York's Chocolate Story
York's Chocolate Story
4.5
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
York's Chocolate Story is an entertaining and informative guided tour through the history of York's most famous chocolate-making families and their finest creations. You'll discover chocolate's origins, how to make it, how to taste it like an expert and even the sustainable future of chocolate. You'll also uncover a host of surprising secrets and fascinating facts behind York's greatest chocolate products, from the Chocolate Orange to the globally famous KitKat. Once you've explored chocolate making and its history, you can even shop for and indulge in chocolate to your heart's content. There's so much for you to enjoy and discover!
Duration: 1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Top ways to experience York's Chocolate Story and nearby attractions

The area
Address
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Laura G
    Surrey, United Kingdom
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    An absolute must-visit for chocolate lovers
    We weren’t really sure what to expect but we had a really good time at York’s Chocolate story. The tour was interesting and very interactive. I must say that the whole experience was so good because our tour guide, Gina, was absolutely brilliant! Her combination of entertainment and knowledge made the tour not only informative but also enjoyable. Would definitely recommend
    Thank you for the five-star review Laura! We really appreciate you letting us know how nice your visit was with Gina, and I will make sure to pass on your lovely comments 😊🍫 -Team Chocolate Part of Continuum Attractions
    Written 18 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 19 September 2023
  • 4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A great fun and interactive experience to learn about chocolate making suitable for families
    Loved this attraction. Our host Gina was very knowledgeable on all things chocolate and she made the afternoon for us. It was magical experiencing all the different rooms and finding out about the history of chocolate. There was quite a few samples along the way too and a few surprises. I would definitely recommend this place. The only slight negative was that my little one spilt his hot chocolate in the cafe downstairs, mainly because the table was wobbly and it toppled over. It was all over his arm, the table and the floor. I was concerned that he might have burned his arm and also that someone might slip on the wet floor. I went to the counter to get a cloth but was left to clean it up with a couple of sheets of paper towel and deal with my child on my own. thankfully his arm was ok but no one asked. It would have been good to get some help but I seemed to be the only one who was concerned about the Health and Safety aspect! The floor was still wet when we left!
    Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We appreciate your feedback and are thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful tour experience with Gina! 😊 I am deeply sorry to learn about your child spilling his hot chocolate. I really hope that he didn't sustain any burns and wasn't too upset by the incident. We truly apologise if our staff failed to notice the incident and offer assistance. This is certainly not the level of service we strive to provide. Rest assured, I will forward your review to our management team for further investigation. We want to understand why this situation wasn't treated as an urgent matter. Once again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. We value your feedback and will use it to improve our services. If there's anything else we can do to make your experience even better, please don't hesitate to let us know. -Team Chocolate 🍫 Part of Continuum Attractions
    Written 24 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 20 September 2023
  • 5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Chocolate tour
    Lewis was a very knowledgeable, funny and interesting guide . He answered our long lingering question "should chocolate be kept in the fridge?" (Short answer : no) it was very interesting and an enjoyable tour. Really enjoyed it, I would recommend anyone visiting York and any chocolate addicts to check this out:)
    Thank you for the lovely review and five-star recommendation! We really appreciate you visiting us and hope you can come again soon 😊🍫 -Team Chocolate Part of Continuum Attractions
    Written 24 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 21 September 2023
  • Milotte1
    Hobart, Australia
