Cafe Leonidas

This is my go to spot for espresso when visiting Walnut Creek. Hot and fresh, plus a sample of their yummy chocolate and a biscotti all for only 2 bucks. Their handmade chocolates are crazy good too. Don’t overlook this little gem.

Oh wow. Have I been looking for you !!!
The chocolates are just as i remember when I lived in Brussels.
Don’t waste your time with the crap you can get at the grocery stores.
If you want the real thing and good quality too –come here !
Milk and Dark. They are all delicious.

Best HOT CHOCOLATE in the area. I prefer the Dark Chocolate Hot Chocolate. WOW!!!

let me first of all start off by saying this best tasting chocolate store does not allow the use of cell phones in the store and that is awsesome1!!!
sooooooo. yes, i did get some chocolates, you really can’t do better than this belgium chocolate from belgium, rich, tastey, satisfying. yes, for chocolate it’s pricey, just remember where your making your purchase from the place that sells the best chocolates and does not let people talk on there cell phones in the store!!!

When you want a «hot chocolate» that doesn’t give you heartburn or some other respiratory health issue. Even the best grocery bought powdered hot chocolate (the versions with powdered milk) from Whole Foods or Safeway under the «Organic» line, have this issue with heartburn — not sure which ingredient (s) cause this but they do, every time. Small cup of hot cocoa comes with its own biscuit and a sample of their chocolate which is a charming touch. Location is one block from Pyramid Alehouse, across from Mel’s. Not much for parking, best to visit on foot or locking up the bike on a post nearby.

Leonidas is as good as you can get for a chocolatier that doesn’t make their chocolates in-​house (and their goods are from Belgium so why complain?). Is it as good as actual chocolates in Belgium? No. But I’ve found the flavors preferable to nearly every chocolatier I’ve ever been to in the states.
I try to get an assortment but my favorites are the Alexander Le Grandes (liquid caramels) and Orangettes. I also love their chocolate bars, especially the ones with orange flavoring.
The hot chocolate is amazing. I’ve been to places that completely lie and say Swiss-​Miss-​level crap is drinking chocolate. Here, they actually melt their chocolate in milk right in front of you.
Just please, don’t waste your money on Godiva. American chocolate in general is loaded with way too much sugar. I’m no connoisseur, but I grew up a chocoholic. So I know Godiva is absolute crap masquerading as premium chocolate. Ghirardelli isn’t bad for what it is. See’s has good flavor for being the lowest quality candy of the bunch. And anything from Hershey’s is basically just sugar with chocolate flavoring.

This chocolate is truly the best I’ve ever had. It’s a cute little shop in downtown Walnut Creek and it is the only CA location. It’s true high quality chocolate straight from Belgium. The shop is adorable, the customer service is awesome, and did I mention the chocolate is amazing?! I can’t wait to come back and try more. It is also not super pricey, especially considering the quality.

The best latte I have ever had. So sweet and smooth there is no need for syrup or sugar. I think it is a combination of the organic milk and Weavers coffee that make it so good. Not horribly priced either considering it is all organic, plus you get a free chocolate sample and a wafer cookie to go with it. Charming.

Like their organic coffee and the chocolates, especially the orangettes!
Great customer service and always want yo please!

Really speaking this is the only chocolate place around. I mean real pralines and truffles. Every place else is just candy compared to Leonidas flown in fresh from Belgium.

Nice selection of Belgium Chocolates. I stopped by to pick up chocolate covered orange peels for my brother-​in-​law and vegan chocolates for a friend.
I read in another review that the hot chocolate was excellent, so I had that while I was there. It was delicious. Made with Callebaut Chocolate.
Will definitely be back.

BEST CHOCOLATE IN CALIFORNIA
Seriously, if you have not tried Leonidas chocolate, you are missing out big time. This tiny hole-​in-​the-​wall shop offers a wide assortment of chocolate imported from Belgium every week. Each piece of chocolate tastes way better than your average grocery store piece of chocolate. The hot chocolate or their mocha is to die for. They add their own chocolate pieces into both drinks and also give you a biscoff biscuit (which is also from Europe), which goes amazing with your drink, and a chocolate sample. Small warning though, the drinks come pretty hot.
Aside from chocolate, Café Leonidas offers various European desserts such as stroopwafels.

Belgian Chocolate. Need I say more? The ganache chocolates are melt in your mouth, heaven on earth.

