There’s nothing like a great cup of hot chocolate on a cold day, and when it comes to Chicago’s offerings, they’re simply some of the best. In fact, the Windy City is a haven for hot chocolate fans, home to Cocoa + Co. Coffee and Chocolate Café, which The Food Network recognized for serving the best drinking chocolate in the country. The city even hosts an annual Hot Chocolate Run, where at the finish line, participants enjoy a sweet celebration with lots of decadent hot cocoa and fondue fountains!
If you’re looking for a great cup of cocoa the next time you’re in Chicago, check out this list!
L.A. Burdick Handmade Chocolates
L.A. Burdick Chocolates has been serving delicious hot chocolate and their award-winning (and adorable) chocolate mice to the Downtown Chicago – River North community since 2017. It’s easy to spot, too – just look for the charming cottage tucked between the towering skyscrapers. Founder and expert chocolatier Larry Burdick utilized his Swiss and French chocolate-making background to bring high-quality chocolates to the Windy City. Sip and savor a cup of spicy dark, or go light and mild with a white hot chocolate. Don’t skip the European pastries – the Linzer Torte is a must-try.
BomboBar
Bombo Bar is best known for their over-the-top hot chocolates, bombolini (Italian-inspired hole-less donuts), and homemade gelato. The West Loop – Fulton Market walk-up-window offers two delicious drinking chocolates: a traditional flavor with whipped cream and shaved chocolate and a s’mores flavor topped with a chocolate drizzle, marshmallow fluff, and biscotti graham crackers. Over 21? Add a shot of Jameson or Bailey’s for an extra buzz (and eight bucks). Bombo Bar is also super pet-friendly, boasting one of the most extensive and creative dog-safe dessert menus ever with items like “doggie doughnuts” and “woof cream.”
Caravanserai
Did you know hot chocolate was first invented by the Ancient Mayans sometime around 500 BC? Dark Matter Coffee, a beloved Chicago-based coffee chain, channels these roots with its Avondale café, Caravanserai, which specializes in Mexican drinking chocolate. Caravanserai, in partnership with Mexico City’s La Rifa Chocolatería, serves both traditional and more creative hot chocolate concoctions in the bright and colorful café, featuring breathtaking murals painted by local artists.
Katherine Anne Confections
Katherine Anne Confections is one of Chicago’s best-kept gems, offering a variety of European-style drinking chocolates and handcrafted marshmallows. You can spice up even the simplest cup of cocoa with unique marshmallow flavors like brown butter, gingerbread, rose, cinnamon sugar, peppermint, vanilla bean, and salted caramel. Whether you visit the location in Irving Park or Logan Square, you’ll enjoy a homey ambiance that’s perfect for snuggling up with a good book as you sip a cup of frothy cocoa.
Cocoa + Co. Coffee and Chocolate Café
Located in Chicago’s Old Town, Cocoa + Co. Coffee & Chocolate Café is your one-stop-shop for European-style hot chocolate, bonbons, and other yummy pastries. The establishment was featured on the Food Network’s “The Best Cups of Hot Chocolate in the Country” list and truly deserved the title. All drinking chocolates are crafted with natural, consciously sourced cocoa and come in various flavors. Popular drinks include the Mayan Magic, a dark-drinking chocolate infused with chilies, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and Rock the Casbah, a blend of sweet and savory flavors with an exotic chocolate base.
Mindy’s Bakery
Mindy’s Bakery has quickly become a local staple for drinking chocolate and pastries over the years, with founder Mindy Segal whipping up what many Chicagoans deem the best cup of hot cocoa in Chicago since 2005. Working alongside a team of expert pastry chefs at her Wicker Park establishment, Mindy knows what it takes for a good cup of hot cocoa. Be sure to stop in for a cup of hot chocolate paired with one of their fresh-baked pastries, such as marbled sour cream coffee cake or poached pear danish.
Leonidas Cafe Chocolaterie
Known for its decadent Belgian-style hot chocolate, Leonidas Café Chocolaterie is a must-stop on your Chicago Hot Chocolate tour and just footsteps away from the hustle and bustle of the Magnificent Mile. The extensive hot chocolate menu features flavors like Floranger, a dark chocolate blend with orange extract and zest; TripleChocolate, a combination of milk, dark, and white chocolate; and Peppermint, a festive dark chocolate with crushed peppermint pieces. Feeling adventurous? Try the Mexican – a perfect mix of dark chocolate, cinnamon and chili.
Chocolat Uzma
Founded by Pakistani American Chef Uzma Sharif, this woman-owned eclectic chocolate shop offers drinking chocolate, ice cream, handmade chocolate bonbons, and other sweet treats with South Asian flare. The sipping chocolate is made with dark Belgian and single-origin Mexican chocolate to create an incredibly creamy yet thick consistency paired with house-made marshmallows. If you’re still craving more chocolate after a cup, indulge in the flourless orange chocolate cake – a decadent and citrusy blend of sweet and tart.
