Chocolate Museum and Cafe of Orlando
Central Florida is home to so many attractions. Whether you are a thrill seeker, animal lover, professional shopper or nature explorer, we have it all. But, sometimes I get tired of hearing about Disney, Universal Studios, or Seaworld. It’s why I created this series – completely dedicated to exploring and highlighting other areas of Central Florida.
In this installment of my A Tank Away Series, I will be visiting the Chocolate Museum and Cafe of Orlando. Yes, you read that correctly! Orlando has a chocolate museum that you can visit. It’s a small venue but packed with great information and a lot of yummy treats. All their chocolate is made onsite by their own chocolatier, and she creates the tastiest treats. You can choose from either a standard museum tour, or you can add a wine and chocolate pairing or fondue for two, just to name a few!
What to Expect
After you decide which tour and/or chocolate pairing you want to do, you’ll receive your very own golden ticket. The ticket grants you admission to the 1 hour guided tour, followed by a chocolate tasting. If you choose to have a wine and chocolate pairing, that will take place after the tour. But what do you learn on the tour though? It is actually quite interesting. I went into it without knowing anything about the history of chocolate or how it is made and found it to be informative.
First, you’ll begin with a short video documenting a brief look into the history and production nowadays. From there, you’ll move through the ages. Learning how the Mayans and Aztecs used cacao beans to trade and the drink they made with them; to Cortez conquering them and bringing the beans back to Spain. Next, learning how monks developed the first recipe for hot chocolate and kept it a secret for 15 years. To finally how what was once a closely guarded secret came out to the open and the development of chocolate exploded in the last several hundreds of years.
The final two stops on the tour are my favorite. The first is a look at the machinery used to make chocolate. They’ve collected many old pieces and it’s so interesting to see that the not much has changed in the design of them over the years. The very last exhibit houses 25 sculptures, all made from chocolate. Let me tell you – they are VERY impressive. The detail in the chocolate work is not like anything I have ever seen.
Tastings and Pairings
I think that everyone on my tour will agree though when I say the best was saved for last. The chocolate tasting! We got to sample eight different types of chocolate varying from milk chocolate to dark chocolate. It’s odd to say now, but the Edamame Sea Salt chocolate made from Jcoco was the best in my opinion!
After the tour concluded, I was seated in the café area to begin my chocolate and wine pairing. The first was a Cabernet Sauvignon paired with a dark chocolate with cheery candy. The second was a dessert wine from Italy, paired with a white chocolate and strawberry jam candy. Finally, the third was an almond flavored sparkling wine, paired with a milk chocolate and almond butter candy. I can tell you with 100% certainty, that it was all delicious. The most important thing I learned was to sip, bite, sip to maximize the tasting.
All in all, it was an easy and fun way to spend a couple of hours. I especially love that it is something unexpected you would find in Orlando!
Visiting the Chocolate Museum and Cafe of Orlando
Location: 11701 International Drive Suite 400, Orlando, FL 32821
Hours: The Cafe/Lounge is open 12pm (noon) to 6pm daily, while the Museum is open 12pm (noon) to 5pm daily.
Standard Adult Admission: Depending on the type of tour you would like to take, pricing begins at $17+ tax per person.
Have I convinced you yet to visit Orlando’s very own Chocolate Museum? Or have you already visited? Tell me in the comments below!