You have to climb up the notoriously steep Park Street to reach Mrs Potts Chocolate House. But, you’ll feel better for it when you see all the sweet treats on offer. Having opened in Bristol nearly a decade ago, this cosy, chocolatey cafe can now consider itself the UK’s most popular coffee shop – an incredible achievement given there’s one on every street in Bristol.
A new study from Solopress has been researching independent coffee shops across the UK to find the perfect spot for a caffeine fix. It’s delved into the online buzz of various cafes, looking at their annual search volume and social media posts. And topping that list is Mrs Potts Chocolate House and “its rich chocolate treats”.
Thanks to a combined 3,150 posts across TikTok and Instagram, we cannot stop talking about the coffee shop online – which also saw 97,200 searches in 2024, up 125% from 2023. But, while incredibly popular, with locations in Bath and Cardiff too, anyone who’s looking for a more traditional coffee shop, should maybe head elsewhere.
It’s not the smell of coffee beans that fills the air, but hot chocolate (although you can still get coffee and teas). Choose from a range of blends, from white to very dark and everything in between, and snuggle down with your hot cuppa. Plus, you can add a toasted marshmallow or whipped cream.
No trip to Mrs Potts is complete without a thick slice of the viral-sensation, Matilda cake either. Or grab a Nutella-stuffed cookie, spiced pumpkin cupcake, Basque cheesecake, fudgy brownie milkshake or ice cream sundae. There’s no end to the sweet treats at this coffee shop that feels designed for all the internet love in the world.
Everything is prepared freshly onsite, meaning that the smells, gifts and tastes of chocolate are everywhere. Mrs Potts Chocolate House is changing the focus of coffee shops and revolutionising hot chocolate in the UK. Who knows, in another decade there could be more chocolate shops like this on every street corner instead.
The most popular coffee shops in the UK:
- Mrs Potts Chocolate House
- Homeground Coffee + Kitchen
- 92 Degrees
- Foundation Coffee House
- Climpson & Sons
- Bold Street Coffee
- Society Café
- Saint Espresso
- Lovecrumbs
- Steampunk Coffee