5 Best Places for Hot Chocolate in Paris

Probably the most-coveted spot for hot chocolate in Paris, and always flooded with tourists, this Vienna-style Belle Epoque tearoom circa 1903 is famed for its ultra-rich, strictly traditional chocolat chaud. It's not my personal favorite (I find it to be a bit too sweet and thick) but for many people Angelina's hot chocolate is the gold standard. Always reserve ahead, especially in colder months and on weekends, when long lines of tourists waiting for tables snake out onto Rue de Rivoli. If you prefer tea, Angelina's also one of our picks for the best teahouses in Paris. 

• Address: 226 rue de Rivoli, 1st arrondissement 
• Metro: Tuileries, Concorde
• Phone: +33 (0) 1 42 60 82 00

Just a few steps away from Angelina, the bar at this ultraluxury Paris hotel  serves a sumptuous, ultratraditional hot chocolate for afternoon tea. The setting is as chic as it comes, but as you'd expect with such an esteemed institution, you'll need to reserve ahead.

• Address: 228 rue de Rivoli, 1st arrondissement
• Metro: Tuileries, Concorde
• Phone: +33 (0) 1 44 58 10 10  

I haven't yet tasted the hot chocolate at the recently opened Marais boutique of the self-styled, self-trained chocolate maestro Jacques Genin -- but foodie network Paris by Mouth offers a review. Genin's chocolat chaud is reportedly some of the best in town and served with warmth and grace. Like Hevin's chocolate bar, the ambiance is ultramodern here, so reserve some time for a lounge here after ambling around or shopping in the trendy Marais district.

• Address: 133 rue de Turenne, 3rd arrondissement
• Metro: Filles de Calvaire
• Phone: +33 (0) 1 45 77 29 01

This prestigious French gastronomic house offers, not surprisingly, an excellent hot chocolate at some of its locations. If you favor a coarser, richer, less sweet variety of chocolat chaud, this version should satisfy your craving. And if you don't have time to sit in, you can always buy a bag of pure chocolate "beads" (available in two different "strengths"-- pictured) to make your own at home.

• Address: 52, rue Francois 1er, 8th arrondissement 
• Metro: Franklin D. Roosevelt
• Phone: +33 (0) 1 47 23 38 25

Jean-Paul Hevin is already well-known as one of Paris' outstanding chocolate artisans. Hevin invented a menu of hot cocoas for different hours of the day-- some energizing, others relaxing. Our undisputed favorite is the 4 pm "Aphrodisiac", with strong notes of ginger and spices. Still more exotic? Chocolat aux huitres (Chocolate with oyster), Chocolat a la carotte (carrot), or Chocolat zen with matcha green tea. For traditionalists, there's a selection of more classic recipes as well, using only high-grade chocolates.

• Address: 41 Rue de Bretagne
• Metro: Tuileries