Coffee culture in Korea is huge, with many people choosing cafes for their decor, ambience and general experience. Chocolate on the other hand is only just starting to become more popular. Often thought of as just a gift for special days such as Valentines Day, White Day or Pepero Day, chocolate hasn't yet experienced the same kind of popularity explosion as coffee has.
Additionally, since chocolate was rarely produced in Korea, Swiss and Belgian chocolate and famous brands such as Lindt and Godiva are often associated with quality, whereas locally produced chocolate is missing out. It doesn't help that Koreans often prefer sweet versions of desserts, leading to treats that are more chocolate flavored sugar than actual cocoa.
Recently though, the chocolate industry in Korea is changing and more chocolatiers are starting to produce speciality treats, bean to bar chocolates and helping to educate consumers on the different tastes and sweetness levels chocolate can have.
Choconavi in Suwon is a cafe for chocolate lovers. Easily accessible on the tourist road near the popular temporary palace in Namchangdong, the cute little chocolate-colored storefront with the butterfly logo and signage in English and Korean invites visitors to delve into a whole new chocolate experience.
Unlike a lot of sugar filled chocolate made in Korea, Choconavi prides itself in producing all its chocolate products directly in house. From chocolate pretzels and mini choco mushrooms to almond roches, cocoa hearts, orange sticks and of course bars of chocolate from milk to dark cocoa, Choconavi offers a variety of homemade chocolate treats.
If you enjoy drinks more, the drink menu has a few choices for you, from the usual americano and latte (vanilla and dolce) to iced and hot chocolate drinks made with real chocolate and milk. Customers can select from 58% dark chocolate to milk chocolate or even caramel chocolate.
The iced chocolate drink I got on my visit was so good that I barely made it down the street before my cup was empty. The chocolate and milk were added to the cup but then I got to stir and mix them together before the chocolate set completely. It was nice to see how the drink was made and that it wasn't just chocolate syrup that was added, but actual fresh chocolate mixed with milk and whipping cream.
One of the must-try items at Choconavi is the fresh chocolate ice cream. The cute bunny-shaped chocolate treat is not chocolate-flavored ice cream but is instead made from real fresh chocolate. This gives it a full and rich taste, and a texture more like nougat than ice cream.
For people who would like to escape the Korean summer heat for a while, Choconavi offers a nice little relaxing space. There is a waiting area with seats for takeout orders and a display table and shelf with a selection of chocolate treats. Past the shop and display area the cafe itself is very cute and homely, with tables at the back, a sofa and books for a relaxing afternoon with friends enjoying chocolate.
With so many different chocolate products available I got curious and talked a bit to the owner who greets all visitors with a smile and friendly welcome and was more than happy to explain the different chocolate treats she produces.
She told me how the treats are produced by herself in house, that she studied to be a chocolatier and she even holds a 1st grade certificate from the Korean Chocolatier Association.
She opened Choconavi in 2019 and has continuously expanded her product range. She is very passionate about her work and seemed to really enjoy talking about the difference between chocolate types. She also asked how long I'd be out and about for and since the journey back to Seoul would take a while, she even offered a cooling pack with ice bag for the chocolate treats I bought for later, to make sure I'd be able to enjoy them properly at home (spoiler alert - they made it home safe and sound).
I also saw that the owner is also very active on social media, shares new products, sold out notices or a change of opening times online and sometimes even shares video of her chocolate-making process. A lot of the treats can also be bought online via their idus store.
Choconavi also offers a rewards card, where customers get 1 sticker for every 20'000won spent in the shop. For every 10 stickers, they get a 10’000won voucher to use in the shop.
This cafe is now one of my regular places to visit whenever I am near the palace and with the martial arts demonstrations starting up again in September, I guess I'll get to enjoy that free drink soon!
Special Treat for YourKoreaLife Readers
Our friends at Choconavi offer a special treat for our readers in September only. The first 50 people who show this blog post during checkout will get a free chocolate lollipop as a gift!
Don't forget to tag @choconavi and @yourkorealife if you upload a photo on social media. We'll send some love your way.
Practical Information
For all chocolate lovers visiting Suwon, Choconavi can be found here: Naver
Opening Times
12pm - 9pm every day but check instagram for the latest updates.
