Chocolate maker Godiva is opening up cafés selling desserts all over the US — take a look inside the very first one

• Godiva is opening more than 2,000 cafés throughout the US over the next six years.
• INSIDER visited the first café, which opened on New York City's Lexington Avenue on April 17, and tried some the brand's signature treats.
• Everything from the Chocolixir, an icy, blended chocolate beverage, to the gooey chocolate lava cookie, tasted delicious and decadent to me.
• All in all, I enjoyed my experience at the Godiva Café and would go back again in the future.
• Visit INSIDER's homepage for more stories.

Belgian chocolate maker Godiva is expanding beyond selling holiday gift boxes and premium chocolates by opening more than 2,000 cafes throughout the US in the next six years.

INSIDER recently visited the first Godiva café, which opened on New York City's Lexington Avenue on April 17, to try the shop's new drinks and desserts, and to see what the café itself is like.

I arrived at New York's new Godiva cafe to find a sleek, modern shop on the street corner

There was space to seat approximately 20 customers inside

Though I walked into the shop right around 1 p.m., there wasn't a huge crowd of people inside. A representative for Godiva told INSIDER that while the store does carry some lunch products, like sandwiches and salad, the bulk of its business comes from those stopping in to order a coffee, specialty drink, or treat.

The front bar has a built-in refrigerator with drinks, sandwiches, and salads as well as a display case for baked goods

Godiva CEO Annie Young-Scrivner previously held a senior post at Starbucks, so it isn't entirely surprising that the Godiva Café's layout closely resembles that of the ubiquitous coffee shop.

Customers can also pick up some of Godiva's classic chocolate gift boxes from the cafe

The Godiva representative said that many patrons who happened to be in the shop to buy their morning coffee purchased a gift box in the lead up to the Easter and Passover holidays.

Read more: You've been pronouncing Godiva wrong this whole time

While I was there, I tried some of the brand's signature treats, starting with the chocolate lava cookie

The rich, dark chocolate cookie filled with chocolate ganache lives up to its name. It oozes with chocolate and is even better served warm.

I washed it down with a dark chocolate Chocolixir

This cold, blended beverage was the summer drink I never knew I needed. This icy, chocolatey drink topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce reminded me of the famous frozen hot chocolate from New York's Serendipity 3. It was refreshing, rich, and just the right amount of sweet.

The Croiffle, a croissant pressed into a waffle, did not disappoint

I opted to try a savory version of Godiva's signature treat since I had loaded up on chocolate with my first two items, and it proved to be a wise choice. The three-cheese Croiffle comes stuffed with Gruyère, Havarti, and Swiss cheeses. Usually, I avoid eating croissants because they can be quite messy, but Godiva seems to have eliminated this problem by pressing the flaky treat into a pseudo waffle sandwich.

I also enjoyed Godiva's Belgian Liège Waffle

Godiva makes its waffles with Belgian pearl sugar that bursts while it bakes, so each waffle is crispy, sweet, and flavorful. I wasn't so fond of the chocolate drizzle on top, but in my opinion, the waffle itself was evenly baked and delicious.

All in all, I enjoyed my experience at the Godiva Café and would go back again in the future

The shop is a convenient place to grab a coffee or a quick snack if you're on the go, but it's also a nice spot to enjoy a dessert for anyone who has time to stay for a while. Once these pop up across the country, I suspect many people will start using them as one-stop shops for a drink, dessert, and chocolate gift boxes.

The company plans to beigin rolling out the Godiva Cafés by opening approximately 10 more shops in the New York area by the end of 2019.

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