URKU Chocolate House, Prahran: Ecuadorian Cacao, Aged Chocolate and Tastings on Greville Street

Step through the modern glass storefront at 126 Greville Street, Prahran, look up at the "126" on the window, and you have arrived at URKU Chocolate House. Its motto is "Every cacao has a story", and inside this small boutique the staff are happy to tell those stories, one chocolate at a time. URKU calls itself a premium chocolate house sharing the best of Ecuadorian cacao, and it is a delightful addition to one of Prahran's most interesting shopping streets.

A for-purpose chocolate business

URKU describes itself as a for-purpose business dedicated to showcasing premium cacao and chocolate. It was co-founded by Sebastian Alarcon Pinto, its CEO and cacao evaluator, and Carolina Contreras, its founder and sustainability lead. The business sources the finest cacao directly from Ecuador, focusing on harvests of the Cacao Nacional variety, and it builds direct relationships with farmers that go beyond standard certifications.

URKU develops its recipes in Melbourne but its chocolate bars are crafted at origin. It partners with farmers, local businesses and chocolatiers so that more value stays within cacao-growing communities. On its website the business highlights cacao grown as an integral part of the ecosystem, ethical and traceable processes, and cacao with a real identity, grown and harvested in a single region or estate.

Chocolate with a story

The collections reflect that approach. The flagship Germánico Pinto Collection features signature aged, single-origin Ecuadorian dark chocolate, which undergoes a unique ageing process with cedar wood. URKU says this lets the chocolate's complex flavours develop and mature over time, much like aged spirits or wine, for a smoother, more nuanced taste. The Melbourne Collection is inspired by the city that gave birth to URKU, while the Herencia set offers 70 per cent bars with fruity and savoury twists.

URKU also showcases partner brands from Ecuador. Kallari is a Kichwa association of 850 producers, mostly families from 21 communities in the Amazon region, who grow cacao using traditional permaculture techniques. Lua is a family-owned business that crafts its chocolate on a farm in Chone, Manabí, using produce from 100-year-old cacao trees. URKU's chocolates range from 70 to 100 per cent cacao, so there is something for every taste, from approachable to intense.

Tastings at the Tasting Wheel

A visit to the Greville Street boutique is part of the fun. Customers can chat with the staff, learn more about chocolate and enjoy a bar or two while browsing the visual menu at the semi-circle counter known as the Tasting Wheel. URKU hosts guided chocolate tastings and seasonal pairings with drinks such as wine, coffee and whisky, and it also runs a chocolate masterclass and sensory lab. For newcomers, the business suggests a guided tasting as an excellent introduction.

A hot chocolate worth the trip

Seasonal drinks are on offer too, including what URKU calls its all-time favourite, a Signature Hot Chocolate made from a 100-year-old harvest. The business says it is a must-try. Special limited edition harvests are also handcrafted only for Melbourne-based customers, which gives locals another reason to call in.

Visit URKU Chocolate House

Find URKU at 126 Greville Street, Prahran, or shop online, with gift notes available at checkout. For orders, tasting enquiries or questions, email hello@urku.com.au. With Christmas approaching, note that URKU publishes recommended order cut-off dates on its website, as chocolate posting is carefully timed in the warmer months.

Contact

URKU Chocolate House
126 Greville Street, Prahran VIC 3181
Email: hello@urku.com.au
Website: urku.au
Hours: See website for current opening hours

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