Haute Chocolate: 10 U.S. Hot Spots for Hot Chocolate
With at least two full months of winter left on the calendar, there's plenty of time to indulge in the season's best beverage. Whether you're on the shores of Miami or the slopes of Aspen, there's a cup waiting for you!
Sucré New Orleans, Louisiana
Headed to the Big Easy? Stop in here to get your sweet tooth on with a cup of their piping hot chocolate (and a piece of chocolate or two or three).
Cowboy Ciao; Scottsdale, Arizona
Local cowboys and cowgirls love this eatery’s famous “Cuppa Red Hot Chocolate” which is actually a pot de crème dessert reminiscent of chocolate ganache. Chock full of spice, it's sometimes served with unique toppings like their “chewy spicy cookie chocolate bacon caramel popcorn.”
R. Charlton Coffeehouse; Williamsburg, Virginia
History buffs, take note! At R. Charlton’s you’ll not only experience hot chocolate as it was prepared in the17th century (spiced and unsweetened), you’ll do it in a historic building surrounded by folks dressed in colonial clothing.
Eclipse Chocolate; San Diego, California
It may be 110˚ in the shade here, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying one of Eclipse’s unique sipping chocolate flavors, including rosemary mint, chile burnt caramel and orange peel vanilla bean. As if that weren’t enough, they top it all off with a gigantic vanilla bean marshmallow.
Proof on Main; Jefferson, Kentucky
In this case, the proof is in the pudding…and the hot chocolate. This James Beard favorite has amazing dishes all around. From appetizers to desserts and drinks, they do everything well.
French Broad Chocolate Lounge; Buncombe, North Carolina
There’s nothing like togetherness! While a lot of chocolate shops make their confections from pre-made chocolate, this husband and wife team get intimate with their sweets by making them out of cacao beans that they roast on their own.
Caffe Vittoria; Boston, Massachusetts
How do you say “yum” in Italian? Open since 1929, this Italian café serves up an authentic cioccolato caldo, not to mention just about every Italian pastry there is.
City Bakery; New York City, New York
Headed to New York for Valentine’s Day? Be sure to check out City Bakery! They’re so serious about hot chocolate here that every February they hold a Hot Chocolate Festival where they feature a new hot chocolate flavor every single day.
Artfully Chocolate Cocoa Bar; Alexandria, Virginia
Proving that there’s no business like show business, Artfully Chocolate has about a dozen varieties of hot chocolates, each named after a classic Hollywood starlet. Your only problem here will be choosing between “Liz,” “Lucy,” “Audrey,” and “Marilyn.”
Cacao Atlanta Chocolate Company; Atlanta, Georgia
Get your hands on their “Aztec Sipping Chocolate and Marshmallow Set” and get ready to bliss out in chocolatey goodness. Their chile and spice-infused hot chocolate mix is a secret recipe so don’t bother asking for it.
