The Best Hot Chocolate in New York

By Go City Expert

Now that it’s November, we can move on from Pumpkin Spice Lattes and look at what’s really important—hot chocolate. It’s a bold move on our part, but we think we’ve tracked down the absolute best hot chocolate in New York. Just to be safe, why not try them all?

Serendipity 3

Serendipity is about as New York an institution as it’s possible to be. They’re famed, of course, for their frozen hot chocolate—and justifiably so. We’d be remiss if we didn’t include it here; the chocolatey crystals, served in a tall icy mound, are a joy to behold on a summer’s day. (Although truthfully, we wouldn’t say no at any time of the year.) But they also have an extremely delish hot version, crowned with whipped cream, cinnamon, grated orange and shaved chocolate (because, why not.) This is the place to take out-of-town guests, your mother in law, your college BFF, or even yourself, to enjoy one of the best drinkable chocolates (ok, two of them) in New York. [caption id="attachment_3032" align="alignnone" width="3022"]

Drink up! At Serendipity, you can get your liquid chocolate hot or frozen (Image courtesy of Serendipity)[/caption]

Jacques Torres

A cup of hot chocolate at Jacques Torres is something to be savored—it’s so thick and rich, it’s like having dessert for the next few months in one sitting (we mean that in the best possible way.) This hot chocolate--definitely among the best in New York--will satisfy the sophisticate as well as the kid in you—as well as that actual kid sitting next to you; it’s that good. And if you can’t bear to say good-bye to it when you leave the shop—hurrah! You can get your own tin to make some at home. (Better hide that though...) [caption id="attachment_3028" align="alignnone" width="4776"]

Indulge at Jacque Torres! (Image courtesy of Jacques Torres Chocolate)[/caption]

MarieBelle

Want one of the best hot chocolates in New York? The hot chocolate at MarieBelle is so important that it has its own category. There it is, with pretty much a page all to itself. Wow. This is good, because you might temporarily be distracted by the other offerings. Do not be led astray. Stand (sit) firm. You are here for the hot chocolate. You can have dark hot chocolate (yes, please)—perhaps Aztec? Spicy? Hindu Cardamom? Tropical orange? Just...yes. You can also sample milk hot chocolate and white hot chocolate (maybe with Japanese matcha?) Make sure to get some containers to give as gifts (and for yourself, of course), and plan to linger in a space that feels like you’ve wafted into mid-century Vienna. [caption id="attachment_3030" align="alignnone" width="2048"]

Where to enjoy New York's best hot chocolate? For starters, head to MarieBelle. (Image copyright MarieBelle New York)[/caption]

Maman

The lovely maman is probably best known for having a chocolate chip cookie that Oprah declared one of her “favorite things” a few years ago. They’re also known for their lavender hot chocolate—you could do worse than decide to have a chocolate overload and order them both together. (They also have a kids’ hot chocolate, just FYI.) Maman, you will not be surprised to hear, has a French vibe and a French influence, as well as several locations. Go see what the fuss is all about; you’ll thank us for pointing you towards one of the best hot chocolates in New York. [caption id="attachment_3056" align="alignnone" width="3575"]

Try the lovely lavender hot chocolate at Maman (Photo copyright Victoria Morris)[/caption]

L.A. Burdick

A place that bills itself as a chocolate shop is a good bet for hot chocolate. Their “gourmet drinking chocolates” include milk, dark, and white; they’re so rich that it’s suggested you can add milk and use it as a dessert sauce. (You can get it to go, so you can make your own at home. Why would you not?) This is a rich, smooth hot chocolate that says, “Stay here for a few more hours! Your boss won’t care!” [caption id="attachment_3099" align="alignnone" width="800"]

Hot chocolate makes everything better[/caption]

The Chocolate Room

Not surprisingly, the Chocolate Room serves very good hot chocolate, or ”drinking chocolate,” as it’s classily known here. For a kick, try the spiced, with Ancho and Chipotle chilies, plus cinnamon and cloves; or the Café Torino—dark hot chocolate with espresso and dollop of foam. Pretty much everything here is made with chocolate—you will probably feel it seeping out of your pores when you leave (not the worst sensation, honestly.) [caption id="attachment_3097" align="alignnone" width="2837"]

It’s a chocolate world, and we’re just living in it (Photo courtesy of The Chocolate Room)[/caption] Honorable Mention: Starbucks Don’t judge us—for an on-the-go hot-chocolate fix, this one is a solid option—not meltingly sweet and unctuous, but a surprisingly satisfying choice.

