Search for the Best New York Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate is the newest fad that is raging across the country. And what better city to indulge in this new fad than New York City? So, during my last trip to the Big Apple, I made sure to sample hot chocolate at several of the most highly rated, not to mention trendy, chocolatiers in the city. And here are my results:

1. Jacques Torres Chocolate
Location: 350 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
Neighborhood: SoHo
Phone: 212.414.2462
Website: http://www.mrchocolate.com/default.aspx

The hot chocolate at Jacques Torres was by far the best I sampled-- unbeatable. There I tried both the "wicked" and "classic" hot chocolates. The "wicked" hot chocolate was just that...perfectly spiced with different chili peppers, including ancho and chipotle, as well as other sweet spices. It was delicious! The "classic" hot chocolate was also wonderful. Both were very thick and filling, and much more mature than any hot chocolate I had as a kid. Hershey's, beware!

2. Vosges Haut Chocolat
Location: 123 Spring Street, New York, NY 10079
Neighborhood: SoHo
Phone: 212.625.2929
Website: http://www.vosgeschocolate.com/

Another wonderful glass of hot chocolate in the SoHo neighborhood of New York. The best part of the hot chocolate experience at Vosges Haut Chocolat was the serving class- a long and slender clear glass tube, reminding me of ancient alchemy. The hot chocolate menu was fairly diverse, with a beautiful looking white hot chocolate "blanca", a classic hot chocolate with vanilla bean "la parisenne", and a spicy hot chocolate with chillies "Aztec elixir".

3. La Maison Du Chocolat
Location: 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York NY 10112
Neighborhood: Midtown East
Phone: 212.265.9404
Website: http://www.lamaisonduchocolat.com/fr/index.php#/home

Highly touted as the best chocolatier in New York, I had extremely high expectations going in. While it could not live up to my expectations (nor its high price-tag), the hot chocolate was still delicious. Much thinner than the Jacques Torres hot chocolate, and not as aesthetically pleasing as that served at Vosges Haut Chocolat, the hot chocolate was still very rich and mature.

With all of the hot chocolate tasting, and the plans to continue on my mission for the best hot chocolate, I will need a new pair of running shoes!