If winter in Vancouver had an official comfort drink, it would be hot chocolate — and the Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival is back once again to prove it.
Running from January 17 to February 14, 2026, the festival returns for its 16th season, bringing together 100 vendors, 234 unique hot chocolate flavours, and 168 locations across British Columbia. It’s the largest edition yet, and a much‑needed excuse to embrace the damp, grey days of West Coast winter.
What Is the Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival?
When it first launched in 2010, the Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival was the world’s first city‑wide hot chocolate festival of its kind. What started as a local initiative has grown into a province‑wide celebration of chocolate, craftsmanship, and creativity.
Each year, chocolatiers, cafés, bakeries, pastry shops, gelato makers, and ice cream artisans from more than 20 regions across British Columbia create festival‑exclusive hot chocolate flavours — many of which you won’t find on menus once the festival ends.
Their motto still rings true: “Chocolate Makes You Happy.”
Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival Key Details
- 📅 Dates: January 17 – February 14, 2026
- 🎉 Season: 16th year
- ☕ Vendors: 100
- 🍫 Flavours: 234
- 📍 Locations: 168 across BC
This is not a single‑location event — it’s a self‑guided chocolate crawl across Vancouver and beyond, making it easy to participate whether you’re visiting one café or planning multiple stops.
A Sneak Peek at What You’ll Find This Season
With 234 flavours available this year, it’s impossible to cover everything — but here’s a sneak peek at what you’ll find during the 2026 festival. These are three featured drinks from shops that have already shared previews of their hot chocolates on Instagram, giving us an early look at what to expect this season.
#001 – Campfire Cocoa
📍 Vendor: 49th Parallel Café & Lucky’s Doughnuts
🗓 Available: January 17 – 29, 2026
Toasted marshmallow and chocolate blend together in this hot chocolate with a velvety topping of toffee-flavoured cold foam.
Accompanied by a mini brioche doughnut filled with chocolate pastry cream, dipped in toffee glaze, and topped with a toasted marshmallow.
#041 – Umami Socolate
📍 Vendor: C Market Coffee
🗓 Available: January 17 – February 14, 2026
Hot chocolate infused with a hint of soy sauce for a subtle umami twist.
Paired with a soy garlic biscotti, inspired by last year’s Gochujang biscotti collaboration.
⚠ Contains nuts
#069 – Midnight Mochi Horchata
📍 Vendor: Crema Ice Cream
🗓 Available: January 17 – February 14, 2026
A nutty horchata hot chocolate infused with a hint of black sesame, complemented by mochi ice cream on top. All components are crafted in-house.
⚠ Contains nuts. Gluten-free friendly.
For the full list of all hot chocolate flavours available this season, you can browse the official festival listings here:
👉 https://hotchocolatefest.com/list-of-flavours/
All Participating Vendors (2026)
This year’s lineup features an impressive mix of local favourites, artisan chocolatiers, and beloved cafés. Here’s the full list of participating vendors:
- 49th Parallel Café & Lucky’s Doughnuts
- À La Mode Pie Café
- Aiyaohno Café
- Analog Coffee
- Artigiano
- AVIK
- Bak’d Cookies
- Beaucoup Bakery and Café
- Bel Café
- Bella Gelateria
- Bellaggio Café
- BjornBar Bakery
- Boba Run
- Boketto Dessert Café
- Bonus Bakery
- BROYÉ CAFÉ & BAKERY
- The Bunny Café
- Butter Baked Goods
- C Market Coffee
- Cadeaux Bakery
- Caffe Delish
- Cannoli King
- Cassandra Cake Co.
- Catch 122 x Dilemma
- Catfe
- Cathy’s Café
- Charisma Social Club House
- Chez Christophe Chocolaterie Pâtisserie
- Chez nous Bakery and Coffee
- Chocolats Favoris
- Crema Ice Cream
- Crème de la Crumb
- Di Beppe
- Doughgirls Comfort Kitchen & Bakeshop
- Doughnut Love
- Drunken Chocolatier
- East Van Roasters
- Eternal Abundance
- Faubourg Paris
- The Federal Store
- Fife Bakery
- Flying Whale Waterfront Café
- Fufú Café
- Gem Chocolates
- Giovane Caffe
- Glenburn Soda Fountain
- The GOOD Chocolatier
- Guffo Café
- Hanoi Drip Coffee
- Honolulu Coffee
- Jack’s Spot
- JJ Bakes Company
- Kafka’s Coffee, Great Northern Way
- Kafkas The Park
- Kasama Chocolate
- Killer Ice Cream
- Koko Monk Hot Chocolate Lounge
- Kranky Café
- L’Atelier Pâtisserie
- L’Orangerie Restaurant by L’Hermitage Hotel
- La Saison De Pâtisserie
- Ladurée
- Little Pisces
- Mah Milk Bar
- Melt Confectionary
- Mercato di Luigi
- Mink Chocolates
- Mister Artisan Ice Cream
- Modus Coffee Roasters
- Mon Paris Pâtisserie
- Motoretta Gelato
- Nelson the Seagull Café
- NOMAD Coffee & Bakery
- NUTTEA
- ONDA & Gelato by James
- Oohlala Donuts
- Patina Brewing Co. Brew House & BBQ
- PAUL Bakery, Café and Restaurant
- Peaked Pies – Australian Bakery Café
- The Pie Hole
- Provisions Kitsilano
- Purebread
- Rocanini Coffee Roasters Yaletown
- Rocky Mtn Chocolate Canada
- Slo Coffee Fraser
- Super Veloce
- SWEET7
- Tartine Bread & Pies
- Temper Pastry
- Thierry Chocolates
- Thomas Haas Chocolates
- To Live For Bakery & Café
- TrafiQ Café & Bakery
- Union Market
- Uno Gelato
- Uprising Breads Bakery
- Vancouver Aquarium
- Vancouver International Airport (YVR) – Collaboration
- Viva Café and Bakery
- Whisk Matcha x Level V
- Yum Sweet Shop
Why You Should Go
- One of Vancouver’s most iconic winter food events
- Festival‑exclusive flavours you can’t get year‑round
- Supports local cafés, chocolatiers, and bakeries
- Perfect excuse for a self‑guided winter food crawl
Whether you’re a dark chocolate purist, a marshmallow lover, or someone who enjoys more adventurous flavour combinations, the Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival offers something for everyone.
The Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival 2026 runs from January 17 to February 14 across Metro Vancouver and beyond. We’ll be visiting several stops throughout the festival, so be sure to check out our related food event coverage and café reviews across the site. Bundle up, plan your route, and remember — chocolate really does make winter better.