The Easter weekend is celebrated by all; religious or not. But let's face it, we're all in it for the chocolate, and if you want to raise the bar this year, London's got a number of specialist chocolate shops just waiting for you to overindulge in. From boutiques selling hand-crafted creations that almost look too good to eat, to online shops that bring chocolate straight to your door, here's where to get your cocoa fix this Easter.

Independents

Paul A Young
Former patissier for Marco Pierre White, Young opened his first shop in Islington in 2006 using the skills he had developed from working in a Michelin starred restaurant. He has since opened two other stores and has won awards for his sea salted caramel filled chocolate and peanut butter and raspberry jelly filled chocolate, amongst others.
Paul A Young, Wardour Street, Soho; Camden Passage, Islington & The Royal Exchange, Bank.

Choccywoccydoodah
The shop and products are as wacky as the name. Enter into a trippy chocolate heaven to try a Choccywoccyrockyroad Lolly, a white chocolate Pug puppy or one of their marshmallow pyramid cakes. The Easter collection ranges from £7.99 to £250.
Choccywoccydoodah, Fouberts Place, Carnaby.

Bigger brands

Hotel Chocolat
For reasonably priced gourmet chocolate, treat yo'self to a spree at Hotel Chocolat. Our favourites from their standard collection include the pink champagne truffles and the raspberry riot slab and the Easter range has everything from classic dark chocolate eggs to an 'egg on toast lick'.
Hotel Chocolat, various locations, London.

Café Prestat
Try before you buy at the chic Prestat café just off Sloane Square. As England's oldest chocolatier, they've an impressive list of handmade truffles including dark sea salt caramel, rose & violet crémes and peach & assam tea.
Café Prestat, Pavilion Road, Chelsea.

If all this talk of chocolate creativity has got you wanting to make some of your own …

Workshops

Easter Truffle Making Workshop
Tasting sessions and chocolate making with help from Master Chocolatiers. Use dark chocolate ganache, chocolate flakes, honeycomb, strawberry curls and more to decorate your creations.
Duke of York Square, Sat 15 Apr, 10am–4pm, free.

Easter Children Chocolate Making Workshop
A chance for wee ones to create classic Easter eggs and chocolate lollipops, taking them home to enjoy over Easter.
The Chocolate Museum, Brixton, Thu 6, Mon 10 & Fri 14 Apr, noon–1pm, £9.50.

And if you want your chocolate delivered to your door, you might try these...

Online

Rococo
There may be fewer female chocolatiers than male in London, but Chantal Coady's chocolates have been winning awards for decades. Rococo's online shop is vast – you can pick up vegan chocolate, hand-painted figurines, hampers and more in one basket-load, delivered anywhere in the UK and the Europe.
rococochocolates.com

Montezumas
A family-run chocolate business that's been acknowledged for its trading approach to production, meaning you can gorge on Easter chocolate guilt-free. All their products can be bought online, but there's a store in Spitalfields if you feel like popping in. Their mango, lime and chilli milk chocolate bar is a must.
montezumas.co.uk