When the winter chill hits Metro Vancouver, there’s nothing quite like a cozy cup of hot chocolate to warm you up.
This January and February, the Greater Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival celebrates its 15th anniversary, inviting locals and visitors to explore the creative chocolatey delights offered by numerous local cafes, restaurants, and sweet shops.
From January 18 to February 14, 2025, the festival promises to be the ultimate winter treat, with dozens of vendors serving up unique takes on the beloved beverage.
The festival, which has become an annual winter tradition, always falls in the weeks just before Valentine’s Day—making it the perfect excuse to indulge in a little sweetness.
This year’s 15th edition marks a milestone for the event, which has grown exponentially since its inception and shows no signs of slowing down.
The 2025 Hot Chocolate Festival boasts 81 participating vendors (dubbed "Chocstars") serving up a combined 180 flavours at 124 locations across Metro Vancouver - and beyond. This year you'll find vendors from White Rock to Whistler - though the bulk are in Vancouver proper, with numerous spread out between Burnaby, the Tri-Cities, Langley, New West, Richmond, and North and West Vancouver.
In comparison, the 2024 edition of the popular event featured 71 vendors serving up 162 hot chocolate drinks at 105 locations.
Explore hundreds of hot chocolate creations across Metro Vancouver
The Greater Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival is an interactive experience, where participants can embark on a self-guided tour to sample dozens of hot chocolate creations at cafes and eateries throughout the region.
Each year, participating vendors bring their A-game, offering everything from inventive flavour combinations to unexpected twists on the classic cocoa.
At 49th Parallel's three Vancouver and one North Vancouver cafés, tumeric and cardamom spice up their first of two hot chocs on offer during the festival.
Newcomer Bak'd in New West will be turning one of its creations into a drinkable version of its signature chocolate chip cookie, rimmed with toasted marshmallow whip (and an OG cookie on the side).
Meanwhile, Mercato di Luigi - which just opened its second café/grocer location in Vancouver's Chinatown - will be melding white chocolate and limoncello for one of its two hot chocolate creations (with lemon coconut loaf on the side).
Plant-based and vegan options have become a festival staple, with more and more vendors creating hot chocolates that are both dairy-free and just as indulgent. For example, East Van's To Live For has two vegan drinks (with treats): Hot Buttered Rum Meets Stroopwafel and Cinnamon Bun and Cream Cheese in a Cup.
Coquitlam's Doughnut Love and West Van's Modern Pantry are among the bakeshops also doing plant-based drinks, as are Vancouver staples Honolulu Coffee and Koko Monk, among several more.
Whether you prefer classic hot chocolate or something more adventurous, the 2025 festival will offer plenty of choices to satisfy every craving.
You can use the Hot Chocolate Festival's handy location map (below) or the vendor directory to find out who is serving what for the 2025 festival. Toggle on options like "dairy-free," "vegan," or "open late," or search by neighbourhood to find exactly what you're seeking.
More than just hot chocolate: A sweet tradition of giving back
While the festival is all about celebrating the rich, velvety goodness of hot chocolate, it also has a heart of gold. Over the years, the festival has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, thanks to the generosity of vendors and attendees alike. The 2025 festival continues this tradition, with a portion of proceeds from participating drinks benefiting charitable causes in the community.
Map: 2025 Greater Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival locations
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