Mary in Vancity

It’s getting cold out there. So @yvrbcbro and I decided to check out Leonidas for some hot chocolate and waffles. I was gone for two weeks on vacation (Cuba), so Sean and I had a lot to catch up on.

Leonidas has only been open since October 2011, and they’re located across the White Sails of Canada Place. You can have your drink while looking out on the water or checking out the cruise ships coming and going. Great spot. This is the first franchise to open in Vancouver. Leonidas has over 1400 stores worldwide.

We were greeted by a very friendly person behind the counter. She was very helpful as she told us what types of hot chocolate they could make for us. I opted for a straight milk chocolate, while Sean chose a dark/milk chocolate blend.

Leonidas only uses chocolate with 100% cocoa butter with no wax, oil or animal fats. My drink was thick and creamy without being overly sweet. It was a fairly decent size. The hot chocolate will set you back $3.95.  We also wanted to try out their Liege waffles. These are  richer, denser, sweeter, and chewier than a regular waffle. They have chunks of pearl sugar, which caramelizes on the outside of the waffle when baked. We had the option of adding a topping but, we found the waffles sweet enough without adding anything else to them. They were just perfect.

This is a great spot to catch up with a friend, or to have a few minutes to yourself after a day of shopping downtown. Leonidas also features a large variety of Belgian chocolates as well as ice cream, pastries and other drinks.

Until February 13th, Leonidas is taking part of the 1st Annual Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival. For a complete lineup, check out City Food Magazine.

Follow them on twitter @LeonidasChocola