By the time I reached Honold Chocolates I had been to so many chocolate shops that I was starting to wonder if I could really put anymore chocolate into my body and how my body might react if I did. But the windows at Honold, filled with mini vermicelles torte, called out to me and I succumbed and glad I did.
Honold has been going strong since 1905. They have a small terrace outside on the pedestrian street and another seating area inside at the back of the café. Inside you have a lot to choose from and it all looks amazing. If you can’t choose then just speak to the incredibly friendly staff and they will help you decide and will likely direct you to one of their unique chocolate offerings. Lotti’s Best, a crumbly nougat feuillete with tonka bean and a pink of salt, covered with Venezuela 65% and milk chocolate. The most amazing was Honold Trauben, a regina grape marinated in cognac for a year and then covered in 65% Venezuela. In another showcase they have pastries and the famous Vermicelles cakes which I have been seeing all over the place and regret not trying. There are several desserts using chestnuts which date back to ancient Rome. Something to come back for.
Honold has several hot chocolates (I love spots that have several hot chocolates). They use a 65% from Venezuela, couverture from Felchlin and as soon as I found that out I was in love. Felchin makes beautiful chocolate and, if you add Swiss milk which somehow just tastes better than anywhere else (it is obviously because of the bells the cows wear) it just creates magic. You can have the magic in a cup, in a pot, you can have chilli, vanilla and honey added to it. There is a Chocolat Honold with hazelnut and cinnamon or, if you are in that kind of a mood, you can add alcohol (kirsch, rum, cognac, grand marnier or whisky). They even sell just a good old cup of hot steamed milk if you want to get the milk and then choose one of their truffles and make your hot chocolate yourself.
When you are finished take a look at the street the café is on. This used to be the door to the city and this street the main way in. Look up and admire the windows that extend out of the buildings, almost like small covered balconies. You can now see these throughout Switzerland but apparently this was the first street where these appeared. There is a stunning fountain (another one of the hundreds of fountains you can drink from) and the flower shop across the streets fills the fountain with hundreds of multi-coloured flowers, this time roses. Then from here keep walking straight to explore the maze of pedestrian laneways or turn left and walk up until you reach a public park with beautiful views over Zurich and plenty of seats to sit and enjoy the view from.
Verdict: Must visit on your chocolate exploration of Zurich. Order one of everything. Confiserie Honold, Rennweg 53, Zurich, Switzerland
