Happy (late) World Chocolate Day!

World Chocolate Day falls on July 7th of each year and as an avid chocolate lover, I’ve decided to dedicate this post to one of the fantastic chocolate stores I visited recently: The Chocolate Mill, located just a short drive outside of Daylesford, in Mount Franklin, Victoria

A location that will definitely be making it onto my list of top hot chocolate shops to visit while on holiday from Melbourne… the chocolate mill embodies everything that a chocolate lover dreams of. 

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History of The Chocolate Mill

The Chocolate Mill’s narrative unquestionably exudes passion and grit.

The idea for this charming business began to take shape in 2000 and persisted until the store’s official opening in late 2003.

After purchasing the mill in 2000, the original owners Chris and Jen Weippert invested everything they had into constructing the chocolate shop, even choosing to live in a shed on the Mill’s land to try and save money.

The chocolate mill made a big impression right away after opening in late 2003. The owner’s passion endeavor won the Goldfields award for best new business just a year later.

The wonderful café I had the privilege of visiting and will be mentioning in this blog launched in 2006 and has remained open until today, though under the new owners Nicki and Adrian Straton. 

 

The First Impressions

The chocolate mill is tucked away in the Goldfield Region, off of the Midland Highway just outside of Daylesford, in Mount Franklin, Victoria.

I was disappointed to see that the café and shop were not found in a traditional Dutch windmill, but rather in a traditional wood style home with a wire-creature-filled front garden.

There were 4 huge tables with family-style benches to sit on in the café, which was extremely reminiscent of the café’s minimalist appearance. The interior also immediately reminded me of a wood cabin after entering.

I was reminded of concession stalls at sporting events or ice-skating rinks at the area of the cafe where you place your order, however the menu was obviously superior.

On the left-hand side of building, the chocolate shop was packed full of a variety of chocolate sweets and treats, clearly showcasing the talent of the chocolatiers.

Hopefully you might be able to see the employees hard at work when you go, as there are glass panels peering into the kitchen behind the counter. 

The Hot Chocolate Cafe

Getting into the good stuff now a.k.a the café and all the delicious chocolate treats, the obvious highlight for me was the hot chocolates.  

A variety of hot chocolate flavors are available at The Chocolate Mill Café, including:

  • Milk chocolate
  • Dark Chocolate
  • White Chocolate
  • Spicy Chili Dark Chocolate
  • Vegan Dark Chocolate (prepared with soy milk)

I opted for my personal favorite, the classic milk hot chocolate, while my boyfriend got the white chocolate as he is completely obsessed with white chocolate everything for some reason (sorry white chocolate lovers)

Sitting at $7.00 per hot chocolate, the price is definitely on the higher end compared to other cafes in the area, but it did not disappoint in the slightest and was worthy of the slight investment.

The hot chocolates came in big white handless mugs, and had a very strong, rich chocolate taste.

Now, all of the chocolate and hot chocolate at the mill is made with 100% Belgium chocolate, which is a huge plus as it is some of the best chocolate in the world, providing the unmatched richness found in this hot chocolate.

If you’re not familiar with the powers that Belgium chocolate holds, check out this article covering why Belgium chocolate is one of the best!

Additionally, a portion of the cup’s rim was covered with some cooled melted chocolate, giving you an extra chocolatey hit as it melts from the hot chocolate as you drink!

Family Friendly Tip: The cups were quite sizeable so if you’re visiting The Chocolate Mill with children and want to save on cost, one hot chocolate could easily be split between two kids.  

Lastly, if you’re looking for anything other than hot chocolate, the café has a variety of coffees, teas, and other chilled drinks in addition to a number of delicious looking tarts and cakes that unfortunately I did not have the opportunity to try. 

The Chocolate Shop 

Like I said before, the shop portion of The Chocolate Mill is absolutely stocked. According to this article by Daylesford Life, the Mill manufactures around 12,000 (!!!) chocolates A WEEK. 

Beyond being made of the fantastic Belgium chocolate we discussed before; the chocolate is certified fair trade according to the Mill website.

This is a HUGE bonus as the fair trade certification helps ensure that the farmers maintain a living and fair wage among other things. 

There were too many items to count, but my favorites consisted of these lovely, molded chocolates, coming in a variety of shapes, many of them being animals.

The variety chocolate boxes, in my opinion, are equally beautiful and would make a wonderful gift, especially if you are unable to choose just one chocolate item (which is fair if you are super indecisive like me).

 

The shop website also states that they are

happy to assist people with specific dietary requirements, for example different coeliac requirements, religious dietary requirements, nut or lactose allergy or intolerance.

truly showing that there is something for EVERYONE at this chocolate store.

If you don’t see yourself planning a trip to Daylesford anytime soon, do not despair! You can visit The Chocolate Mill’s online shop to take a peek at what treats they have and get them delivered straight to your door. 

Cost Breakdown & Summary of The Chocolate Mill Experience

As I mentioned before, the hot chocolates were $7.00 each, a bit expensive but definitely worth it. I decided not to buy any of the chocolates from the shop because I am currently living on a backpacker budget, but I can only image how good they are.

Cost: Overall, we spent $14.00 during our trip to The Chocolate Mill. 

I definitely recommend stopping into this chocolate haven if you’re in the Daylesford area, whether it be for school holidays or just a quick vacation from Melbourne.

Although the Mill isn’t flashy and doesn’t resemble a typical café, their hot chocolate is the perfect solution to these cold, wet, winter days and is worth the short drive from the town. 

You will also be sure to find a treat in the shop, and even if you don’t (for some reason), it is still an experience in its own to see all the different designs and creations the chocolatiers have to offer. 

As of now I don’t believe they do kitchen tours to show how the chocolate is made, but I hope they consider it in the future as that would be something I would definitely take part in!