To all the chocolate artisans that continue to up the ante on what it takes to make a notable Hot Cocoa—I thank you! And to whoever decided that drinking chocolate should be a thing in the first place…I REALLY thank you!
This week were paying homage to the best places to grab Hot Chocolate around the world. Enjoy!
Baked (Brooklyn, NY)
Photo Credit: FoodandWine.com
Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito make everything from scratch at their Brooklyn based bakery, Baked! Their house hot chocolate is renown! Made with bittersweet and milk chocolate, and then topped with their homemade marshmallows!
Oyamel (Washington, D.C.)
Photo Credit: Relish.com & Marissa Scarna
Mexico has a rich history of making delicious cocoa treats. The Hot Chocolate at Oyamel’s Mexican Restaurant in D.C. is a prime example of a south of the border Hot Chocolate done right! An Oaxacan variety chocolate combined with cinnamon, cloves, vanilla bean, sugar and steamed milk. Spicy perfection!
Angelina (Paris, France)
Photo Credit: Littlemaison.com
A famous Parisian tearoom, Angelina is known for their Old-Fashioned Hot Chocolate “L’Africain.” A brew of four African cocoa beans, topped with unsweetened whipped cream!
XOCO (Chicago, IL)
Photo Credit: thelatinkitchen.com & Lisa Lubin
Chef Rick Bayless’s XOCO Mexican Restaurant in Chicago serves their Hot Chocolate with a side of churros! They grind their cacao beans in house and top the hot brew with a hand whipped foam! As fresh as hot chocolate gets!
Bouchon Bakery (Yountville, CA)
Photo Credit: skinnyminhy.blogspot.com
Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Beverly Hills holds a special place in my heart as home to one of my favorite jobs as young chef. I hear the Bouchon Bakery in Yountville makes a serious contender in the hot cocoa community! Their house Hot Chocolate is made with cocoa powder, milk and dark chocolate, and is then brewed in whole milk and heavy cream! Add a little coriander, cinnamon, and vanilla bean…you have one killer cocoa!
Fireside Lounge (Vail, CO)
Photo Credit: honestcooking.com/
Fireside Lounge’s: Haut Chocolat serves a Hot Cocoa made with Valrhona chocolate and steamed milk, that is then poured over a cup of house made chocolate marshmallows! Top that with a dark chocolate lattice that melts into the glass as you sip…DREAMY!
Flour Bakery (Boston, MA)
Photo Credit; Yelp.com and Amanda D.
Flour Bakery in Boston offers a spicy version of Hot Cocoa called the “Fiery Hot Chocolate!” Made with a rich chocolate ganache that’s steamed with milk inside of an espresso pitcher. A dash of cayenne and chili powder kick it up a few notches!
Mindy’s Hot Chocolate (Chicago, IL)
Photo Credit: baconhound.com
Mindy’s Hot Chocolate in Chicago is known for their hot chocolate blends! Whether you want White Chocolate Egg Nog, a Hot Fudge Cocoa, or a Half and Half (half cocao/half expresso)…they’ve got you covered!
Vosges Haut-Chocolat (Chicago, IL; New York, NY; Las Vegas, NV; Beverly Hills, CA)
Photo Credit: yelp.com and Meg Y.
If you’re in the mood for something lighter and more delicate, try Vosges Haut-Chocolat’s “Bianca Couture Cocoa” hot chocolate! A blend of white chocolate, lavender and vanilla, with the essence of lemon and lime!
theLab (San Francisco, CA)
Photo Credit: betsubarasan.com
Leave it to San Francisco to house one of the world’s best and most authentic hot chocolates! The owners of theLAB in SF are a family of chocolate artisans! They’ve mastered many chocolate recipes and use their homemade chocolate to create one killer cocoa! Simply a reduction of their own chocolate and water, then topped with a Vanilla Bean Marshmallow, this drink is as rich as they come!
Conditorei Péclard im Schober (Zurich, CH)
Photo Credit: tyger.ac
Conditorei Péclard im Schober makes a hot chocolate that shines even in the Capital of Chocolate—Switzerland! Made by reducing pure swiss chocolate into whole milk, you can order this cocoa with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a shot of expresso to kick off your day right!
CACAO (Atlanta, GA)
Photo Credit: cacaoatlanta.com
At Cacao they infuse Aztec “aphrodisiac” sipping chocolate with six chilies and spices! Topped with their house-made marshmallows, this drink packs a rich and spicy punch!
Caffé Vittoria (Boston, MA)
Photo Credit: indulgeinspireimbibe.blogspot.com
If you’re in Boston during the winter, you’ll have to swing by Caffe Vittoria to warm up with their “Cioccolatto Caldo!” Their renown hot chocolate is rich, creamy, and worth every sip! And for all you whipped cream lovers…they tend to be VERY heavy handed with the topping.
Konditor & Cook (London, UK)
Photo Credit: pheebzeatz.com
At Konditor & Cook’s in London, they enjoy their rich hot chocolate with a side of pastries—and I wouldn’t have it any other way! Word on the street is this place serves one rich hot cocoa, perfect for dipping brownies and treats!
Serendipity 3 (Manhattan, NY)
Photo Credit: theodysseyonline.com
And lastly…leave is to New York’s renown ice cream palace/restaurant, Serendipity 3, to make a frozen…or should I say “Frrrozen” version of hot chocolate! Their Frrrozen Hot Chocolate is essentially a cooled hot cocao made with a top secret blend of chocolates, that’s topped with a heap of whipped cream and sprinkled with chocolate shavings!
So many places to visit and so many Hot Chocolate’s to try! Which Hot Cocoa do you think is worth the trip?
Burdick’s Chocolate in NY and Boston should be a top this list
In Colombia (at least in Bogotá) we take our hot milky chocolate with cheese, the kind of cheese that melts. it’s yummy