International Chocolate Day

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September 13

Chocolate made its debut in Mesoamerica, present-day Mexico in 450 B.C. Today, there are endless varieties found around the world. With the combination of higher cocoa content and quality ingredients, UK chocolate tends to be richer and smoother.

International Chocolate Day September 13th is the perfect excuse to try 7 of the best in London and Surrey:

 Bachmanns Patisserie and Chocolate Creations —Handmade award-winning chocolate by leading chocolatier, Ernst Bachmann, using Felchlin Grand Cru chocolate from Switzerland based in Weybridge.

Charbonnel et Walker — Founded in 1875, this Royal Warrant holder is one Britain's first and finest chocolatiers.
Dark Sugars — Using West African cocoa, Dark Sugars began trading in Borough and Spitalfields markets in 1997 and established its first brick and mortar store on Brick Lane in 2013.
 www.darksugars.co.uk

Hotel Chocolat — Before Amazon and eBay, Hotel Chocolat began selling chocolates on-line in 1993. The first store opened in 2004 and today there are 126 stores.
 www.hotelchocolat.com
Monty Bo Jangles — Chocolatier famous for their cocoa dusted truffles and winner of 48 Great Taste Awards.
Prestat — Founded in 1902 by Antoine Dufour, inventor of Prestat's famous chocolate truffle - chocolatier to Queen Elizabeth II and Roald Dahl’s favorite shop.
 www.prestat.com
 
William Curley — William Curley is a Scottish chocolatier and winner of the Academy of Chocolate's Britain's Best Chocolatier Award four times.
www.williamcurley.co.uk 

Since chocolate doesn't just taste good, but it is good for you too — there is really no reason to wait to indulge!

Kids Week Theatre Eats

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There is still time to take advantage of Kids Week promotion that runs until September 6th where kids 17 and under go free with a full price paid adult ticket (plus half-price tickets for two additional children).

Family-friendly places to eat close by:

Guys & Dolls (Ages 12+) — The auditorium with wraparound seating is transformed to the streets of Manhattan and bars of Havana. In addition to traditional seating, 'standing' immersive tickets where audience members can be part of the action are available for purchase as well.
Adult + Child from £39.50

Ivy Tower Bridge — Just a minute walk away, Ivy Tower
Bridge is the perfect place to get a bite to eat before the show.  They are currently featuring a special two course menu for £19.17 (Monday - Wednesday 11:30 am - 3 pm and Thursday - Friday 11:30 am - 6:30 pm).  Request the corner table on the patio for the best view of Tower Bridge.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Ages 8+) — While North American productions have been reduced to a single play, London will maintain the original two-part format of the most awarded play in history.
 From £30 / part
www.uk.harrypottertheplay.com ✆ +44 3303 334410
Palace Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 5AY
Tip : Friday Forty — Every Friday 40 tickets are released for every performance the following week for £40 (£20 per part).  The TodayTix lottery closes at 1 pm on Friday and winners are notified by 5 pm. www.todaytix.com

Inamo - Soho — To create a bit of your own magic, book a 5 pm afternoon tea at Inamo - Soho (a 7 min walk from the theatre) between the two parts. Considered London's only interactive restaurant guests control their dining experience, the digital projections on your table surface can be changed with a swipe of a finger, including selecting a tablecloth, ordering, watching the chefs and playing retro games.
 From £19.95 / person
www.inamo-restaurant.com/promos/afternoontea ✆ +44 2078 517051
134-136 Wardour St, London W1F 8ZP

Les Miserables (Ages 13+) — It is the longest running London musical and has been translated into 22 languages and shown in 53 countries. Initially, there were plans for it to be a full-scale opera — luckily this didn't happen.
From £40.50
www.tigerstealive.com ✆ +44 2079 308800
18 Suffolk Street, London SW1Y 4HT
Balthazar — Located in Covent Garden, Balthazar is nearly identical to its original New York location. Their taste of Paris lunch and pre-theatre set menu Join us for a taste of Paris with our delectable Prix Fixe menu, available from £24.50 from Monday to Friday – 11am – 7pm.
www.balthazarlondon.com ✆ +44 2033 011155
4-6 Russell Street, London WC2B 5HZ 

The Tiger Who Came to Tea (Ages 3+) — In its 15th year, this show is an adaptation of the classic picture book by Judith Kerr.  With a running time of only 55 minutes, this Olivier Award nominated production is a perfect introduction to the theatre.
Adult + Child from £19.50
www.tigerstealive.com ✆ +44 2079 308800
18 Suffolk Street, London SW1Y 4HT
Cafe in the Crypt — Across the street from Trafalgar Square is St. Martin’s in the Fields Café located 7 minute walk from the Theatre Royal Haymarket. This 18th century building with its brick-vaulted ceilings is a great place to escape the stream of tourists. They offer a basic afternoon tea minus the fancy cake stand. They also have a good and inexpensive ‘cafeteria’ style lunch.
 www.cafe-in-the-crypt ✆ +44 2077 661158
Duecannon Street, London WC2N 4JF

These combinations are worth trying beyond Kids Week!