It nearly caused the untimely end of Augustus Gloop ‘the greedy great big nincompoop’ in Roald Dahl’s book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and it’s the downfall of many a good-intentioned diet. We are of course talking about chocolate.

There’s probably a small part of most people that could quite happily eat chocolate until they burst; just like poor, dear Augustus. But at The Midgie we are running on the assumption that our lovely readers have a little more restraint - but we still think you deserve a treat now and again. Chocolate is, after all, everyone’s reward for managing to get through a day in the real world without throwing a tantrum, pulling anyone’s hair or saying a rude word.

And here at Midgie Towers, we like to think we have the superior taste to point you in the direction of the finest chocolate treats Edinburgh has to offer. If you need further reassurance that our taste buds are up to the task, then you may like to know that, as a child, one violet and one rose cream from the traditional chocolatier were the only bribe that would get this Midgie writer to nursery (that bad place that wouldn’t let me suck my thumb). So even at a young age we displayed fine taste for even finer chocolate, not to be fobbed off with milky ways or Cadbury’s fingers of fudge: none of that for me thank you, Mother.

So, we have put our refined taste buds to the test and compiled a hit list of the best bespoke little chocolate emporiums in Edinburgh and hand-selected our top chocolate treat from each (that was a hard-day of chocolate tasting, I tell thee). Enjoy and indulge. And feel free to visit them all in one day; The Midgie will not judge you.

TOP CHOCOLATE PICKS

Chocco-Latte

Candy canes, strings of pink marshmallows and chocolate lollypops. Behind the glass counter are all kinds of chocolate delights. The shop you dreamt of as a child.
Choc pick: Mega double chocolate Malteaser muffins
39 South Clerk Street, Edinburgh (G6), 0131 667 0091, www.chocco-latte.co.uk

Coco

Apparently a bar of Coco’s fine organic chocolate is rich in antioxidants and has a tenth of the calories of mass-produced bars. Everyone’s a winner.
Choc pick: Lavender and vanilla coco blend
174 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh, 0131 228 4526, www.cocochocolate.co.uk

Chocolate Soup

Serving hot chocolate by the bowl-full is going to win any cafe extra points. It’s also likely to result in chocolate stains right down the front of your favourite woolly jumper.
Choc pick: Premium double chocolate blended drink
2 Hunter Square, Edinburgh (F4), 0131 225 7669.

Luca’s

Luca’s has the best selection of chocolate ice-creams under one roof, as well as cakes and individual handmade chocolates. Basically it’s a guide to over-eating, made easy.
Choc pick: Raspberry chocolate truffle ice cream
16 Morningside Road, Edinburgh, 0131 446 0233, www.s-luca.co.uk