Montreal hot chocolate cafe chain coming to Toronto

There's good news brewing for local hot chocolate fanatics. Montreal chain Cacao 70 is coming to Toronto, with plans to open its first location at 28 Gristmill Lane in the Distillery District. The space was formerly home to Balzac's temporary location, but you can expect the new tenant to be up and running by the end of October.

Cacao 70 currently operates six locations with four in Montreal but we're told they have ambitious expansion. You can expect the Distillery District cafe to be joined by other locations in downtown Toronto over the next year.

The concept of the chain is unlike any of Toronto's current chocolate specialty shops - they offer 15+ hot chocolate varieties (starting at $9.25) as well as full brunch and dessert menus. They're also licensed for those who want their chocolate spiked or are hankering for a beer.

Among the more noteworthy food offerings is the marshmallow dessert pizza, which features warm pizza crust topped with chunks of chocolate, roasted marshmallows, strawberries and bananas. The brunch options range from the savoury (omelettes and grilled sandwiches) to the sweet (numerous chocolate-topped crepes).

If the Montreal locations are any indication, Cacao 70 will be open reasonably late (10am-11pm during the week and 10am-12am Friday and Saturday).

Photo via Cacao 70's Instagram feed