The sweetest winter trail is coming soon!
This July, warm up your winter days with the Kāpiti Hot Chocolate Competition 2026 - a delicious community trail of creative hot chocolates crafted by some of Kāpiti's best cafes and eateries!
The Details
Date
Saturday, 4 July to Sunday, 19 July
Voting Closes
Sunday 19 July
Location
All over the Kāpiti Coast
Calendar
Gem
Food And Drink
Map
Cosy up this winter and sip your way around the Coast! The Kāpiti Hot Chocolate Competition is a two-week celebration of flavour, creativity and community — where local cafés put their own twist on the classic hot chocolate.
Grab a Hot Choc Passport, collect stamps as you go, vote for your favourite creation, and be in to win amazing prizes. From rich, velvety classics to bold new blends (and even a few spirited options for the grown-ups), there’s something for everyone to discover.
This year’s trail features over 20 participating cafés and venues — and for the first time, look out for our new Hot Chocolate with a Twist Trail, bringing some exciting creations to the evening scene.
Perfect for families, foodies, and winter wanderers alike, this is one trail you won’t want to miss.
Here's how it works
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Pick up a Hot Choc Passport at any participating café
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Collect stamps as you try different creations
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Vote for your favourites online
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Enter prize draws along the way — including spot prizes, kids' colouring competition prizes, and a major prize for completing your passport!
Follow the fun on Visit Kāpiti’s Facebook and Instagram, and share your own hot choc adventures with #KapitiHotChoc2026.
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Your Hot Chocolate Entries
Hazella Float
Ambience Cafe, Paraparaumu Beach
Nutella lovers dream! Our nutella inspired hot chocolate features a nutella coated rim, nutella whipped cream, a biscuit crumb and hazelnut cookie on the side.
Raspberry Cheesecake Hot Choc
Hey Coastie, Waikanae Beach
Whittakers white chocolate ganache hot chocolate, raspberry & cream cheese swirl, whipped cream, raspberry biscuit cheesecake crumb
The Cocoa Monster
Rosetta Cafe, Raumati & Coastlands
A fun entry with a blue coloured hot chocolate themed to the Cookie Monster with blue cream, cookie crumbs, whipped cream, sprinkle eyes & a cookie on the side. GF option.
Sunday Hot Chocolate
Sunday Cantina, Raumati South
It’s a special Sunday cantina brew made from dark chocolate, coconut milk , chocolate cream and chocolate powder. It’s dairy free as well . Goes with whipped coconuts cream on top . GF DF V
Berry Burnout
Southward Car Museum, Paraparaumu
This double-chocolate hot chocolate is loaded with silky chocolate mousse, wild berry drizzle, freeze-dried raspberries, and a chocolate-coated cinnamon mini doughnut. Finished with chocolate and berry tyre tracks and a checkered flag, it’s rich, fruity, indulgent, and guaranteed to put your taste buds into top gear.
White Choc Bubblegum Float
Melt & Co, Paraparaumu Beach
A white hot chocolate with "housemade" Bubblegum Ice Cream Float, whipped cream, sprinkles, and lolly skewer. GF option.
Brazilian Hot Chocolate
Olah Acai, Coastlands
Rich, creamy and made the Brazilian way. Our Brazilian Hot Chocolate is made with real melted chocolate, slowly blended into a thick, silky drink with deep chocolate flavour and a smooth, indulgent finish.
Biscoff Hot Chocolate
Mediterranean Foods, Coastlands
Rich Vittoria hot chocolate blended with smooth Biscoff paste, topped with whipped cream, Biscoff crumble, and a whole Biscoff biscuit. Caramelized, creamy, and seriously addictive. Like a cookie hug in a mug. DF option.
Biscoff Indulgence
Liora Cafe, Coastlands
Indulge yourself in out hot chocolate laced with a Biscoff crumb and drizzle, all set in a cream donut with Biscoff biscuit and cream on the side.
The Caramel Outlaw
Dark Horse Espresso Garden, Paraparaumu
Made with rich Whittaker’s Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate, topped with silky salted caramel cold foam, and finished with a sweet & salty marshmallow chocolate cowboy hat. It’s buttery, velvety, and perfectly balanced between sweet and salty - like a warm hug with a little wild-west attitude. Saddle up. This one’s worth the ride. DF option.
