William Curley

I err may have been known to eat dessert instead of dinner. I’ve even woken up and eaten dessert for breakfast. But this may have been the first time I planned to have dessert for lunch!
Came here for a luxury dessert date with 3 of my girl friends. Having made the error (or actually, excellent choice) of having brunch at Mission with my housemate that morning, I didn’t have room for their 4-​dessert-​course set menu — and actually I could feel the diabetes coming our way just reading it.
Instead, we each opted for a hot drink and a sweet treat from the counter. I enjoyed a coffee but my mate who went for their über chocolatey hot choc made the better choice. Then disaster struck — in the time between us ogling the treats and ordering them from our waitress, some guy had asked for ALL the remaining salted caramel chocolate puddings to be boxed up to take home! Talk about selfish! So 2 of us had to come up with another choice — I then went for a decadently rich cone-​shaped chocolate ‘volcano’ that was so perfectly made I could hardly bear to break with my spoon. But I did — and loved it. Other treats were similarly beautifully crafted, high quality and delicious.
The café isn’t that large but you can’t book ahead so it’s pot luck on getting a table. It’s a sweet place to stop if you can though (not just literally), and once I’d finished plotting how we could mug the salted caramel thief, I noticed all sorts of expensive treats lining the walls and behind the counter to take away to spoil your special someone (or take home and eat in bed by yourself). The lady that served us was also a complete sweetheart, though far too skinny to have been working there long.
If I was a rich local with no day job and a superfast metabolism I’d probably come here all the time. As it stands though I’m already in trouble with my dentist and the prices make this special rather than everyday territory. Bring your mum or your girlies or both for an indulgent afternoon treat — so naughty but so nice!

William Curley had some massive macaroons. Decided to do a taste test between Laduree and William Curley. I did like the Pistachio and the Raspberry, but the Green Tea and Yuzu was terrible. Laduree won the taste test.

This place is irresistibly good. It took all the willpower I have to avoid devouring the entire contents of their dessert counter.
From marzipan wrapped in chocolate to beetroot macaroons to the sample chocolate salt ganache, I expect to be dreaming about this place for the next week.
Gluten free notes: Most chocolates are naturally gluten free, so is marzipan and so are macarons.

Amazing chocolate shop! Hot chocolate is an absolute must and dark chocolate raspberry truffles are to die for!

What a fantastic experience at William Curley. From the selection to the quality and especially the service, this was brilliant.
Star 1: How was the service and atmosphere?
The highlight of the experience without question. I don’t recall the name of my server, but she was absolutely devine. Beyond helpful, she guided me through my uncertainty into a marvelous selection. Well done indeed. Star Granted.
Star 2: How were the portions relative to the cost?
Luxury desserts are pricey — I know this, so I didn’t bat an eyelid when the price for my chocolate macaron came to £3.50. That having been said, have a look at the size of this thing:
Expensive? Yes, but well worth it.
Stars 3 and 4: How was the food?
Devine. This was, without a doubt, the perfect macaron, and I’ve had macs of every shape, size and quality from Laduree to contemporary San Francisco bakeshops. The cookies were soft with just the right amount of chew, and the filling was bursting with flavor that complimented the shell brilliantly. Dual Stars Granted.
Star 5: Would you eat here every day if you could?
I would gladly have dessert here daily. Star Granted.

