Address: 180 Enterprise Blvd #120
Phone Number: (905) 604-6630
Website: https://cacao70.com/en/our-locations/markham
City: Markham
Category: Dessert
Cacao 70, a Montreal-original brand of choco-centric dessert restaurants, has experienced a significant amount of success in Ontario. So much so that locations have been popping up all over the GTA – with its first location in the Distillery District opening in 2015, the Cacao 70 franchise has expanded to Scarborough, Richmond Hill, and Markham. The Markham location differs from the others however, and is the first of its kind in Ontario. The “Dip Shop” is smaller in size, but still provides a warm, bright space with marble tables and wicker chairs. The décor is akin to the Cacao 70 Eatery in Richmond Hill, but on a smaller scale. The concept seems to be more grab-and-go than other Cacao 70 locations, opting out of the classic Cacao 70 fondue and dessert pizzas in favor of decadent hot chocolates, dipped ice cream cones, and dressed up waffle creations.
The menu on Cacao 70’s website leaves much to the imagination, so we will ensure we outline the Dip Shop’s offerings thoroughly. First up: the classic dipped soft serve cone. These come in medium and large, with the option to have your cone dipped in one of Cacao 70’s eleven flavored chocolates, or to have it au naturale, served on a thick, crisp waffle cone or sugar cone (the regular cone is $3.95 plain and $5.25 dipped, whereas the large cone is $4.75 plain and $6.95 dipped). We were big fans of the waffle cones, stacked high beside the melted chocolate display, so we would definitely recommend this over a sugar cone if you’re having trouble deciding. Ice cream aficionados can choose from dark, milk, white, praline, maple, matcha, peanut butter, earl grey, chai, black sesame, and coffee flavored chocolate. Some are even brightly colored, like the trendy, dusty pink earl grey flavored chocolate. There are also some more elaborate “Sweet Jesus”-esque dipped cones on the menu, including strawberry shortcake and s’mores.
Those who have come to Cacao 70’s Markham Dip Shop on a very empty stomach may opt for a waffle, which is $4.95 for a plain ol’ waffle and $5.95 for a dipping waffle (aka a waffle accompanied by your choice of melted chocolate. If you’re feeling particularly peckish and have a hankering for something super sweet, there are some elaborate Waffle Combos to choose from. In essence, the combos are liege-style waffles topped with a dipped soft serve cone and dressed to the nines with a variety of toppings. We tried the Camp-Out ($10.95 – melted milk chocolate, whipped cream, torched marshmallows, brownies, and caramel sauce) and the Peanutjob ($12.95 – melted peanut flavored chocolate, banana, peanut butter cake, whipped cream, pretzels, and caramel sauce). Other waffle combos are the Cocobo ($10.75 – dressed with melted dark chocolate, whipped cream, coconut chips, & chocolate wafer balls), the Catcha Matcha ($12.95 – melted matcha flavored chocolate, whipped cream, strawberries, coconut chips, and classic cheesecake), the Coffee High ($11.95 – melted coffee flavored chocolate with coffee cheesecake, whipped cream, banana, java cake, caramel sauce, and coffee beans), and the Blackjack ($12.95 – melted black sesame chocolate, whipped cream, crème brulee cheesecake, strawberries, & black sesame seeds). The waffles are a bit dense and eggy for our liking, and not as crisp on the outside like a liege waffle usually is. The soft serve is slightly tart, which provides an interesting contrast to the sweetness of the chocolate and toppings. The chocolate, of course, is the best part, and the toppings are fairly generous and go together well. However, these desserts are SUPER chocolatey, so consider sharing if you don’t usually find yourself to be a bottomless pit for cocoa. We also mentioned that the waffle cone was pretty good (a solid 8 out of 10), being exactly what you expect a waffle cone to be.
Cacao 70’s Dip Shop also offers some delicious beverages that can be enjoyed in-house or taken to go. Those who are looking to caffeinate can order the signature mocha, with the option of dark or milk chocolate starting at $5.25 for the regular size and $6.25 for a large. Anyone joining a chocolate enthusiast for the experience that doesn’t want to overload their sweet tooth can also order a plain espresso ($2.50/$3.25), a cappuccino ($4.25/$5.25), a latte ($4.25/$5.25), or a tea ($2.75). There are also brewed and chilled chocolate drink options. We had the Cocoa Blast hot chocolate when we visited, which was a toasty blend of dark, milk, and white chocolate chunks and whipped cream over your choice of milk or dark hot chocolate. This is out favortie thing from Cacao 70, as it was a milky hot chocolate with just the right amount of chocolate flavoring. The whipped cream was a good consistency as well – not so thick it coats the inside of your mouth like Starbucks whipped cream, but not too thin that it instantly melts into the hot chocolate. The chunks of chocolate were a welcome addition as well. Other warm hot chocolate beverages are the classic Americocoa or the Mexicocoa ($4.50/$5.50 – the latter of which is a spiced Mexican hot chocolate), slightly richer hot cocoas ($5.25/$6.25 – with the choice of dark, milk, or black sesame chocolate), and “American Style” hot chocolate, which comes in dark or milk chocolate ($5.50-$7.25). In the summer months, the Americocoa and Mexicocoa come iced ($5.25), or you can opt for a Cacao 70 Frappe featuring dark, mint, praline, salted caramel, matcha, or strawberry chocolate. There is also the option to add extra chocolate to any beverage for $1.50 and/or soy/coconut milk for $0.50.
Note that Cacao 70’s Dip Shop in Markham is open every day except Thursday. The shop opens at 2pm every day and closed at 11pm, except on Fridays and Saturdays, when it closes at 12am.
North of the 6ix 
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