Historic Decadence: The Chocolate Houses of Georgian London

The idea of drinking chocolate today usually conjures up images of a milky-sweet steamy chocolate drink, perhaps enjoyed in one’s pyjamas before bed on a winter night. One typically doesn’t think of fully-grown men of distinction gambling their fortunes away or plotting treason under the influence of an exotic, spicy, beverage! But this latter image is precisely the one to keep in mind when considering the history of chocolate in Britain’s capital. London chocolate, it turns out, has a (literally) dark past, which is nothing if not bittersweet.

Cacao Arrives in London

In 1585, the first shipment of cacao beans arrived in Europe from the New World. By the early 1600s, drinking chocolate was in vogue all over Europe. In palaces, mansions, and grand estates, the fashionable elite were sipping on the novel beverage. The drinking chocolate of this era was a far cry from the frothy, sweet mixture of modern times. The chocolate served up in Georgian London would have been a dark brew infused with citrus, jasmine, vanilla, cinnamon, or Indian chilli peppers – with not a marshmallow or dollop of whipped cream in sight!

The Chocolate House

Just as the introduction of coffee to English society led to the proliferation of coffeehouses across London, so too did chocolate inspire a similar explosion of chocolate houses in the city. However, chocolate was far more expensive than coffee, and therefore the chocolate houses, the most popular of which were located in exclusive St. James’s Square, were frequented by a more exclusive society of elite gentlemen. Described as ‘the drink of the gods’, drinking chocolate was a mark of gentility and high class.

Bad Behaviour

These chocolate houses, while they hosted the elite, were notorious for the rowdy behaviour that went on inside. In White’s Chocolate House on St. James’s Street, men of fortune gamed and gambled, betting on everything from stock prices to outcomes of battles. White’s earned a reputation for reckless behaviour, reinforced by William Hogarth’s famous series of paintings, 'A Rake’s Progress', which shows a ruined man losing his fortune at the gaming tables of White’s.

Two other chocolate houses, Ozinda’s and the Cocoa Tree, are famous for having been gathering places for Jacobites plotting the overthrow of the monarchy. In 1932, workmen drilling into St. James’s Street uncovered a secret underground tunnel between the Cocoa Tree and a Piccadilly tavern that would have allowed Jacobites to flee to safety during the 18th century.

The Chocolate Houses Today

These infamous establishments of the 17th and 18th centuries sadly no longer exist in their original form today. White’s is now the oldest gentleman’s club in London, though it no longer serves up the chocolaty brew from centuries past. Guided tours of the historic chocolate houses are available, led by London historian Dr Matthew Green.

Though modern drinking chocolate might seem fairly innocent, the history of London’s chocolate houses shows a mischievous side to this delicious beverage. Through centuries of history, chocolate has changed and evolved nearly beyond recognition, but there's no doubt it has always been enjoyed!