Free chocolate! Well not all the time but when Tracy L and I went one lovely spring day recently (the good times when the hosepipe ban made sense and the sun came out for more than a few minutes) we were treated to a piece of William Curley’s signature sea salt caramel in dark chocolate. I love the saltiness of the caramel in contrast to the bitterness of the top notch dark chocolate. Given that we were awarded this piece of candilicious joy for having «waited» for 5 minutes, I highly commend Mr. Curley’s staff on their customer service.
Unfortunately, having gorged at Admiral Codrington (including a sticky toffee pudding dessert), we were not in any position to sample the myriad of cocoa delights on offer. Instead, we opted to get an ice cream to satisfy the sweet tooth without triggering a food coma.
Cold treat wise, there are a number of interesting choices such as the carmelised miso and white chocolate, tropical fruit gelato, and a green tea ice cream. Despite initially leaning towards the tropical fruit, we both ended up with the green tea ice cream due to it’s light delicate flavour (for once not overwhelmingly chemical or creamy) and the invigorating fresh feeling the green tea left on your tongue. Naturally we sampled all the others first (and again points for the staff not only letting us do that but encouraging us to). The miso and while chocolate was surprisingly good with the salty and sweet combination perfectly balanced. It was a bit rich for the day but a flavour I’d happily have when I wasn’t so full. The tropical fruit was fruity but nothing exceptional or perhaps just paled a bit compared to the other two.
Other thoughts: At £2.50 a scoop, ice cream here is really good value and cheaper than pretty much most chain ice cream shops (I’m thinking of you B&J). The staff are ultra friendly, the décor and ambience warm and inviting, and the chocolate utterly dazzling. It’s worth a stop when wandering around Chelsea planning out your future home… or in my case just dreaming.

simply delicious. hot chocolate is gorgeous, the brownies are possibly the only ones i’ve ever eaten that i will actually admit are better than my own, and pretty much everything else is equally scrumptious.

I love Wiliam Curley chocolates and their dessert tasting menu at £14 is lovely! Definitely head there and try the salted caramel anything!
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What would you not expect to happen in a chocolate shop? Exactly, that it runs out of chocolate.
On a recent visit to William Curley’s café and shop on Ebury Shop, however, I was told just that. Upon ordering the house blend hot chocolate, the waitress uttered those very words «I’m sorry, no more hot chocolate for today. We’ve run out of chocolate. I know it’s embarassing.» That’s one way of putting it but nevermind. What I actually wanted to write is this:
Anyone interested in chocolate should stop by this place that was set up by UK master chocolatier William Curley a couple of years ago. Even if you don’t eat them, the patisserie and chocolates are simply gorgeous to look at. There’s also a wide variety of other chocolate-​themed products — including jams and spreads — and don’t be surprised if some of the products have an Asian touch. William Curley’s wife is Japanese and a patissier herself.
The hot chocolate (if available) comes in a choice of different blends, there’s also a brunch and all day pancake menu.
The style is rather continental and unusual for London. When I came here for the first time, my immediate reaction was «This could be in Germany» (says the German so this is, of course, very positive). A clean and contemporary style but not cold. A good place to stop for a warm drink, meet with a friend after shopping or simply read your paper.
The café is in a lovely corner of Chelsea, where Ebury Street meets Pimlico Road and if you come on a Saturday morning, you can watch the hustle and bustle on the farmer’s market on the square opposite. Walking along further on Ebury Road, there’s a plethora of galleries, antique and furniture stores, all very nice for a gentle stroll.
One thing they’d need to work on from my point of view (apart from never running out of chocolate) is the service. The girls serving are very nice and polite but clearly not professionally trained. So, little things are missing, such as bringing a spoon with your coffee or hot chocolate (yes, it’s needed). But leaving that aside, a place I’d thoroughly recommend to every chocoholic.

Thank heavens he’s back and not a moment too soon because here comes Christmas and we needed more high quality chocolate!
Everything I do I like and believe in so said William Curley when I chatted to him about his chocolates. The new William Curley shop at 198 Ebury St in London (SW1W 8UN) shop opened in a flourish of cream, white and shades of chocolate wood in the Chelsea area and is a spectacularly wonderful shop. With a delectable array of freshly made chocolates, pastries and of course cookies (biscuits for you Brits), no one can enter and leave empty handed. Well, perhaps empty handed but full tummy-​ed as they serve desserts in the shop.
The shop is an experience in and of itself. A wonderful visual feast, it is a bit of a walk from Sloane Square station but everything in life is worth a bit of extra effort. The chocolates though the chocolates were an absolute treat.
This shop has to be visited, smelled and experiencced. You won’t leave empty-​handed and it is so lush you’ll return again and again.