‘Tis the season for fuzzy sweaters, cheesy Christmas movies, and a good ‘ol cup of hot chocolate. There’s a lot of iconic foods that we associate with the season, but there’s nothing quite anything that captures the holiday spirit better than this drink. Below, a list of the top 10 best hot chocolates in the metro that will surely warm up even your “pinakamalamig na Pasko.”
*An S.O. to share them with, optional.
1. Churros con Chocolate from Dulcinea
Look for any list of the best hot chocolate spots in the metro and you’ll often see Dulcinea sitting on the top ten. While some people may argue that this is more of a chocolate sauce than a hot choco, nobody can deny the impact of this iconic warm cup from this food stop. The strength of Dulcinea’s Churros con Chocolate is that it hits the perfect balance in all the right places—taste, thickness, consistency, and even in the amount you get per serving. Don’t forget to try dipping the restaurant’s signature crunchy, warm churros when you order one.
2. Taza de Xocolat from Xocolat
Comfort is Xocolat’s business—it’s something the brand literally exudes starting from the theme of their shops down to their menu (which, by the way, includes chocolate in everything). As revolutionary as its food choices are, however, its classic chocolate or Taza de Xocolat remains to be one of its ultimate stars. It’s rich, thick, creamy, and is the ideal cup for those who don’t mind their hot choco to be on the dark, deep side. Each serving comes with a piece of biscuit that you can dunk to the rich concoction.
3. Valrhona Hot Chocolate from Le Petit Souffle
The French are known the world over for being one of the masters of doing hot chocolate so it doesn’t really come as a surprise that Le Petit Souffle, a French-Japanese fusion place does a pretty good job with theirs. The magic of Le Petit’s hot chocolate is that it is made with Valrhona chocolate so you definitely won’t find yourself underwhelmed if richness is your top priority. In the event that you do find it too saccharine, you can always add a dollop of whipped cream or dunk some mini biscuits which come in every order of a cup.
4. Noemi’s Spanish Chocolate from Kuppa Roastery & Cafe
Kuppa Roastery and Café obviously considers its coffee as its magnum opus, but that doesn’t mean its other menu offerings deserve to be ignored. The place is home to Noemi’s Spanish Chocolate, a rich but not too sweet cup that’s perfect to order if you want a little pick-me-up minus the caffeine. There’s no doubt that Kuppa uses authentic Spanish chocolate with the perfect thickness of this cup, though some may find it a little too oily for their liking. For maximum impact, pair it with any of Kuppa’s pastries to absorb some of the oil.
5. Hot Chocolate & Ensaymada from Mary Grace Café
Mary Grace is infamous for its ensaymada, but did you know that you can easily upgrade this cheesy perfection by pairing it with a cup of their hot chocolate? Its version is richer but a little bit sweeter than the usual cups that have more bitter notes to them since it is made with Belgian chocolate, but not to the point that you’ll find yourself too overwhelmed. Order one with Mary Grace’s ensaymada or cheese roll and enjoy the perfect contrast of sweet and salty in your mouth.
6. Hot Chocolate from Café Adriatico
Visiting Café Adriatico is similar to coming home to your grandmother. The ambiance, the food, and the flavors in this food spot simply reminds you of what it feels like to be home. This Spanish-inspired restaurant has captured the hearts of many generations with its dishes, but their cups of hot chocolate (you can choose between Chocolate Ah! and Chocolate Eh!) are also something worthy of a visit. If you prefer your cup to be thick and creamy, go for the Chocolate Eh! which comes with deeper flavor notes and a thicker consistency.
7. Hot Chocolate from Bizu Patisserie & Bistro
Bizu has become iconic for its pastries and cakes so it makes perfect sense that it gets an A+ on another of its sweet drinks, too—in this case, their cup of hot chocolate made of rich Valrhona chocolate. There are two ways you can enjoy a cup of hot chocolate here. If you want it thick, small, but concentrated, then you can go for the ‘espresso’ type shot which comes in a small glass. Want to enjoy it longer? Order the ‘latte’ variety instead which is a thinner, but equally delicious version.
8. Hot Cocoa from M Bakery
M Bakery is legendary for its cupcakes, but the place also offers a pretty mean cup of hot drinks like lattes and hot chocolate. Their version is not as thick and dark as the other suspects on this list, but they do well on the flavor combination in every mug which is creamy and bittersweet. It’s perfect if you’re looking to knock back something lighter for the day.
9. Chocolate Chaud from Paul Boulangerie
If there’s a heaven for chocolate and pastry lovers, it will definitely be Paul Boulangerie. The moment you pass through its doors, you’ll immediately be assaulted by the smell of freshly baked goods and good coffee as well as the visual superiority of all its products on display. One of the signature stars on its menu, however, is their Chocolate Chaud, their version of hot chocolate made with a warm blend of hot cacao and chocolate white milk. The consistency of this one is not as thick as the traditional cup of hot cocoa but we do love the lighter punch of flavor added by the addition of milk on its mix.
10. Tsokolate Ah Batirol from Tsoko.Nut Batirol
Tsoko.Nut Batirol pays homage to the origins of drinking hot chocolate here with its simple, no-nonsense cup. Its Tsokolate Ah is made by using batirol, a wooden whisk traditionally used to make chocolate drinks. Using it creates a frothy consistency on the drink—one of the things that make the hot chocolate from Tsoko.Nut a winner. In terms of taste, this cup has a unique nutty flavor to it that will make you think you’re having a dessert and a hot drink in one go.