The smooth chocolate taste makes Starbucks’ hot chocolate a satisfying choice New Yorkers can not, sadly, live by hot chocolate alone. If coffee is calling to you, let us lead you to some new sources.

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New Year In New York: What's On In 2019?

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Free bar, dinner, and the best view of the ball drop this side of the front row. Plus you're inside, so no worries about freezing in the late-December cold. And you'll likely have space to relax, eat, and a generous dancefloor to bust some moves on. If your stuck with your little ones, or actually want them to accompany you, you're in luck. Children are usually welcome too. However, no one under 21 can have a drink. It might be New Year, but you still have to play by the rules! Book ASAP to make sure you get a place. Go Clubbing Assorted clubs around NYC Yes, we all like to dance every so often. How else does one express oneself? Thankfully, New York is teeming with clubs of all shapes and sizes that open until the early hours. And on NYE, it's no different. You've got popular clubs like Marquee and 1 Oak, as well as more paired back options such as Le Bain, PHD, and Output. Whatever your dress code, music taste, or preferred scene, there's sure to be a New York club that fits the bill. Just be aware, lots of these places will have hefty entry fees, or will be sold out weeks or even months in advance. Do your research. The last thing you want to see in the new decade is to spend ages getting to a club only to find out they're fully booked. With any luck, and a fair bit of forward-planning, you'll get your dancing shoes on this new year's, and tear up that dancefloor like nobody's business. Who's the dancing queen? You are. You are. Prospect Park Fireworks Prospect Park If you're looking for some New Years' fun that won't break the bank, head over to Prospect Park and check out their New Years' fireworks. It's completely free to get in, and there's some quality live entertainment to kick off proceeding at 10:30pm. Grab a hot chocolate to keep warm, and see in the new year the way nature intended - surrounded by trees! 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Twilight view of the Empire State Building from Top of the Rock, New York.
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Top of the Rock vs SUMMIT One Comparison

