18 March 2015

Best of Canberra - Hot chocolate

| Bec Cuzzillo
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stock-drink-hot-chocolate

Not everyone likes coffee. It’s hard to believe I know, but I’ve met some of these people and when it comes to warm milky beverages, hot chocolate is often their go-to choice. But it is not a beverage reserved for the coffee haters only – hot chocolates are universally loved and as the weather cools down in Canberra I want to find the best.

In my experience the quality of hot chocolates vary wildly – some are bad, most are pretty good and then there are those few that are so delicious you lose yourself in liquid chocolate, only to wake up to an empty cup and a moustache that wasn’t there when you started. That hazy chocolate feeling is what I’m looking for this week.

Whether you’re into white, milk or dark chocolate, seven marshmallows or none, I am on the hunt for Canberra’s best hot chocolate. Where do you get yours?

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MattLowe said :

My vote is for Hansel and Gretel in Philip!

They make the best hot chocs in town for sure! and its locally owned and operated, unlike these big chocolate companies.

That’s not always true. Some of the franchise stores are owned by locals. San Churro in Woden is owned and operated by Canberra locals. However, Max Brenner stores are all company owned, I think it may be the same with Koko Black.

Elemental in Braddo! So good.

Hi RiotACT,

I’ve experienced the ‘lose yourself in liquid chocolate’ effect on a few occassions, but nothing compares to a Robyn Rowe Chocolate hot chocolate – flavoured with 100% Belgian Callebaut Fair Trade couverture. The recipe is simple, they heat your milk then simply spoon in liquid choclate – dark or milk. Liquid lusciousness…!

Farmer’s Daughter have consistently good hot chocolates. Generally, I find that anywhere that does good coffee has terrible hot chocolate…

Alexandra Craig said :

I don’t drink hot chocolate often but I ordered a takeaway from Koko Black once. It was $8.50! Extreme rip off.

Otherwise, Cream in Civic is good and Max Brenner.

I’ll second Cream. White hot chocolate is delish ????

taninaus said :

I hate coffee, so hot chocolate is my go to in winter and when out with friends/colleagues. I have a basic rule – if the café doesn’t offer decent (read Pascal) marshmallows with your powder style hot chocolate then you get minus points from me – it just isn’t the same. ditto if it just tastes like hot milk where the chocolate powder was just waved over the top – If I have to ask for it to be strong, it wasn’t strong enough to begin with.

I can recommend Flute in Fyshwick, Trevs in Dickson and the mobile Café to You van for a regular café style hot chocolate. Any café that uses a chocolate sauce rather than chocolate powder gets bonus points.

I will add to the positive comments about Koko Black, San Churro, Oliver Brown and Max Brenner for the gourmet hot chocolate options – although probably not an every week treat as they are also very rich.

Agree on Trev’s.. I forgot about their hot chocolate until you mentioned it 🙂

Duatti in Westfield Woden makes yummy hot chic, has great service, and a great vibe 🙂

My vote is for Hansel and Gretel in Philip!

They make the best hot chocs in town for sure! and its locally owned and operated, unlike these big chocolate companies.

Dame Canberra10:34 am 19 Mar 15

tim_c said :

I’d be happy if I could just get a hot chocolate that was actually served hot!
Last time I was there, Santa Lucia in Kingston seemed to manage this simple task that seems to get the better of everyone else.

I have this problem too! Hot chocolates should be served just as hot as coffees, but piping hot hot chocolates are few and far between – good to know Santa Lucia gets them right.

I’d be happy if I could just get a hot chocolate that was actually served hot!
Last time I was there, Santa Lucia in Kingston seemed to manage this simple task that seems to get the better of everyone else.

San Churro, Max Brenner and Oliver Brown are sugary mediocrity priced as if they were something better.

Koko Black’s Hot Chocolate has quality dark Belgian chocolate in a rich smooth full cream. Really, REALLY good, just don’t treat yourself too often.

pink little birdie1:36 pm 18 Mar 15

Stay in and have a Podista hot chocolate. They are above most cafe hot chocolates around other then the speciality chocolate cafes

I hate coffee, so hot chocolate is my go to in winter and when out with friends/colleagues. I have a basic rule – if the café doesn’t offer decent (read Pascal) marshmallows with your powder style hot chocolate then you get minus points from me – it just isn’t the same. ditto if it just tastes like hot milk where the chocolate powder was just waved over the top – If I have to ask for it to be strong, it wasn’t strong enough to begin with.