Midwinter Spiced Chocolate
Old Beach Bakery, Paekākāriki and Waikanae
Made with real maple syrup, and served with a mini ginger kiss. Available hot or iced, and can be made dairy free with any milk choice. DF option.
Boss Hazelnut Dream
Boss Bagel, Paraparaumu
A cool chocolate drink on ice with a Nutella smear around the cup, topped with Nutella cold foam and finished with crushed hazelnuts.
La Vie En Rose
Griffin and Pops, Waikanae
A warm cup of raw cocoa blended with soft spices, topped with fluffy spiced foam. It brings a deep chocolate taste with a gentle heat that feels cozy and comforting. GF DF
5032 Golden Buzz
Remedy 5032, Raumati Beach
The 5032 Golden Buzz is our spin on the Cadbury Buzz Bar. It is an Iced Caramel Chocolate with a Caramel Drizzle rim & a Toasted Marshmallow Cold Foam.
Arancia al Cioccolato
Passo, Paraparaumu
Italian dark hot chocolate infused with orange and green cardamom, topped with cinnamon whipped cream, candied orange, dehydrated orange, pistachio & almond tuile, and pistachio crumb. GF option.
Kapiti Candy Tide
The Waterfront, Raumati Beach
Bubblegum and white chocolate flavours, then loaded up with whipped cream, marshmallows, candy floss and a sweet surprise.
The Dunk Tank
The Bond Store, Parparaumu
Warm, chocolatey, cookie-loaded goodness in a mug. Rich hot chocolate meets buttery spiced biscuit syrup, crowned with whipped cream and a snowfall of crushed Griffin’s Chockie Chippies. Plus a full Chockie Chippie perched on the side for maximum dunking action.
Custard Pie Hot Chocolate
The Custard Pie, Paraparaumu
Vanilla & Chocolate warmed up with a delicious milk & cream combo. This is our signature hot chocolate and is already well loved, so we thought we’d enter it into the competition to introduce more people to it.
Shipwrecked Hot Chocolate
Olive Grove Cafe, Waikanae
Topped with toasted coconut sprinkles and coconut milk, salted caramel syrup topped with homemade caramel marshmallow served with a chocolate caramel marshmallow tart. GF option.
The Classic Hot Chocolate
Kāpiti Chocolate Factory, Raumati
Creamy and milky, decadent hot chocolate made with real dark chocolate and topped with a marshmallow made by the Kapiti Chocolate Facory.
Mint to bloom
Coffee & Flowers, Paraparaumu Beach
Made with rich Whittaker’s White Chocolate Hot Chocolate, infused with cool mint, and topped with a cloud of whipped cream. Finished with marshmallows dusted in minted sugar for a fresh, sweet lift. It’s creamy, cooling, and delicately indulgent—like a winter garden in bloom, soft petals in the air, and a breeze that tastes like chocolate and mint. Sip slowly. This one’s in full bloom. DF option.
Hot Chocolate Cocktails
Bacon Waffle Hot Choc
Courtyard on Margaret, Raumati Beach
A sweet and smoky treat featuring maple bacon, whipped cream, and cinnamon sugar, topped with a maple house waffle. Dark rum available for an adult twist.
The Orange Mac Attack
The Bond Store, Paraparaumu
Rich, velvety hot chocolate spiked with Koakoa Orange Liqueur for a hit of citrusy warmth, topped with whipped cream, fresh orange zest and a dark orange liqueur macaron from our friend That Little Cake Shop on the side. Sweet, zesty, slightly over the top — winter in a mug, Bond Store style.
Midnight in Kāpiti
Passo, Paraparaumu
Italian dark hot chocolate with Cointreau, Drambuie, Spices honey Liqueur, house-made candied orange peel and dehydrate orange. Inspired by Sicily, where chocolate, citrus and pistachios are iconic ingredients, this hot chocolate celebrates the rich flavours and traditions of Southern Italy.
Lotus in the Pond
The Boundary, Raumati Beach
Rich hot chocolate, Baileys, and chocolate syrup topped with a handcrafted white chocolate lotus flower and delicate gold petals. Inspired by the serene beauty of a blooming lotus floating across a tranquil pond.
The Hazelnut Hug
The Jolly Pub, Paraparaumu
A comforting blend of rich hot chocolate, full cream milk, Frangelico and honey liqueur, topped with whipped cream, wafer pieces, and a chocolate dusting.