Where to Find Greater Boston’s Greatest Hot Chocolate
Warm up with a rich, decadent cup of cocoa at some of Greater Boston's best cafés.
Caffé Vittoria’s hot chocolate. / Photo by Lloyd Mallison
Rich, satisfying, and full of flavor, a steamy mug of hot chocolate is a must-have accessory on many a cold New England day. Watered-down Swiss Miss topped with stale marshmallows? Not this winter. Reward yourself post-shoveling—or simply indulge in a sweet treat any time—with these brilliant twists on a classic mug of cocoa in and around the city.
This guide was last updated in December 2025; watch for periodic updates.
1369 Coffee House’s hot chocolate. / Photo by Lloyd Mallison
1369 Coffee House
The Cambridge-based duo of coffee shops offers friendly vibes and luscious hot chocolate made with Dutch-processed cocoa. Try the version dubbed Mexican hot chocolate, which spices things up with coriander and cinnamon.
1369 Cambridge St., Inman Square, Cambridge, 617-576-1369; 757 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge, 617-576-4600; 1369coffeehouse.com.
Avery Bar Chocolat 2025. / Courtesy photo
“Avery Bar Chocolat” at the Ritz-Carlton
From late October through the holiday season, Avery Bar turns into Avery Bar Chocolat on weekends, featuring hot chocolate and sweets by the cozy fireplace. It’s a family-friendly occasion, with a richer cocoa (and optional addition of spirits) for the grownups and a lighter, easy-drinking cocoa for the kids. Either way, choose desserts from a treats buffet to make the experience extra sweet. Reservations here (listed under “Experiences.”)
10 Avery St., Downtown Boston, 617-574-7100, ritzcarlton.com/boston.
Cacao’s hot chocolate. / Photo courtesy of Cacao
Cacao
Interrupt your afternoon errands for a cup of decadent drinking chocolate from this chocolate and nut shop. Co-owners Leo Baez and Perla Rosario add a dash of cinnamon to their blend of specialty dark chocolate and milk as a nod to the signature spiced hot chocolate drink of their native Dominican Republic. With or without whipped cream, Cacao’s version is finished with flakes of fresh dark chocolate on top. (Watch for tasty seasonal specials like gingerbread hot chocolate, too.)
64 Broad St., Downtown Boston, 857-449-9098; 570 Columbus Ave., South End, Boston, 857-449-9097; 23 Lincoln St., Newton Highlands, 617-467-4599; cacaonuts.com.
Caffé Vittoria
With its cioccolatto caldo, the quintessential North End coffee shop serves the city’s most authentic cup of Italian-style hot chocolate, which is just as much a dessert as it is a drink. The secret ingredient is corn starch, which thickens the whole mixture. You may want a spoon–or a delicious pastry–to go with this one. (There are a couple boozy options, too, like the Sleigh Ride: hot chocolate, Godiva liqueur, and Baileys.)
290 Hanover St., North End, Boston, 617-227-7606, caffevittoria.com.
Cocorico’s white and dark hot chocolates. / Photo courtesy of Cocorico
Cocorico
This Yvonne’s and Mariel sibling, situated in the lobby of the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport, gets the day started right for hotel guests and the general public with pretty pastries (such as a croissant absolutely stuffed with raspberry and pistachio cream) and a solid lineup of café beverages. The hot chocolate is made with Valrhona chocolate, and you’ll want to keep an eye out for seasonal specialties like Black Forest and peppermint.
450 Summer St., Seaport District, Boston, cocoricocafe.com.
Hot chocolate at Elephantine Bakery in Boston’s Fort Point. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Elephantine Bakery
The hot cocoa here is listed as “French drinking chocolate,” so you know it’s going to be rich. A thick dollop of whipped cream completes the perfect package. (Try pairing it with a cardamom bun.) An added bonus: the new cafe’s luxurious old-world feel, with eye-catching tiled floors, marble tables, and floral arrangements.
332 Congress St., Fort Point/Seaport District, Boston, 857-449-6059, elephantinebakery.com.
Elmendorf Baking Supplies & Cafe
Come for pretty much any specialty baking supply you could ever need; stay for the pleasant café fare, including hot chocolate (add a shot of peppermint, if you’d like.) The fireside hot chocolate is a fun twist, getting an intense smokiness from the Chinese black tea lapsang souchong. It feels a bit like you’re drinking a campfire—in a good way—and, of course, there are marshmallows (house-made).
