Nothing like an indulgent hot chocolate to warm up when it's getting cold outside. When in Dublin city centre during the festive season, stopping for a decadent hot drink is the perfect restorative break. Having tried a few of them around the Irish capital I thought I'd recommend my favourites. Here is my top 5 places for hot chocolate in Dublin.
1. Murphy's Ice Cream ***Update*** Murphy's don't serve hot chocolate anymore.
2. Bean and Goose at Temple Bar Market
Bean and Goose was founded by two sisters based in Waterford. They have a gorgeous stall at Temple Bar Market every Saturday and they sell their handmade chocolates and delectable hot chocolate. On my visit they had a choice between the whiskey hot chocolate or the Aztec hot chocolate. My Aztec hot chocolate (€4) was rich, thick and deliciously spiced. You can even add more spice to it to your liking if you wish.
3. Cocoa Atelier
You'd expect no less from a fancy chocolate shop than to serve an amazing hot chocolate. Cocoa Atelier which is one of my favourite places for sweet treats serve hot chocolate in two sizes, a small one for €1.70 and a regular one for €3.40. It's beautifully rich and the taste of chocolate is intense, a true hug in a mug. Unfortunately, they don't have a sitting area so it's only available to take away but you could always buy a bottle of their fresh hot chocolate to enjoy at home.
4. Brother Hubbard and Sister Sadie
One of my guilty pleasures is to go to Brother Hubbard in the afternoon for a scone and their hot chocolate (€3.30). I love it because it's one of the tastiest but also because of the way it's served: a jug of thick chocolate ganache on one side and a jug of chocolate milk on the other. You can then mix both in the cup to your liking and enjoy this very comforting hot beverage.
5. Clement and Pekoe
Clement and Pekoe is most known for its teas and coffees but have you tried their hot chocolate? Like Brother Hubbard it isn't presented in a conventional way which makes the experience even more delicious. You basically get a mug filled with hot milk served with a chocolate swirl stick from Áine Hand Made Chocolate, you just have to wait for the chocolate to melt and enjoy. It's delicious and one of the best value as it's in a big cup and only costs €3.
6. Butlers Chocolate Café
It took me years before I stepped into a Butlers Chocolate Café even if they're all around the city centre. My favourite is the one on Chatham street as it's not as busy as the Wicklow Street branch although the latter has the most Christmassy atmosphere. They really have an extensive choice of hot chocolate flavours like Peppermint, Cookie, Chilli and more. I personally like the regular or white hot chocolate.
That was a tough piece of research but somebody's got to do it. If you know of any great spots for hot chocolate in Dublin that I missed, please do let me know in the comments.
Also, if you feel like doing a hot chocolate round the world trip, Buzzfeed have compiled a list of 27 of the Greateast Places In The World to Get Hot Chocolate.
