Ultimate Hot Chocolate Crawl: The 22 Best Hot Cocoas in New York City

A cup of molten goodness is the best way to thaw out and warm up – it is one of the best things about winter. We took on the heinous job of running around the city tasting testing hot chocolates (don't say we've never done anything for you) and picked out the top hot cocoa places that are worth the trip out in the cold. Here are 22 places in Manhattan that have turned drinking chocolate into an experience not to be missed:

Upper East Side:

Dylan’s Candy Bar/Candy Café, 1011 Third Avenue

Visit the upper level of this Willy Wonka-esque candy emporium for an over-the-top mug of hot chocolate topped with either cookies, birthday cake or, of course, candy. One size: $7.00

La Maison du Chocolat, 1018 Madison Avenue

The grand daddy of chocolate shops has a tasting salon in the back where hot chocolate lovers are in for a real treat. Both the semi sweet or very dark blends are amazing! Not a touch of bitterness in their silky, smooth, creamy chocolate. An entirely luxurious experience. One size: $8.00 (Salon is closed for the holidays)

Lexington Soda Shop, 1226 Lexington Avenue

Get your cocoa with a side of nostalgia. Sit at the counter for a real old New York experience your children will love. The cocoa is plain old Nestle’s but that is almost beside the point. One size: $1.60.

Lady M Cake Boutique, 41 East 78^th Street

The elegant and chic Lady M is famous their meticulously crafted cakes but check it out for hot chocolate, too. One size $7.00

Upper West Side:

Grom, 2165 Broadway

Don’t wait until summer to visit Grom. The Italian gelato makers are serious about their hot cocoa. Chocolate from single origin South American beans are steamed into submission on the spot. Both the milk and dark are the perfect consistency and flavor. The bacio or hazelnut is a nutella lovers dream come true. Small: $5.50, whipped cream extra.

Shake Shack, 366 Columbus Avenue

Everything here is delicious and the cocoa is no exception. Each cup is topped with house made marshmallow cream. Just try to visit when there isn’t a line. One size: $3.75

Aroma Espresso Bar, 161 West 72^nd Street

This modern Israeli Espresso bar serves up hot chocolate made with steamed milk poured over their own brand of chocolate, topped with a dollop of foam and a dusting of cocoa powder. Small: $3.50

Gramercy/Flatiron/Union Square:

The City Bakery, 3 West 18^th Street

Could actually be the most popular hot chocolate spot in the city, thanks in part to their annual Hot Chocolate Festival. The cocoa here is so rich, thick and chocolaty, it is a good thing that it comes in a mini 4 ounce “shot”. Small: $5.00, fluffy homemade marshmallow + 25¢

Max Brenner, 841 Broadway

A whimsical chocolate fantasy! Whirring machines of melted chocolate spin alongside the dining tables. Tubes carrying chocolate crisscross the ceiling. Everything imaginable that can be done with chocolate is done here. Lot of cocoa varieties to choose from including Mexican and mocha, and kids can even build their own drink. Small: $4.95

Le Pain Quotidien, 38 East 19^th Street

Belgian chocolate is my favorite kind of chocolate to eat and it sure makes a mean hot drink. Sit in the front bakery or a back communal table and enjoy the light, frothy, creamy blend made with your choice of organic milks. Small: $3.95

Soho:

Vosges Haute Choclat , 132 Spring Street

This Chicago import dishes up “couture cocoa”. Kids will love the sophisticated, rich, creamy, dark chocolate spiked with Tahitian vanilla. Adults can go a bit more exotic with a brew of chocolate, chipotle and ancho chiles combined with cinnamon, cornmeal and Mexican vanilla, or a fragrant and flowery white chocolate flavored with lavender. One size: $5.00

Balthazar Bakery , 80 Spring Street

Good, basic hot chocolate to go, and it’s not too hot that it can’t be downed quickly. Generous serving sizes – enough to share. Too bad they don’t offer whipped cream. Small: $3.25

MarieBelle, 484 Broome Street

Warm up in the European styled Cacao Bar and Tea Salon. Single origin South American cacao beans are brewed with water or milk to a cake batter-like texture. The milk chocolate banana blend will appeal to kids, and adults can choose from a variety of chocolate styles, each one is a luxurious and decadent treat. Small: $6.00 and up.

Lower East Side:

Little Veselka, 75 East 1^st Street, inside First Park

A kiosk, outpost of the beloved East Village coffee shop. Perfect in the park location for kids who want to hit the playground and drink their cocoa, too. Nice price for a nice sized cup of cocoa. I wish every playground had one. One size: $1.50

Juicy Lucy Juice Bar, 85 Avenue A and corner of 1^st Avenue and 1^st Street

Fun, hip little place that makes some of the best juices around is also a great place for fresh and zingy Mexican hot chocolate. Get it to go – absolutely no sitting room in either location. Small: $2.75.

Sugar Cafe, 200 Allen Street

A place called Sugar has got to be good! Get your cocoa from the carry out bakery style front or sit in the back at the small café. Perfect for kids who want “regular” hot chocolate plus it arrives with a squirt of whipped cream at no extra cost. Small: $2.75

Zucco: Le French Diner, 188 Orchard Street

French through and through, the bistro is modeled after a French truck stop and is a reliable stop for a quick chaud chocolat. One size: $4.00

Roasting Plant Coffee Company, 81 Orchard Street

Although it is well known for its coffee it is also a perfect cocoa stop. The cocoa is creamy, light and easy to drink. No whipped cream or marshmallows, but lots of little, kid friendly snacks, like chocolate covered animal crackers, are sure to appease. Small: $3.21

Greenwich Village:

Roasting Plant Coffee Company, 75 Greenwich Avenue

Same offerings as the Orchard Street location – but open 24 hours every day except Christmas!

Jacques Torres, 350 Hudson Street

Our very own Mr. Chocolate, the loveable Jacques Torres, serves his famous drinking chocolates at his factory. So intensely rich and thick that I usually can’t finish my cup -- even though the kids never seem to have a problem downing it. Particularly fun to visit when the machines are in operation. One size: $5.00

Otto Pizzeria, One Fifth Avenue

Stop in for a quick gianduja at the bar, a hazelnut hot chocolate made by steeping hazelnut chocolate in hazelnut milk and then topping it with a cinnamon cream. One size: $4.50

Chocolate Bar, 19 Eighth Avenue

This West Village favorite has a large variety of hot chocolates to choose from: classic to spicy and everything in between. Grab a seat and stay a while or take it to go. Small: $4.00.