A NEW chocolate shop will be bringing its "Expertly crafted chocolate drinks" to Chester's Northgate Street.

Knoops Chocolate is a café brand dedicated to the creating the perfect hot chocolate, with a wide range of blends from smooth milky combinations to darker, richer flavours. The store is expected to open in November at 33 Northgate Street, the former site of Blackstocks fish and chip shop, which closed in January 2022.

Knoops menu offers around 20 different chocolate blends which range in percentage, from classic mild 34 percent milk hot chocolate to 72 and even 100 percent extra dark chocolate.

The Knoops concept is based around helping customers to find their "perfect" blend with additional flavours like sea salt, orange zest and chilli added to complete the treat.

Knoops Chocolate has been welcomed to Chester on Twitter by Chester BID, who said: "New opening coming to Northgate Street.

"See you soon."

The cafés offer iced chocolate drinks and milkshakes, hot chocolate - all of which are available in a vegan form - and a range of speciality teas and coffees.

Many of the stores also have a range of sweet baked goods to accompany your drink, including the likes of brownies, doughnuts and pastel de nata.

The Chester location will be the brand's third store in the Northwest, with two located in Manchester.

Knoops was founded in 2013 by Jens Knoop, who wished to share his passion for the classic confectionery, opening his first store in Rye, East Sussex.

Since then, Jens has gone on to open more Knoops stores, built a team of chocolate lovers around him, developed an at-home range of chocolate flakes, and even released a chocolate cookbook.

The store will replace Blackstocks which had stood in the city centre since 2012 but closed, to the disappointment of many, last year with owners Gareth and Kelly Gordon citing rising costs and a reduction in footfall.