The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

Cairo has its fair share of chocoholics; we’ve seen plenty of sugary shops opening up all over the city. Celebrating all things chocolate, House of Cocoa at Downtown Katameya Mall in New Cairo stocks a collection of branded chocolates, picked from around the world.

The small, glass-fronted shop is neatly organised, lined with shelves stacked with a vast number of mouth-watering items.  The front of the shop boasts a high-table with a row of smart, leather stools where customers can enjoy a hot drink and, of course, some chocolate.

We were greeted by friendly, enthusiastic staff members who readily offer advice on taste, price and suitability for an occasion.

Selling personal-sized bars, boxes for sharing, as well as several novelty items for the big – and little – kids among us, there’s something for everyone. We also spotted a range of mugs (89LE+), a fondue cup with a candle contraption underneath (300LE), a fondue set (400LE) and a chocolate fountain (800LE).  

As we browsed the brands, we noticed several, colourful boxes and bars of Prestat chocolates; a prestigious brand from the UK that has a shop on London’s famous Oxford Street. Swiss chocolate items come from well-known names Lindt and Milka, De Schutter and Dolfin from Belgium, as well as German brands, Heilemann and Ritter. Boxes of cookies from British brand, Fudges, are also available; a taster pack of two is available next to the till (6LE).

We noticed several creative items from Heilemann and Schutter; Schutter offers chocolates that resemble tennis balls, whilst Heilemann puts together pretty, butterfly-shaped chocolates, colourful, foil-wrapped lady birds, among others.

Also from the UK, Gnaw presents a fun take on chocolate, whilst another German brand, The Chocolate Company, offers a range of unique items in fashionable packaging.

Most famous for their chocolate cubes on the end of a wooden spoon, The Chocolate Company’s hotchocspoons are perfect when melted in a cup of hot milk (2.5LE) or coffee, also available in store. Out of a large range of unusual flavours, including tiramisu, hot chilli and ginger, we opted to try a more predictable hazelnut caramel (23LE) melted in a takeaway cup of hot milk, on the spot; needless to say, it was a heavenly alternative to powdered cocoa. They also sell these chocolate spoons with heart shaped candy inside – a cute gift idea for Valentine’s day.

We also purchased a small pot of The Chocolate Company’s Belgian Cookie spread (65LE), which, staying true to Belgian cookie recipes, tasted largely of cinnamon.

Personal sized bars of Butlers chocolate (22LE) come in a range of flavours; their Hazelnut Praline option took our fancy, and was scrumptiously rich and smooth, with a velvety centre. Large, Gnaw bars are tempting with unusual, fun flavours and eye-catching packaging. Banoffee pie, cherry bomb and sugarless bars are rarely found elsewhere. Being lovers of dark chocolate, we chose their High Cocoa bar, which was every bit as full-bodied as we’d imagined.

The House of Cocoa supplies an eclectic collection of delicious and reputable imported chocolates, perfect for just about any occasion, which would otherwise be difficult to find. This, coupled with friendly, helpful service, makes the House of Cocoa a one-stop shop for any chocoholic.