I can recommend Flute in Fyshwick, Trevs in Dickson and the mobile Café to You van for a regular café style hot chocolate. Any café that uses a chocolate sauce rather than chocolate powder gets bonus points.

I will add to the positive comments about Koko Black, San Churro, Oliver Brown and Max Brenner for the gourmet hot chocolate options – although probably not an every week treat as they are also very rich.

Alexandra Craig8:18 am 18 Mar 15

I don’t drink hot chocolate often but I ordered a takeaway from Koko Black once. It was $8.50! Extreme rip off.

Otherwise, Cream in Civic is good and Max Brenner.

BombaySapphire5:11 pm 17 Mar 15

Koko black is always the go to for super decadent hot chocolate. However, I agree that the HCs at Breizh Cafe in Ainslie are pretty delicious as well, and would be my favourite non-chain version.

Genie said :

Dobinsons have served me up one of the worst hot chocs I’ve ever drunk. I really don’t know why people rave about this place.

Now while it has been about 12 months since I’ve had a hot chocolate from there as I no longer work in the city. Kindle cafe were AMAZING ! Tiny little cafe tucked away near the YHA down the casino end of the city.

I also really enjoy Mingle (in the city near Anytime Fitness) and Chatterbox in Belconnen. Same owners, the super friendly service makes it taste better !

I haven’t tried the Hot Chocolate from Kindle yet but I have considered it.

Mingle I found really disappointing.. apparently they are awesome for coffee but I’ve felt pretty meh on their hot chocolate plus the last time I ordered one from there I asked for it strong and with absolutely NO MARSHMALLOW!

And I ended up with an average hot chocolate filled with goopy marshmallow.. gross.

I think the chocolate cafes do it best. Although Koko Black’s Iced Chocolate is far superior to their Hot Chocolate.

For me the list is:

Oliver Brown – The Mint Hot Chocolate is delicious
Max Brenner – The Thick Italian Hot Chocolate
Koko Black – Belgian Hot Chocolate

The texture and flavour of Hot Chocolate at the Chocolate cafes is completely different (and better) than normal coffee shops. You can tell it’s what the focus is on rather than being a side product to coffee.

Koko Black or Breizh Cafe in Ainslie serves up a tasty spicy hot chocolate.

Spanish hot chocolate from San Churro in Woden and Belgian hot chocolate from Koko Black are equally good. Max Brenner’s coconut hot chocolate is a close second.

Dame Canberra1:21 pm 17 Mar 15

Holden Caulfield said :

Dame Canberra said :

Dobinsons all the way.

That’s it, two can play this game!

I’m giving another vote to Koko Black for its Belgian hot choc.

And that’s why you should always check to see that your comments have been approved before re-submitting… though if I could vote twice I would 😉

Dobinsons have served me up one of the worst hot chocs I’ve ever drunk. I really don’t know why people rave about this place.

Now while it has been about 12 months since I’ve had a hot chocolate from there as I no longer work in the city. Kindle cafe were AMAZING ! Tiny little cafe tucked away near the YHA down the casino end of the city.

I also really enjoy Mingle (in the city near Anytime Fitness) and Chatterbox in Belconnen. Same owners, the super friendly service makes it taste better !

Holden Caulfield1:13 pm 17 Mar 15

Dame Canberra said :

Dobinsons all the way.

That’s it, two can play this game!

I’m giving another vote to Koko Black for its Belgian hot choc.

Dame Canberra11:56 am 17 Mar 15

Dobinsons all the way.

+1 for flute bakery . have been going there for ages :p

Holden Caulfield10:17 am 17 Mar 15

Koko Black!

Here endeth the lesson.

And even though it comes from a packet the thick hot chocolate from Tosolini’s are pretty damn good too.

Amy Birchall9:53 am 17 Mar 15

The coconut milk hot chocolate at Paleo Perfection on the Foreshore. So good.

Dame Canberra9:50 am 17 Mar 15

Two votes this week:

1. Flute Bakery
2. Dobinson’s

Are we talking dairy milk, dark choc, white choc…

For me:

Dark Choc: San Churro
Milk Choc: Koko Black
White Choc: Max Brenner unless it’s within T2’s Choc Chip Chai, in that case San Churro

I’ve never been to Oliver Brown, and I haven’t really ordered Hot Chocolate from any normal cafe so my opinions are a bit… shallow.

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