Get ready for a sugar rush while you navigate your way around town to hunt for the many participating Chocolate Trail shops in Uptown Waterloo! Just in time for your Easter shopping or simply a way to enjoy an afternoon walk while indulging in some sweet decadence.
With 24 stops on the map, you’re bound to find something for every chocolate lover on your list, and maybe even a few for your own sweet stash.
I made it to seven and I just might have to go back for more - once my sugar coma had subsided.
To warm up I started with a chocolate tea from Distinctly Tea Inc. and paired it with a gluten free double chocolate cookie from the The Bauer Bakery & Café - let me just say that was a delicious beginning. I sat in the cobblestone patio at a bistro table soaking up the sun as I drifted into chocolate heaven.
Then I was off to the patio at Beertown Public House Waterloo to try out their German Chocolate Cake stout, which, thanks to my amazing server, ended up pairing it with their gluten free chocolate cake. Oh my, hallelujah the two together are simply delectable. Be sure to ask for a side of water.
I’m no chocolate quitter, although the next few stops had me shopping without consuming - I had to save them for later. (truth is not much later. I told you I'm no quitter)
Next up my two feet led me to The Crumby Cookie Dough Company where I picked up the ‘Bunny Don’t Lay That’ cookie dough...This made for a egg-cellent breakfast the next morning! You can eat the dough raw, or bake up some cookies! I just dove right into that sweet little cardboard container, leaving me with not much time (or cookie dough) for baking.
You can never have too much sugar, right?
That’s what I told myself as I made my way to my fourth stop, Dana Shortt Gourmet. Here I was greeted by local chocolate galore from Reids and Rheo Thompson. Simply had to pick me up the Rhéo Thompson Candies mint smoothies from the list - along with a few other delectable items. No way was this girl limiting herself to just one box of chocolates.
PSA: This is one of those shops you don't want to enter when hungry.
Stop five - off to Q's Cakes & Cafe where I arrived a hare too late (see what I did there?) I missed the gluten free brownie, which I will have to go back and add to my bunny basket another time.
I wasn't sad for long as I hit my final stop...Sweet Seven Cannabis. To be honest, this was a totally new shopping experience for me - Bonus is that I learned a lot and left with a new kind of dessert to enjoy responsibly another time. Fun fact - If you go between 4:20 - 5:20 pm, they sweeten the experience by cutting you a bit of a deal.
Tips to surviving a day of chocolate:
1. Take small bites and pack the rest to enjoy later
2. Drink plenty of water
3. If it's super sunny, take a mini cooler bag to ensure your treats don't melt on your journey
4. Walk and shop - Burn off some of your newfound sugar energy with a good walk around uptown. There's plenty of parking in the area.
Follow Uptown Waterloo on social, or to find the details through uptownwaterloobia.com so you can plan your route on the chocolate trail map! Tag @buzztourco when you check it out!
