I spent my junior year abroad in Aix-en-Provence and Paris, taking classes, exploring the cities, traveling to other amazing parts of the world, and of course eating ridiculously amazing food. I’ve been putting together lists of places I went to and loved for people who want to go back and recreate some of the experiences I had. I kept a blog of my time there which now hasn’t been updated in just over a year, but I still get requests for my favorite places to go in Paris and Aix!
Hot chocolate has definitely been a staple for me growing up, so of course while I was abroad I was looking to continue having the best of the best. Here are my four most memorable cups of cocoa in Paris.
Angelina, which is the obvious choice.
It’s really incredibly delicious. Despite the long line (which moves fast) and the room filled with lots of tourists, it retains its old-time Paris feel and serves up its always delicious albeit expensive small pitcher of chocolatey goodness and a small cup of freshly whipped cream. The sensation of pouring this rich, chocolatey goodness into the china tea cup is something I truly enjoy.
Each time anyone came to visit me, I would bring them to Angelina, just because I knew it was a place with both a wow-factor for the place and the food. As a college kid on a budget, it may seem strange that I would recommend splurging 7 euros on about 1.5 cups of cocoa, but trust me, it’s worth every cent. If you split 2 orders between 3 people and get one pastry to share, that would still be plenty and you would DEFinitely be getting your money’s worth at this amazing place!
This is another fancy salon de thé (or, as they call it, a salon de chocolat) which prides itself on its pastries, chocolates, and of course its hot chocolate. In a little hidden alleyway by the Odéon, it feels like you’ve found this hidden gem of a place. Half of the store is to buy objects to take away with you while the other half is the salon. And another fact that makes it even more appealing: it’s open on a Sunday, a rather rare occurrence in Paris.
What could be better than that? Something that I truly appreciate as a student: they offer small cups, about a dixie-cup-size full of their delicious hot chocolate to go for only 2,50 euros! That way you can drink this thick, sweet chocolate while strolling around the 6th arrondissement and not have to confine yourself indoors.
I believe that this option is only available in the afternoon, but it’s a perfect time to pick up a “gouter” (the French version of snacktime, usually spent chilling out at a café, drinking something and eating a pastry, helping keep the French satiated before their late dinners). Plus, having that amount of delicious hot chocolate for the price of 2,50 euros is definitely a sweet deal.
This tucked away café is so eclectically decorate, it feels more like you’ve stepped into someone’s living room to hang out. Then you start to notice the pastries on display and the professional espresso machine on the counter and you realize this quirky space is a groovy spot to chill and sip coffee, or in my case, this lavender hot chocolate.
Normally, I tend to think of lavender scented foods as tasting more like soap than a tasty treat, but this hot chocolate was the perfect balanced of silky dark chocolate with just a hint of floral undertone. It was perfect for the chilly day outside, and the almond cake we had with it (a special of the day) complemented beautifully.
They were recommended to me for their coffee and pastries, but their hot chocolate was definitely worth the trip. And if you have the time, stop by for their brunch on Sunday: bountiful, fresh food that doesn’t leave you feeling gross, just content.
This American-style bakery in Paris is sometimes just what you’re searching for, especially if you’ve been away from home and America as long as I had at the point I had found this place. It is just a little slice of home, where many students studying abroad walk in and say, “I just want to live here!” (Seriously, I’ve heard it said dozens of times there). And their food, coffee, and, of course, hot chocolate are delicious to boot.
The down-home feel adds to the charm, and the big chocolate chip cookies and fifties-style icebox layer cakes feel like home. Plus you can get peanut butter baked goods, pecan toffe bars, cheesecake, and carrot cake (their signature dessert), all of which are nearly impossible to find in France. Plus, being greeted upon entering with a “Hello” is always music to an English speaker’s ears in a foreign country. To those looking for a place to hang, there’s wifi on the weekdays and couches to sit on, so it’s a good pit stop all around.
Places in which I would love to have tried the “chocolat chaud” but did not get a chance to:
His chocolates and caramels and delicious, his pastries and delectable, and he has a beautiful sitting area. I’m sure if I had sat down one day to drink a cup of hot chocolate, it would have made the list, though it always seemed a bit on the expensive side to me.
The chocolates and macarons they sell are yummy, so I’m sure the hot chocolate would have been something to talk about as well, though again this seemed like another pricey place.
Despite the fact that it’s a chain now, and is also available in, you guessed it, New York City, this place still serves up some delicious pastries, so I’m sure that their hot chocolate would live up to the high standards set by their world famous macarons. I would also beware the price in this place, because if the pricing of the macaron is any sort of indicator, the price of the hot chocolate could be steep.
Addresses:
Angelina
226 rue de Rivoli, Paris 1er
Un Dimanche à Paris
4-6-8 Cour du Commerce Saint André, Paris 6eme
Merce and the Muse
1 bis Rue Dupuis, Paris 1er
Sugarplum Cake Shop
68 rue du Cardinal LeMoine, Paris 5eme
Instead I Had Cake 