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great time at the York’s chocolate story.
    We had a wonderful time at York’s chocolate story. Gina was our guide and she was fantastic at describing the history of chocolate in York and England in general. Thanks Gina! We then made a chocolate lollipop at the end. There were samples along the way, which were all delicious. Our children - who are 13 and 15 - enjoyed themselves. We would definitely recommend doing the tour if you’re in York.
    Thank you for the lovely five-star review Helen! I will make sure Gina knows you had such a nice time on your visit. Do come again soon 😊🍭 -Team Chocolate Part of Continuum Attractions
    Written 24 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 21 September 2023
  • laura
    Chorley, United Kingdom
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Tour of Yorks chocolate story
    What great, fun tour this was. Louis was very informative & funny with his knowledge regarding the history of chocolate. We did the truffle making & lollipops, we even got to eat leftovers! Highly recommended for all ages
    Thank you for the five-star review! We really appreciate you letting us know how nice your visit was with Louis 😊🍫 -Team Chocolate Part of Continuum Attractions
    Written 24 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 22 September 2023
  • 5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Louis, thank you
    Louis was a chocolatier’s dream. He imparted information and educated our group in a fun and memorable way. Consideration was given to all members of the group and we were encouraged to ask questions. The chocolate tasting process was a surprise, the tips I will share with my chocoholic family and friends.
    Thank you for the five-star review! I will make sure Louis knows you had such a nice time on your visit, and I will pass on your lovely comments. Do come again soon 😊🍫 -Team Chocolate Part of Continuum Attractions
    Written 24 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 22 September 2023
  • Kittington
    Rochdale, United Kingdom
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Brilliant !
    The chocolate tour was great. Very interesting seeing all the different stages of the process. Staff were extremely polite and the lady did an superb job of telling the story. Suitable for all ages, and obviously those who enjoy choc ! The interactive part was great. York City has a lot to offer, and this tour is a must ! I would highly recommend.
    Thank you for the lovely review and five-star recommendation! We really appreciate you visiting us and hope you can come again soon 😊🍫 -Team Chocolate Part of Continuum Attractions
    Written 24 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 24 September 2023
  • frenchylaura
    Margate, United Kingdom
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great fun experience
    This was a fabulous fun experience, with lots of very interesting information and lots of goodies too. Our guide Katie was very enthusiastic and wonderful and made the visit really lively and fun. Thank you for the experience.
    Thank you for the lovely five-star review! We really appreciate you letting us know how nice your visit was with Katie. We hope to see you again soon 😊🍫 -Team Chocolate Part of Continuum Attractions
    Written 24 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 27 September 2023
  • gillian g
    Dunfermline, United Kingdom
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Brilliant tour
    Did this tour and loved our host Josh. Funny guy, very interesting tour and loved got to make our own chocolate lollies. We bought some homemade choccies in shop as good value too. Josh is an asset to you!
    Thank you for the five-star review Gillian! I will make sure Josh knows you had such a nice time on your visit. Do come again soon 😊🍫 -Team Chocolate Part of Continuum Attractions
    Written 27 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 27 September 2023
  • 5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun tour
    Enjoyed a day trip to York by visiting the chocolate story. Informative and fun tour which involved some tasty treats and fun activities throughout. Tyler, our tour guide was excellent despite the fact it was only her second tour.
    Thank you for the five-star review Rich! We really appreciate you letting us know how nice your visit was with Tyler 😊🍫 -Team Chocolate Part of Continuum Attractions
    Written 27 October 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 1 October 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles7,668 reviews
Excellent
5,015
Very good
1,789
Average
522
Poor
187
Terrible
158

