by Claire and Andy Burnet on England’s Jurassic Coast and has spent more than 20 years building a reputation for small-batch, directly traded chocolate, according to the brand's U.S. site Chococo. The company says it has collected more than 130 national and international food awards and puts an emphasis on plastic-free packaging and ingredient traceability.
Where to find Chococo and how to buy
In a press release, Chococo's U.S. arm announced the Upper East Side shop along with a 1,220-square-foot flagship at 500 Madison Avenue between 52nd and 53rd streets, with the flagship scheduled to open May 2. The release notes that the brand's full range will be available for nationwide shipping through its U.S. site and that the Upper East Side outpost at 1293 Third Avenue is already open, per PR Newswire. For current hours and ordering details, Chococo directs customers to its website.
What this means for the city's chocolate scene
Chococo's arrival adds another specialty player to Manhattan's chocolate lineup and introduces a British bean-to-bar angle to the city's dessert world. With a flagship built around tastings and hands-on workshops, the company is effectively betting that New Yorkers will keep leaning toward provenance, craft and a bit of edible education along with their sweets.