Ever since King Kong first swatted planes like flies from atop the Empire State Building, the Big Apple has been obsessed with creating towers that reach ever further heavenwards. As a result, nearly a century after that iconic movie first astonished audiences, the Manhattan skyline is liberally dotted with skyscrapers of 1,000 feet or higher (though the Empire State Building remains resolutely within the top 10, fact fans). All of which means New York isn’t short of an observation platform or six, all vying for your dollar with their superspeed elevators, interactive displays and dizzying 360-degree views across the city and beyond. Our Top of the Rock vs SUMMIT One Vanderbilt comparison takes a look at two of the best... Top of the Rock Name: Monikers don’t come much more literal than Top of the Rock. You’ll find this stunning observatory on floors 67-70 of The Rockefeller Center. In other words at the, um, top of the Rock. Age: Considered one of the most impressive projects of the Great Depression era, The Rockefeller Center was built and opened in the 1930s. Top of the Rock opened at the top of 30 Rockefeller Plaza way back in 1933. What is Top of the Rock? One of the oldest observation platforms in town (second only to the Empire State Building, which beat it by a mere two years), Top of the Rock boasts 360-degree views of the Big Apple and beyond from the 67th, 69th and 70th floors of 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Top of the Rock: Vital Statistics  Height: 850 feet (260 meters). Number of floors: Rockefeller Plaza has 70, the Top of the Rock experience is on floors 67, 69 and 70. Elevators: 60. Top of the Rock’s Sky Shuttle elevator takes less than a minute from bottom to top. Visitors: around 2.5 million every year. What’s the Top of the Rock Experience Like? The Rockefeller Center – aka 30 Rock – is a glorious, skyscraping work of art in its own right. Feast your eyes on this piece of iconic Art Deco eye candy before heading inside for more Instagram-feed-filling snaps of the Joie Chandelier, a sparkling confection that soars three stories through the Grand Atrium lobby and contains no less than 14,000 crystals. Suitably bedazzled, it’s time to step aboard the Sky Shuttle to speed skywards for the main event. And what an event! We’re talking 360-degree views across the entire city to Long Island, New Jersey and even – on clear days – as far as Connecticut. This is also where you can find some of the finest Empire State Building views in town, as well as spotting Central Park, the Chrysler Building, Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, the Yankee Stadium and more. There are indoor and outdoor spaces, with some of the very best views to be had from the 70th floor’s panoramic outdoor terrace. Drink it in at your leisure; there’s no time limit on your visit. Fascinating Top of the Rock Fact of the Day The architectural design of Top of the Rock is intended to mirror that of a grand 1930s ocean liner. Try not to get seasick! Top of the Rock Fast Facts Opening hours: 9AM-11PM daily, year round. Last entry is at 10.10PM. Tickets: general admission to Top of the Rock is included with a New York Pass, which also gives you access to over 100 more NYC attractions. Alternatively, you’ll find various ticket options at the Top of The Rock website. Closest transport links: multiple subway services call at 47th-50th Streets-Rockefeller Center station. There’s also discounted parking available at Rockefeller Center SP+ garage at 25 West 48th Street. But how does Top of the Rock compare to SUMMIT? Let’s find out... SUMMIT Name: SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. Or just plain old SUMMIT to its friends. Age: A relative newcomer to the NYC skyscraper scene, this humongous wedge of glass, steel and concrete opened to the public in September 2020, with SUMMIT following in October 2021. What is SUMMIT? Well, if the marketing blurb is to be taken at face value, it’s three levels of immersive space that will, amongst other things, ‘reset your senses’, help you ‘escape the boundaries of perception’ and see you ‘break through to a new realm’. In short: it’s a thrilling immersive experience in the sky; a futuristic take on more traditional observation platforms like Top of the Rock, the Empire State Building and the One World Observatory. SUMMIT: Vital Statistics  Height: The One Vanderbilt building is 1,401 feet (427 meters) tall and its SUMMIT observation platforms are a dizzying 1,100 feet (336 meters) above Madison Avenue. Number of floors: 93. Elevators: 42. Visitors: SUMMIT welcomed 1.4 million visitors in its first year (up to October 2022). What’s the SUMMIT Experience Like? Where to begin? The standard ticket includes several extraordinary experiences. There’s a trippy art installation in four different ‘chapters’ by Kenzo Digital, in which mirrored walls and ceilings reflect you, the sky, the clouds, the city skyline and everything else to infinity. Interact with floating silver balls and see your own face take shape in the clouds. Meanwhile, Levitation sees brave souls step out into glass boxes that hover a knee-trembling 1,100 feet above Madison Avenue. Yikes. Steady your nerves with a drink at Après, where the wraparound outdoor terrace affords views stretching for up to 80 miles, before deciding whether to opt for the ultimate add-on experience. Called ‘Ascent’, this part of the SUMMIT journey involves traveling a further 120 feet above the observation platforms inside – wait for it – a glass-bottomed elevator. Nerves of steel are essential! Fascinating SUMMIT Fact of the Day One Vanderbilt’s elegant facade is made mainly from glass and terracotta tiles. The tiles are the same as those used on the ceiling in the adjoining Grand Central Station; a respectful nod to the old from the new. SUMMIT Fast Facts Opening hours: 9AM-midnight, year round. Last entry is at 10PM. Tickets: there are several booking options available on the SUMMIT website. Closest transport links: the entrance to SUMMIT is located on the main concourse of Grand Central Terminal. Top of the Rock vs SUMMIT: Which Should You Visit? If it’s just great views you’re after, Top of the Rock does the job for significantly less dollar than you’ll have to part with for SUMMIT’s all-singing, all-dancing multisensory experience in the sky. If, however, you like a slice of immersive action and some properly scary sky-high experiences alongside your city views, SUMMIT may well be the one for you. Save on New York Activities and Attractions Save on admission to 90+ London attractions with The New York Pass. Check out @NewYorkPass on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak

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