stechap
York, UK28 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2021 • Friends
We did the Santa experience today and it was truly an awful experience.

The tour actually started ok with the guide giving a very informative history of chocolate in york and was very personable and engaging.

Then Santa appeared and it all went downhill. I know we live in Covid times but to turn up in mask AND wonderful blue gloves was a disappointment and instantly our daughter said ‘that’s not the real Santa’

We then made lollies which was ok followed by a half hearted demonstration of more chocolate making. The kids then met Santa in the same area with a pitiful small Xmas tree as a ‘grotto’ and said we could take photos which I did but deleted immediately as he didn’t even take the mask off for that (last year under same government guidelines we met a Santa who took his mask off for the photo)

All in all a complete waste of money and a very sad way to end Santa meetings as this is likely to be the last year where our daughter believes.
Written 19 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We value your feedback. We apologise that you felt disappointed. The safety of our guests, team members and Santa is a priority so we are following government guidelines, which includes wearing masks and sometimes gloves.
Written 5 January 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

amyl
Milton Keynes, UK51 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020 • Couples
I really enjoyed our trip yesterday, I thought it was really well set up to deal with the circumstances.

The tour itself I found interesting, with the added bonus to make some chocolate lollies and who doesn’t love some free samples!

My only advice would be to bring a bag as the ones available are around £3 (no plastic bags available).

Would definitely recommend!
Written 15 October 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MsRiley
England, UK2,664 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Friends
Very poor value for money and somewhat misleading advertising made for a disappointing experience. The young staff members/guides were charming and did their best but £15.00 per adult for an ‘experience’ lasting less than an hour left us feeling very short changed.
The blurb says that the story is told over 3 floors - yes, but one of these is the rather overpriced shop.
The so called ‘goodie bags’ contained 3/4 tiny bits of chocolate most of which was unsuitable for children. The ‘make your own chocolate’ session produced a couple of small lollies on sticks.

Very overpriced - it kept us out of the rain for an hour but nothing else to recommend it.
Written 31 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We value your feedback and apologise that you were disappointed. Our shop sells the finest chocolates from local suppliers and fresh handmade chocolates made by our on site expert chocolatiers. The cafe also offers hot drinks, including our signature hot chocolate and seasonal treats. York's Chocolate Story unwraps centuries of history, including the stories of the three families that made York the UK's home of chocolate: Terry's, Rowntree's and Craven's. Visitors also learn about chocolate production and see a demonstration from one of our expert chocolatiers. Delicious samples and the opportunity to make your own chocolate lolly are also included. This forms an entertaining and interactive experience.
Written 26 November 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sara M
Bury, UK343 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2022 • Family
I’ve wanted to go here for ages but each time I visited York it was booked up on the day, this time I booked in advance, and it was expensive for what you got. Louis, our tour guide, was lovely but it did feel rushed, he was fluent and rehearsed but spoke very quickly so I always felt I was a few words behind his, the way the I teractive displays worked seemed to force him to rush, they could al do with being slowed down a little. He was very pleasant though, I wonder whether the company pushes through as many people as possible, forcing it to be rushed.

The value for money wasn’t there for me, for our family of 3 it cost me £57.50 and we actually spent about 20 minutes actually doing things with chocolate, the rest was about the story of chocolate. We were told at the start that they allow 1.5 hours per group but we’ll probably be done in an hour.

Finally they handed out the personalised chocolate bars to people who’s paid an extra £8, I hadn’t but when I saw them they weren’t value for money, looked like less that 100g of chocolate with indistinguishable writing on them.
Written 16 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. We value your feedback. We apologise that you were disappointed. We aim to ensure all visitors have an enjoyable experience.
Written 17 January 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Derek D
217 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
York's Chocolate Story is located in the centre of the city. It is essential to pre-book a timed slot so that the current Covid regulations can be adhered to. Guided tours were limited to ten people to allow for social distancing. The guide was very informative, but tended to talk very quickly, his mask not aiding matters either. There was a very interesting section in which the guide interacted with pre-recorded video to provide a unique narrative of the history of chocolate making and the people who developed it. For the younger visitors, there is also an opportunity to produce your own lollipops.
Written 28 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review Derek - we appreciate all of your feedback!
Written 29 June 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Dulcie
England, UK13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021 • Friends
Great place to visit in York!

Situated just off the Shambles it is an immersive experience from the very start with the shop selling a range of chocolates and smelling like chocolate too.

Tickets are easy to book both online and in store, with staff taking their time to minimise queues and speed up the process.

Short waiting time once you arrive for your prebooked slot and COVID safety measures are in place with staff wearing masks and the lift ride being limited to 2 families or 2 people at one time.

Free chocolate samples are provided ranging over the historical periods covered and have a go at creating your own chocolate lolly!

Immersive experience for all ages but kids of all ages are clearly especially welcome.

Plenty of information and fun activities and presentation of historical information creating a fun experience.

