Yorkshire Day Celebrations

The 1st of August is Yorkshire Day — and here in York, we take it seriously. As a city that sits at the very heart of God's Own County, we think there's no better way to mark the occasion than with something Yorkshire has quietly excelled at for over two centuries: chocolate.

A County with Chocolate in Its Bones

Yorkshire's relationship with chocolate is not incidental. The county was home to some of the most significant chocolate-making dynasties in British history — the Terrys, the Rowntrees, the Mackintoshes. These weren't just confectionery businesses; they were social enterprises that shaped the cities they operated in, built workers' housing, funded schools, and helped define what ethical manufacturing could look like in the industrial age.

York, in particular, became synonymous with chocolate. At its peak, the city's chocolate factories employed thousands and produced products that were exported around the world. That heritage runs deep — and it's part of what inspired us to set up York Cocoa Works here, in the city where chocolate has always mattered.

What Makes Yorkshire Chocolate Different?

We'd argue it's the attitude. Yorkshire's chocolate tradition was never about frills — it was about quality, substance, and doing things right. That ethos is very much alive at York Cocoa Works. We source our cacao directly from farmers we know and trust, we roast and grind in-house, and we don't cut corners on flavour or ethics.

When you buy a bar of chocolate from us, you're buying into a lineage of craft that stretches back through the centuries — and forward into a future where chocolate is made with as much care for the planet as for the palate.

Come and Celebrate With Us

Whether you're a born-and-bred Yorkshireman or a visitor discovering the county for the first time, Yorkshire Day is a brilliant excuse to come into the café, try something new, and raise a cup of hot chocolate to one of England's finest counties.

We're open as usual on 1st August — find us in York city centre and come and celebrate with us.