LOT Roasters, Carrer Bailen 43, Barcelona
Barcelona is known the world over for its beautiful architecture and rich history. Chocolate is also one of those cultural treasures.
In fact it was the first city in Europe to receive cacao shipments from Mexico under the moniker of viento chocolatero (chocolate wind). A name given in Mexico to the most favourable to navigate northern breezes. It arrived in 1520.
Fast forward to 2024 and there’s plenty that touches the heart of chocolate aficionados. There’s more history in a separate post visiting the Chocolate Museum in El Born.
This article will give you a good idea what places you can visit for excellent chocolate. Vámonos!
Overview
- LOT Roasters, Carrer Bailen 43
Number one on the list has to be LOT Roasters. There’s no other place like it in Barcelona.
Specialising in coffee and chocolate exclusively from Peru, you will immediately fall in love with LOT. Like a LOT!
The menu is highly interesting offering a wide variety of special chocolate drinks.
The Dark Chocolate was incredible. At the time of visiting it was made with chocolate from the San Martin region. It’s fruity and utterly delicious. For something sweet the chocolate canelé is the most chocolatey option on offer.
Pulpa de Cacao on the other hand is a drink that was completely novel to me. It is made from the mucilage aka pulp surrounding the cacao bean. It’s refreshing and tasted like peach. The consistency was similar to cloudy apple juice.
Mucilage is important in the cacao fermentation process. The white pulp is what gives the beans its unique flavour. Once it’s done its job it is drained off and remains as residue. It has a long list of nutritional values such as Vitamin E, D, B and magnesium to name a few.
Besides hot & cold drinks and pastries there’s a wide selection of chocolate products to purchase.
Bars from San Martin and Cusco are available as well as chocolate from Piura by weight. There’s also chocolate peanut butter, cacao nibs and cacao powder to take home with.
LOT souvenirs – San Martin 75% and Chuncho 65% bars.
The taste of both was sensational. My favourite here is the San Martin 75%, full of cherry and fruity flavour notes. Chuncho was just as fruity and even includes the coffee cherry and skin in the bar. Phenomenal!
LOT on Instagram
Address: Carrer Bailen 43, L’Eixample, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
2. Cacao Sampaka, C/ del Consell de Cent 292
Just off Las Ramblas on Carrer del Consell de Cent sits Cacao Sampaka. This business has been making chocolates for over 20 years. Their workshop is just a bit outside of Barcelona.
Chocolate bars, bonbons as well as nibs and powder can be bought here.
What stands out is their range of exclusive chocolates. Most of their bars are sourced from lesser known plantations and origins. If the level of fermentation meets their standard the beans are shipped to their workshop and roasted at low temperatures to preserve the delicate flavour notes.
Bars start at around €9.9 and for €15 you can try their Legendary Cocoas box.
This selection of 4 origins gives you an opportunity to sample 4 at once.
Copán from Honduras, Frida from Mexico (a white albino cacao), Xoconusco from Mexico and Haute Sanaga from Cameroon.
Notes are very varied and highly interesting if you haven’t tried chocolate from these origins before.
Mexico is more floral, Cameroon fruity and smoky and Honduras is described as tropical fruits and moist earth.
My personal favourite here is Mexico, both the Frida and the Xoconusco. The Frida is very creamy almost caramel like and had flavour notes that were pleasant on the palate. Citrus, floral and slight bitterness.
Cacao Sampaka on Instagram
Address: C/ del Consell de Cent 292, L’Eixample, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
3. Museu de la Xocolata, C/ del Comerç 36
From a historical and chocolate making point of view, the Museu de la Xocolata is worth a stop. Entrance fee includes a bar of chocolate, which is also your ticket. You have to scan the QR code on the back to enter. I love ideas like that!
The tour takes you from where and how cacao is grown to its early beginnings in Europe. Special Catalan baked creations (with and without chocolate) are also covered in the tour.
You can learn about the general process of making chocolate. Also, how chocolate inspired artists such as Picasso, Salvador Dalí and many others.
I highly recommend the museum as you learn more about the history of cacao from a Spanish angle.
The shop features chocolate bars from The Barcelona Chocolate Company among some other brands, which are all made on site. You can even take chocolate courses here.
There isn’t an origin that’s not on the shelf. There are stacks to choose from and you are spoilt for choice. There’s Vietnam, Grenada, India, Trinidad & Tobago as well as Madagascar. The bar I took home was Papua New Guinea 70%.
The flavour was incredible. I never tasted this origin before and it’s like having a cappuccino in your bar of chocolate.
Museu de la Xocolata on Instagram
Address: C/ del Comerç 36, Ciutat Vella, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
4. Patisserie Hofmann, C/ dels Flassaders 44
Just a few minutes from the chocolate museum is Patisserie Hofmann.
Headed by master of pastry Miquel Guarro this destination was also recommended by Jordi Bordas. In fact he is familiar with the B-Concept Method.
From a chocolate point of view I would advise to skip the patisserie as its options are limited.
Chocolate bars are on sale however, the majority is viennoiserie and beautiful looking desserts.
The stand out chocolate dessert is shaped like a cacao pod and filled with a rich chocolate mousse and a touch of tequila. There’s no doubt it looks stunning! Taste wise I personally didn’t enjoy the alcohol and the chocolate flavour was lost.
Here’s a video how it is made.
70g of Venezuelan sunshine. This bar is delicious.
Patisserie Hofmann on Instagram
Address: C/ dels Flassaders 44, Ciutat Vella, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
If you have any places worth checking out in Barcelona please let me know in the comments below. I love feedback and getting new ideas. Hasta luego!
Robin Metzler 
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