Around a 1.5 hour experience.
Written 3 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to share some feedback with us - we're so glad to hear that you had such an enjoyable time on your visit!
Written 9 September 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

diva80
The Royal Town of Sutton Coldfield, UK121 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Family
This is a fantastic little museum in the heart of York city centre to learn about the famous chocolate houses of the city. It is not the type of place to wander around alone but you need to book on the tour, we didn’t prebook for the particular day we went but in busy holiday periods I would imagine you need to. Our tour guide Jake was very entertaining and the tour was a great mix of story telling, video information and getting stuck in to decorate our own chocolate lollies. The price is very reasonable and you get some samples to take with you or eat there on the tour. Recommended for people of any age, a must see for York visitors!
Written 22 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jake will be so pleased you had such a nice tour, our tour guides are great, and we really appreciate your feedback about how great they are. We hope you can come again. Team Chocolate Part of Continuum Attractions
Written 24 March 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

KellyDM2000
Redcar 52 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Family
This was a fantastic tour and well worth the price. My 7 year old really enjoyed it and was so interested in finding out about the history of chocolate and how it’s made.
Our guide Joe made it lots of fun and was so knowledgeable. He was really great at talking to the children on the tour and including them.
We got some brilliant free samples that were pre-packaged for safety and especially enjoyed the interactive segments of the tour.
We had a lot of fun making chocolate lollies at the end and seeing the Kit Kat exhibit too.
Everything felt very safe and Covid secure with the tour having to be pre booked and restricted to 20 people per tour.
Afterwards we went through to the shop and bought some interesting and fun sounding flavoured chocolate to try.
Written 29 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to share some feedback with us - we're so glad to hear that you had such an enjoyable experience!
Written 29 July 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

claire s
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
The visit did not start well; purchased tickets on the day but the wrong time was entered on the receipt. The error was corrected eventually but caused embarrassment.
There was little space to wait for the tour to start; a small space in the adjacent chocolate cafe and a few spaces after the ticket desk. As entry to the tour is via a lift there was a delay in getting all 27 people to the start point.
Our tour guide was very engaging, and the first stage ( a replica of a victorian street) looked promising, but the tour is really just two rooms, a few pre-recorded characters and a few chocolate samples (the guide suggested we took more than one or two to get our moneys worth!)
There was chance to decorate a white chocolate lolly, but even including this the entire tour was done and dusted in under 45 minutes. The ban on photography or filming during the tour also prevents the minimal content being shown. Massively over-hyped and horribly overpriced.
Written 10 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback Claire. We sincerely apologize for the negative experience you had with us and any inconvenience or embarrassment that may have been caused due to the error that occurred during the admissions process. Typically, our tour spans across five different rooms and includes a minimum of 10 samples for each guest. It is disconcerting to learn that this was not the case during your visit, and that your tour lasted less than 45 minutes. Our standard tours are designed to last a minimum of 60 minutes, ensuring that our guests have ample time to fully enjoy and appreciate the experience. To further investigate the circumstances surrounding your visit, we kindly request that you email lhare@yorkschocolatestory.com with the date and time of your tour. This will enable us to thoroughly understand why your tour did not meet our usual standards. Once again, we apologize for any disappointment or inconvenience caused. We value your feedback and are committed to addressing and rectifying any issues to ensure that future visits meet the high standards we strive for. -Team Chocolate Part of Continuum Attractions
Written 21 August 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Peter
12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
We visited on the first time slot and were lucky to be in a small group of 6, 2 of whom were children. perhaps larger group sizes would not get as much interaction with the guide and the enthusiasm and questions from the children made the activities particularly enjoyable. Our guide Jessica was very knowledgeable and engaging with a good sense of humour. Plentiful samples were given out at the end of the tour and we spent a bit of time at the official end of the tour to read the displays which we had missed earlier.
Written 16 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 7,585
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

YORK'S CHOCOLATE STORY (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

All York HotelsYork Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in York
All things to do in York
Amusement Parks in York
RestaurantsFlightsHoliday homesTravel StoriesCruisesCar Hire