While See’s is great and all, I wanted a different, less popular place to find some chocolate recently, and close to the Walnut Creek area. Enter Café Leonidas. While it’s located downtown, which is hell on earth during rush hour or at lunch, you can park nearby in a ton of different garages which offer convenient free parking for your first hour. As long as you put some pep in your step (the garage I was in was only a few blocks away, near McCovey’s), you should have no problem being in and out before the hourly rate garage gods strike you down. After work during the week is ideal to avoid the traffic, both foot and automobile. Inside, the space is extremely tiny, like shoebox sized, but there is quite a treasure trove of chocolately goodness awaiting you within. Small and large sized boxes of assorted chocolates (what I was looking for) were between $ 10-​$ 20, all in well kept boxes with bows on them. Classy. They had a lot of free samples to partake in while you checked out also; it was tough not to down 2 – 3 of them rapid fire. The attendant at the front was extremely friendly and accommodating in seeing if I needed anything special. Also across the street from a Papyrus, so you can get all your anniversary/​birthday/​Festivus shopping done in one shot. I plan to be back, and hopefully find a dentist nearby after my teeth fall out.

My fiancé and I love this shop — we frequent quite often. Our absolute favorite hot chocolate we have ever had anywhere. Definitely try it if you are in the area. Plus they give you a free cookie with it. I always try a different truffle when I go in too and they are all so so good. Great place, definitely try it out!

How do you define love? It can be in many forms, but on 2÷15÷14, I received « Unilocal Love» from my dear friends Amy P. and Casey P. What is Unilocal Love?!? It’s when you meet a couple, who you would never expect to meet (unless on Unilocal) and form a lasting friendship bond. It’s that warm and fuzzy feeling, when you want to smile from ear to ear but at the same time you want to cry with happiness.
You may ask what did Amy and Casey give to us that could make me feel this way! It was a box of vegan chocolates. It’s not just the chocolates it was the fact that Amy called ahead of time at the shop to assure they set aside vegan chocolates… then Casey stood in a long line just to pick it up. As I’m writing this it’s making my eyes water. Ok, I know I’m sappy.
When we untied the green silk ribbon and opened the pretty golden box what we found was yummy dark chocolate creations. Inside the box contained: (order of preference)
2 Mendiant — Dark chocolate discs topped with a Macadamia nut, almond, walnut, raisin and cranberry (I can easily eat a dozen of these in one sitting)
2 Finesse — Dark chocolate discs with the Leonidas logo (Very smooth chocolate… YUMMMM)
2 Orangettes — Candied orange peel in Dark chocolate (If you like oranges this is your chocolate it gives a burst of orange taste)
I can’t wait to try this place again and have it with coffee inside the café. If this is how Belgium chocolate taste like… heck sign me up for more. Finally found a vegan chocolate shop in CoCo County!
Thank you so much Amy and Casey for a wonderful gift. Love you guys! Muah!

One of the two best coffee shops in all of Walnut Creek. Leonidas has the benefit of amazing Belgium chocolates. They often give a sample with their coffees :)

Taste of the truffles were delicious. Unlike others which are sweet these were just the right amount. Also these are from Belgian and are limited since its harder to ship this time of year. Not cheap but I would recommend to taste or as gifts.

Café Leonidas is a small gem of a place located in N Main Street right beside Pomegranate. It is easy to miss but once you set foot inside this Belgian Chocolate shop, it becomes one of those places that is hard to ignore.
Their hot chocolate is the best my kids and I have ever tasted. It is very thick and creamy and the cocoa beans have a distinctive flavor. I once made the mistake of taking my kids to Starbucks for their hot chocolate — Big Mistake as it tasted like an instant mix decorated with the fluff of whipped cream (as if that would define hot chocolate to a kid.) Leonidas also makes a mean Café Mocha which tasted just like their hot cocoa; the difference is that my hands were shaking as I was trying to retrieve my keys from my purse. I should have skipped the extra shot.
There are metered parking spaces which now take credit cards so you don’t have to keep feeding the meter and risk getting a ticket. The meter maids in Walnut Creek are notorious for their vigilance. Ask me how I know. I was once issued a $ 40.00 fine for exceeding five minutes. I could’ve bought a designer shirt at Labels (a great consignment store).
Leonidas offers a variety of chocolates. I like the plain dark and mixed chocolates that I tried. The employees are all very helpful and knowledgable. It is part of their training to know each and every chocolate.
It’s a nice stop for a caffeine and sweet fix.

Awe… Why oh why, did I not visit this place sooner…
This is another place I have walked by countless amounts of times, with no major desire to check them out… if I had only known better.
Located off n main St, this place is quaint and charming like a little café on the streets of paris. What initially brought me here, was a much needed caffeine fix. Had I also known they had a café here, I probably visited it sooner for that alone
The little gem has an exquisite selection of artisan craft chocolates all presented beautifully. They also have a nice selection of café drinks to choose from. The shop is quite small, though as they say, great things come in small packages which is certainly the case with this place.
I ordered a double soy latte and two Nior, Nior dark chocolates –which is a dark chocolate shell filled with chocolate ganache. Everything seems to be quite reasonably priced.
The girl helping me here was extremely friendly and even let me sample some chocolates during my wait :)
My latte turned out fantastico! Nice and foamy with a very quality tasting coffee!
Now that I know, I shall be back again :)