Hype Chocolate lives up to the name with so much more than just chocolate.
I had first learned of them during one of Vancouver Foodster’s celebrated tours in Granville Island and had made a note to check Hype Chocolate’s actual store front then and there. However it was not until recently, when I was in the area, that I had the opportunity to check them out.
The name delivers as this is one of the most funnest shops I have ever been in. Visiting is literally like being a kid in a candy store, especially given the excitement that the owner exudes as a chocolate lover and snack fiend. We had the latter in common and immediately jibed. He took the time to recap his recent trip to the snack expo in Chicago and relayed all that he was inspired by and had brought back to mix into their hand twisted ice creams. More on that later.
The space is a work in progress with a large dance floor and the need to travel all the way to the back to peruse the counters.
There you can shop from their ever growing collection of fun and funky chocolate bars. Familiar favourites like cookies and cream, milk chocolate and s’mores. Plus a selection of fine dark chocolate blends. And then they have more creative bars like cereal milk and salty potato chip. There is one with waffle cone chunks, another flavoured in cherry and five spice, and even one with dried ramen pieces.
The sky is only limited by their imagination, and we learned there is no end; as we were given samples of some unreleased bars in the works. Starting with an everything bagel bar. White chocolate topped with all the spices and seasonings you would get from everyone’s favourite bagel. And it is 100% accurate. All the salty and savoury flavours, plus seedy texture to start, ending on a nice sweet creamy note.
They also have an unreleased banana split bar that looks exactly like the classic dessert with Neapolitan milk chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry layers embedded with banana bits, drizzled with chocolate fudge, and topped with rainbow sprinkles.
We even got a taste of chocolate that was yet to be made into a bar. A tasting scoop fresh from the mixer. This is a future collaboration with Prototype Coffee and their flat white. This teaser got me excited for what is to come, as I don’t think anyone has ever done a flat white chocolate bar. I would also like to see them do whole coffee collection. Barista basics including other favourite hot beverages like an Americano, cappuccino, latte, etc.
As fun as tasting what was new and yet to come, I could not help but be drawn to the stack of mini shoe boxes housing sneaker shaped chocolate. If this was not the epitome of “Hype”, I don’t know what is. There were even half basketballs to match. I would pick up a couple of pairs. You pay more for the novelty and it is well worth it, for the packaging alone. I grabbed a pair of mint mojito and the orange creamsicles.
Plus was given the option to shop the new releases, yet to be boxed and presented behind glass flavoured. I had to grab the bubblegum for the tie dye pink and blue colouring alone.
And there was still so much more to shop and see. They also do chocolate covered Oreos, hot chocolate bombs, and chocolate covered chips and marshmallows. Looking for more variety? Grab some gourmet gummy bears and/or freeze dried candies. They also host plenty of limited edition and rare cereals, cookies, and soft drinks. Most of which can get churned into some of the best ice cream I have ever had. And my new favourite to date.
With all the options listed and all the ones not, it is so hard to decide between which ice cream base and which 3 topping to mix into it. Therefore, I recommend defaulting to the experts. Wanting to try the new limited edition cereals they just brought in, we got an strawberry swirl with strawberry ice cream, dulce de leche toast crunch, strawberry Frosted Flakes, and Neapolitan Oreos.
All crushed, twisted and churned before our eyes. The result, an ice cream sundae with an amazing and original texture. Plenty of crunchy bits to sort through that makes it like no other.
In short, I cannot recommend more this one of a kind chocolate and candy store. My detailed writing does not do it justice. Passionate owners and staff make all the difference here. And Hype Chocolate deserves its hype.
Hype Chocolate
855 E Hastings St, Vancouver BC V6A 3Y1
linktr.ee/hypechocolate.co
