As the season chills and our lips dry, what’s better than a nice cup of hot cocoa to keep hydrated during these bitter months? To find the best hot chocolate sites, we scoured DC and reviewed some of the worst and best hot spots.
McDonalds: 6.5/10
Our first hot cocoa stop was the infamous McDonalds in Tenley, most known for its late-night gatherings and fights. Entering the restaurant with low expectations, we ordered our hot chocolate. As we opened the lid, we were surprised by how pretty it looked. The whipped cream was a mix of chocolate syrup and vanilla goodness. However, the hot chocolate itself tasted like it was straight from a Swiss Miss packet. McDonalds, your apple pie slaps, your ice cream is so creamy and good and your cinnamon roll hits every time so why can’t you make us some good hot chocolate?? C’mon now!
Open City: 4/10
Hoping to find better results at an actual restaurant we ventured to a cute local spot in Woodley Park. We were expecting a warm cup of greatness on this cold rainy day, but ended up being very disappointed. It wasn’t just the steep $4 price for a very small cup, but the milkiness of the drink, which overpowered any of its chocolate flavor. Not only was the foam on top flavorless, but the hot chocolate was too. It is called hot CHOCOLATE, not hot water. It is safe to say that we will not be ordering another milky mess from there anytime soon.
Pitango Gelato & Cafe: 8.5/10
After the disappointment of Open City, we ventured to Pitango hoping that their hot chocolate wouldn’t ruin our love for the hot drink. We were pleasantly surprised when they brought it out to us in a very fancy cup, immediately improving our expectations. The drink took us into a world of thick and luscious goodness on the otherwise gloomy day and had us questioning the very fabric of reality.
Starbucks: 7.5/10
As we walked to America’s #1 coffee shop, we were embraced with the warmth and nostalgia only Starbucks can supply. The café had so many hot chocolate flavors to choose form. We felt stumped, but ultimately we went with the classic (to make it fair). The warm cup of chocolate never fails to please customers, but in the end, it tasted like any old cup, lacking the richness we all would expect from a $5 cocoa.
LA Burdick: 9/10
Known for its delicious chocolate desserts, we were very excited to indulge in this famous (yet very expensive) cup of hot chocolate from LA Burdick. After burning our tongues for about the hundredth time (I am surprised we could still taste at that point) we ordered our drink. We were immediately amazed by the richness of the chocolate and the creaminess of the drink, feeling remorseful for those who are lactose intolerant. With that, we will warn you it almost tasted like drinking a cup of fancy, super strong, melted chocolate.
Bread Furst: 10/10
For our grand finale, Bread Furst achieved the perfect hot chocolate concoction. With the many different baked goods, sandwiches, and drinks, we initially could not find the hot drink. Almost ready to give up, we finally spotted the buttery cup and ordered one, hoping that all the searching would pay off. As luck would have it, the end result was most definitely worth it. It had a perfect amount of chocolate- not too sweet and not too bitter. So satisfied, we left craving even more.
