Hot chocolate may be a cold-weather classic, but there’s no single way to make it. In Paris, chocolat chaud is famously rich and velvety; in Italy, cioccolata calda can be thick enough to eat with a spoon; in Madrid, chocolate is made for dipping freshly fried churros; and in Oaxaca and Saint Lucia, drinking chocolate connects back to places with deep cacao traditions.
Then there are the chocolate makers putting their own spin on the classic, from toasted marshmallow fluff in London to a gold-dusted chocolate sphere in Vail.
From grand European cafés to a cacao estate in the Caribbean, these are nine hot chocolates worth travelling for.
Chin Chin Ice Cream – London, United Kingdom
You might go to Chin Chin for the ice cream, but its signature hot chocolate has become a destination in its own right. The London ice cream shop currently serves its Signature Chin Chin Hot Chocolate topped with its famously gooey marshmallow fluff. There’s also a vegan version on the menu.
Why go: For the dramatic crown of marshmallow fluff, and one of London’s most photogenic cups of hot chocolate.
SAID dal 1923 – Rome, Italy
Founded in Rome in 1923, SAID still produces chocolate by hand and now has locations on Via Tiburtina and Via Tomacelli. Its current hot-chocolate menu lets you choose dark, milk or gianduia, then add cinnamon, ginger or chilli, along with toppings ranging from marshmallows to pistachios.
Why go: For a very Italian take on drinking chocolate – and the chance to customize your cup.
Angelina Paris – Paris, France
Few cups of hot chocolate are as synonymous with Paris as Angelina’s. At its historic Rue de Rivoli tearoom, the signature chocolat chaud is famously rich and velvety, served with whipped cream on the side.
Why go: For an iconic Paris hot chocolate in suitably grand surroundings.
Restaurante Catedral – Oaxaca City, Mexico
Oaxaca’s extraordinary relationship with cacao makes it an essential stop on a tour of the world’s drinking chocolate. At Restaurante Catedral, the breakfast menu includes traditional Oaxacan chocolate prepared either de agua (with water) or de leche (with milk), along with champurrado and atole blanco.
Why go: To experience Mexican drinking chocolate in Oaxaca, where cacao traditions are part of the region’s culinary identity.
The Sebastian – Vail, Colorado
The Signature Hot Chocolate at the Sebastian resort in Vail turns hot chocolate into a bit of après-ski theatre. Its current version features a gold-dusted dark-chocolate sphere with a peppermint-crusted house-made marshmallow and dark-chocolate biscotti. For an adults-only version, Baileys can be added to the mix.
Why go: For hot chocolate with a side of après-ski theatre.
Hotel Chocolat, Rabot Estate – Soufrière, Saint Lucia
Hot chocolate hits differently when you can see where the cacao comes from. At Hotel Chocolat’s Rabot Estate in Saint Lucia, cacao trees grow across the property, with the Pitons rising in the distance. The estate’s drinking chocolate puts that locally grown cacao front and centre, while traditional cacao tea offers another way to experience an important part of the island’s food culture.
Make time to explore the estate while you’re there: seeing cacao growing on the tree before sitting down with a cup makes this one of the most memorable hot-chocolate experiences on our list.
Why go: To drink hot chocolate made with cacao grown where you’re drinking it—with the Pitons as your backdrop.
Baratti & Milano – Turin, Italy
Turin takes its chocolate seriously, and Baratti & Milano is one of the loveliest places to experience it. The historic café has occupied a corner of the Galleria Subalpina since the early 1900s, where hot chocolate still arrives with the kind of ceremony the setting calls for. You can also order a bicerin, Turin’s famous layered combination of chocolate, coffee and cream, alongside traditional Piedmontese pastries.
Why go: For a taste of Turin’s centuries-old chocolate culture in a café that feels every bit as indulgent as the drink.
Chocolatería San Ginés – Madrid, Spain
There are few better ways to end a night in Madrid than with churros and chocolate. Just steps from Puerta del Sol, Chocolatería San Ginés has been serving the classic pairing since 1894. The chocolate is unapologetically thick and made for dipping freshly fried churros, all served in a café that still feels pleasingly old-school. Better yet, the original location is open 24 hours a day, so a post-dinner—or post-dancing—chocolate is always an option.
Why go: For one of Madrid’s great food rituals: crisp churros dipped into thick hot chocolate, preferably late at night.
SOMA Chocolatemaker – Toronto, Canada
Toronto’s SOMA Chocolatemaker has been making chocolate from the bean since 2003, and its drinking chocolate is reason enough to visit its Distillery District shop. The menu includes intensely chocolatey cups as well as MAYA, a spiced drinking chocolate with ginger, orange peel, vanilla, chilli and other spices—a nod to chocolate’s long history as a drink. And for the full experience, add one of SOMA’s house-made marshmallows on top.
Why go: For seriously good bean-to-bar drinking chocolate—homemade marshmallow included—in the heart of Toronto’s Distillery District.
with files from Bobbe Hayes; updated Sept 30/2026
FAQs About Hot Chocolate
- Where can you find the best hot chocolate in the world?
- Some of the world’s most celebrated hot-chocolate traditions can be found in Paris, Rome, Madrid, Oaxaca and other cities with deep chocolate cultures. Angelina in Paris, SAID in Rome and Chocolatería San Ginés in Madrid are particularly well-known destinations.
- Which country is famous for hot chocolate?
- Several countries have distinctive hot-chocolate traditions. France is known for rich chocolat chaud, Italy for exceptionally thick cioccolata calda, Spain for chocolate served with churros, and Mexico for drinking chocolate rooted in much older cacao traditions.
What is Italian hot chocolate?- Italian cioccolata calda is typically much thicker and richer than North American-style hot chocolate. At Rome’s SAID, for example, the current menu offers dark, milk and gianduia versions.
- What is French hot chocolate?
- French chocolat chaud is known for its rich chocolate flavour and luxurious texture. Angelina’s hot chocolate is one of Paris’s best-known examples and remains a signature of its historic Rue de Rivoli tearoom.