594 Cambridge St., East Cambridge, 617-945-0045, elmendorfbaking.com.
L.A. Burdick’s hot chocolate. / Courtesy photo
L.A. Burdick
L.A. Burdick’s drinking chocolate comes in small servings, but it’s made with a blend of dark couvertures, a top-quality chocolate with a ridiculously high percentage of cocoa butter. It’s so rich and creamy that drinking it feels more like dessert than a pick-me-up. (The spicy dark chocolate version is our top pick.) Flavored drinking chocolates are also available to purchase by the bag, for the inevitable days when Boston winter prevents you from venturing out of the house.
220 Clarendon St., Back Bay, Boston, 617-303-0113; 52 Brattle St., Harvard Square, Cambridge, 617-491-4340; 1330 Beacon St., Brookline, 617-651-5220; burdickchocolate.com.
Lulu Green
Vegan hot chocolate? You’ll find it at Southie’s cozy, all-vegan café. That means there’s no dairy, but the steamy cocoa—made with chocolate agave syrup—is still delectable, and the team occasionally spruces it up with other ingredients, such as reishi mushroom or, the holiday season favorite, crushed candy cane.
246 W. Broadway, South Boston, 617-420-4070, lulugreen.com.
Oakleaf Cakes Bake Shop’s Aztec Hot Chocolate. / Photo by Lloyd Mallison
Oakleaf Cakes Bake Shop
All of Oakleaf’s hot chocolates are made with a house-crafted mix, but the Aztec version stands out. It’s made with Dutch cocoa, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper for a rich, hearty, and sweet drink with a spicy finish. The even bigger deal here, though, are the house-made marshmallows, which can be enjoyed on their own or left to dissolve in the drink, at the sipper’s discretion.
12 Westland Ave., Fenway, Boston, 617-299-1504, oakleafcakes.com.
Paris Creperie’s hot chocolate. / Courtesy photo
Paris Creperie
Can’t get enough Nutella? This Brookline café makes its hot chocolate using the beloved hazelnut spread instead of a bar of chocolate. The result is a creamy, nutty, and chocolatey blend, topped with cocoa powder, and the option to add raspberry or mint to the whole concoction.
278 Harvard St., Brookline, 617-232-1770, pariscreperie.com.
Reign Drink Lab
Intensely robust Vietnamese coffee holds court at Reign, but for a gentler buzz, try the “strong and cozy cocoa,” which blends cacao, maca, turmeric, cinnamon, and a flavor shot of chocolate, white chocolate, or caramel. (If you do want coffee and chocolate, look for seasonal specials like the “Reign cane,” nitro cold brew with mint and white chocolate shots, white chocolate candy cane whip, and candy cane pieces.
54 Old Colony Ave., South Boston, reigndrinklab.com.
Shirley’s hot chocolate with marshmallows. / Photo by Rachel Leah Blumenthal
Shirley
This Davis Square takeout gem—motto: “eat more sunshine”—features sandwiches, baked goods, and “fun drinks,” with the menu constantly changing to highlight what’s seasonal. If you stop by in the winter, chances are you’ll find the excellent hot chocolate on the menu (typically listed with an exclamation point after it, because hot chocolate is exciting!) It’s vegan, even the mini marshmallows, which come from a company called Dandies. The hot chocolate itself is made with Shirley’s maple-y chocolate syrup, cinnamon from local spice shop Curio, and oat milk. Grab a cup and whatever delightful baked goods owner Kat Bayle is offering that day.
22A College Ave., Davis Square, Somerville, shirleyeatmoresunshine.square.site.
Snacks Box
The popular food truck—in residency at the SoWa Winter Festival for December 2025—garnishes its hot chocolate with a social media-friendly (and tasty, too!) ring of torched meringue. Add other toppings as you see fit: marshmallows, Nutella, and more. Watch social media for updates on the truck’s whereabouts; it’s worth chasing down in the winter (or any time). There are Belgian waffles and other treats, too.
Location varies—check the calendar; snacksboxboston.com.
Sofra Bakery & Café
Hot chocolate tends to appear on Sofra’s menu in the cooler months, infused with a Middle Eastern-inspired flavor like tahini or halvah. The flavors rotate occasionally, but if you’re really into tahini, you can find the recipe for that version in Sofra’s cookbook, Soframiz.
1 Belmont St., Cambridge; 210 North Harvard St., Allston, Boston, sofrabakery.com.
Thinking Cup’s hot chocolate. / Courtesy photo
Thinking Cup
It may be hard to pass on Thinking Cup’s world-class Stumptown Coffee, but the French hot chocolate–made with Valrhona’s 64 percent Tainori drinking chocolate–is even more indulgent. When it’s cold outside, a mug pairs perfectly with a good book or some intelligent conversation.
165 Tremont St., Downtown Boston, 617-482-5555; 236 Hanover St., North End, Boston, 857-233-5277; 85 Newbury St., Back Bay, Boston, 617-247-3333; thinkingcup.com.
Additional reporting by Jacqueline Cain.
