I couldn’t resist poking my head inside the doors of Melt Chocolates in Notting Hill, just in time for Easter. As you can imagine, it’s a hive of activity at the moment, with all chocolate handmade on site in the small kitchen out the back. And with their recently opened concession in Selfridges, demand has never been greater.

The kitchen is headed by Chika Watanabe, who conjures up sheer chocolate heaven in the manner of award-winning Maldon sea-salted caramels, peanut butter and raspberry jam truffles, and exquisite single-origin hot chocolate dipping blocks.

For Easter, there’s a delightful bunny mug designed by Lisa Jones with a milk chocolate egg (£17.50), traditional paper eggs filled with Swiss milk chocolate drops (£8.50) and egg cups with milk chocolate eggs (£9.50). Click here to see the full Easter line-up.

If you’ve left your Easter shopping ‘til the last minute, resist the calls of the supermarket aisle (and bad-quality, sugar-laden chocolate) and head over to Selfridges instead. Right now you can hand-pick your own selection of fresh chocolates and watch as Melt’s chocolatiers seal them inside a hand-finished egg. Fun and yum!

Melt
59 Ledbury Road
London W11 2AA
Nearest Tube: Notting Hill Gate
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.

Opening hours:
Monday to Saturday 9am-6pm
Sunday 11am-4pm

For more chocolates and sweets in London, click here.

* Please bear with me - I'm flying back to my Sydney nest so I'm digging into the Wee Birdy archives for a couple of weeks. Normal posting (and ace new London shops) will resume shortly. xx