An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but a steaming cup of hot chocolate can surely chase the winter blues away. Sweet and smooth, or rich and slightly bitter, the creamy cups of cocoa at cafes across the county come in a tempting variety guaranteed to please the palate of even the most discerning chocoholic.
So, bottom’s up while the temps are down(ish)! Here are some of the sweetest spots to sip hot chocolate in Westchester. And, maybe have that apple on the side, just to be safe.
BXVL Coffee House
2 Station Plz, Bronxville; 914.600.8139
Probably the furthest thing from Swiss Miss (no disrespect), this indulgent mug requires minimal sugar because of rich European chocolate that is crumbled up and carefully hand-blended with hot water. According to owner Charu Rana, the process creates a distinct, rich aroma that the whole shop can smell. And, the drink looks pretty, too, since it’s topped with steamed milk, latte art, and whipped cream.
City Limits Diner
200 Central Ave, White Plains; 914.686.9000
When Old Man Winter blows into town, we make a beeline for City Limits. In the winter (year-round, really), nothing beats a rich and creamy cup of City Limits’ famed Valrhona hot chocolate and house-made marshmallows. With a touch of cinnamon and vanilla bean, this is a layered, nuanced cup of chocolatey perfection. Pro tip: Pair it with a s’mores cookie for maximum choco-bliss.
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Read More: How To Make City Limits’ Hot Chocolate and Marshmallows at Home
Cocoa Chocolate Shop
2107A Boston Post Rd, Larchmont; 914.834.6464
At this quaint, locally renowned confectionery, the hot chocolate is more like a thin pudding than a drink, but it still goes down just as easy. This decadent potion flows from a hunk of superior Belgian dark chocolate that is blended simply with whole milk. Served in a four-ounce espresso cup — just the right amount, but you’ll still leave wanting more — it can be topped with a homemade marshmallow or unsweetened whipped cream.
Coffee Labs
7 Main St, Tarrytown; 914.332.1479
493 New Rochelle Rd, Bronxville; 914.840.4106
If you have ever stopped by the shop on Main Street, or the newly added Eastchester location, then you are familiar with the elaborate foam art the team creates on lattes and cappuccinos. Unsurprisingly, the shop makes a mean hot chocolate (with or without the art) as well. What’s the secret? It’s all in the sauce. The Coffee Labs crew steams up Black Label Ghirardelli sauce (liquid gold, anyone?) with any type of milk you want and will add whipped cream, should you desire it. They also serve up a Europe-style sipping chocolate.
Ice Cream Social
481 Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains; 914.358.4323
We’ll forgive you for thinking an ice cream shop might not be the place to score a steamy cup of liquid chocolate. But here they serve Grade-A hot chocolate that’s made even creamier by the addition of the frozen treat. Standard vanilla is the go-to; however, any of the shop’s flavors work just as well, including mint chocolate or spicy hot chocolate, as well as toppers like whipped cream or marshmallows.
The Kneaded Bread
181 N Main St, Port Chester; 914.937.9489
The hot chocolate at this always bustling Port Chester bakery is born from a whopping 10-pound bar of Belgian chocolate that is melted into a thick, lusciously dark lava. It’s swirled with milk, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla, then left to simmer slowly in a heavy pot for several hours. It’s stirred gently and often.
When a customer craves a cuppa, the brew is poured and whipped into foamy bliss with the cappuccino machine’s frother, resulting in a simple, wholesome cup that begs to be sipped slowly and on the daily.
The Snackery Bakeshop
64 Purchase St, Rye; 914.481.1636
This season, The Snackery Bakeshop serves up an Insta-worthy cup of cocoa. Fresh hot chocolate (made in-house) is poured into a cup which is topped with a torched marshmallow. Whipped cream is added to the gooey goodness with your choice of six different toppings including M&Ms, sprinkles, mini marshmallows, Lucky Charms, chocolate chips, or peppermint.
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Mint Premium Foods
19 Main St, Tarrytown; 914.703.6511
Inside the walls of this ultra-cozy Rivertowns Mediterranean café and gourmet market, those in the know sip Parisian-style cocoa at communal tables beneath an eye-catching tin ceiling. This sophisticated indulgence, resembling molten chocolate, is comprised of Valrhona chocolate. The ingredients are melted and steamed together with milk to yield what Moroccan-born owner Hassan Jarane describes as “liquid gold.” Whip and marshmallows are optional for this dark beauty because, as he points out, “it’s good just by itself.”
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