The falling temperatures have us thinking about one thing: Hot chocolate.
We asked our cuckoo-for-cocoa contributors where they go for a cup of chocolat chaud, and the results range from chocolate specialists to elegant tea salons and neighborhood cafés. Notably absent from the top five? Angelina, whose thick-enough-to-stand-a-spoon-in-it version might be the most famous in the world.
Five Great for Hot Chocolate
- Jacques Genin Yet another reason to visit the chocolate-pastry-caramel master’s beautiful shop and tea salon in the upper Marais.
- Jean-Paul Hévin Hévin’s chocolat chaud has an intense, pure cocoa flavor that can be dressed up with add-ins like banana and hot pepper, raspberry, or… oysters.
- Un Dimanche à Paris Thick and rich, the chocolate concept store’s mix will leave your heart pounding.
- Pâtisserie Viennoise Tucked between Odéon and the Sorbonne, this unassuming Viennese bakery (hallo, strüdel) also serves an intense, bittersweet chocolat chaud, emphasis on the bitter.
- SIP Babylone Well-located for pre- or post-shopping fortification, this café near Le Bon Marché gets high marks for their hot chocolate.
Runners up: Angelina, Café de Flore, La Charlotte de l’Isle, Christian Constant, Queen Ann, Le Danton
Reject: Carette
About our process: For each topic, we begin with a little research to identify options. We then ask our readers, by posting a question in the forum, to offer additional suggestions. From that discussion, we compile a list of candidates and ask our panel of contributing advisors to rank their top choices and identify any rejects. Their rankings are weighted, analyzed, and compiled into a new Five Great post every week. Runners up are places who received more positive votes than negative comments. Rejects are places that received only negative comments with no positive votes.
Cafe Pouchkine is great too!
What’s a trip to Paris without a chocolat chaud – any season I say. Has to be said Angelina’s CC is fabulous but hard to enjoy alongside all their yummy deserts.
I realise it comes from a box, but non-coffee drinkers can rejoice at Caféotheque and their Valrona hot chocolate. Good quality chocolate served in a deliciously large cup.
Thank you thank you for posting this! I am visiting for a week and a half and after spending the winter doing a hot chocolate tour of my home town of New York, this post couldn’t have come at a better time as I’ve been looking to warm up my heart and my hands!
Went to Angelina but was kind of disappointed by their McDo chain feeling. The chocolate was tasty enough but kind of lukewarm.
I will try the places suggested but I have a feeling that, strangely enough, Paris has limited high quality offer but for the tiny Italian expresso and gelato place called Pozetto (or Pozzetto?) near Saint Paul. There you get a thick hot chocolate worth the name.
Les Deux Abeilles
Grom
Bread and Roses
Laduree
What were they thinking or drinking? The only one or two that even come close to Angelina, having trekked all over Paris to try them all, are Jacques Genin and, because a slightly less sweet variety, Patisserie Viennoise. SIP was fine but we wouldn’t even rate the other two on that list.
You’re not the only one who loves Angelina, SMG. It simply didn’t get as many votes among our contributing editors, who perhaps favor a texture that’s not as thick. But we’re happy to see you stick up for the sludge!
On a chilly day in April 2012 while walking past to get to our destination, we stopped in at Angelina’s for hot chocolate. After waiting in line for at least 30 minutes, we waited another 30 at a table without anyone taking our order. We walked out. Have been there several times in the past when in that area, but it’s now a tourist attraction IMHO. If you must stop in, just get the “to go” cup from the shop instead of being seated in the dining room.
Angelina’s has been one of mine and my Grandmother’s go-to places when we visit Paris, but over the years it has become more and more touristy- I think their chocolate counter has doubled in size since we started going over a decade ago. But this little ditty, about the hot chocolate, just made my day! We are going next week and we might have to explore this option. Thank you for posting!
Deux Magots chocolat chaud is my longtime pick and comes with exceptional people watching as well!
Grom is Excelent!
Thanks for their amazing adresses! Another great place to drink a big mug of hot chocolate (Chocolat aztèque) is at La Jacobine Café jealously hidden in a small passage on 59 rue Saint Andre des Arts.
Cafe de la Paix serves an excellent chocolat chaud