Best Hot Chocolate in Paris
Angelina
226, rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris
Tel. +33 (0)1 42 60 82 00
Métro: Tuileries
Hours: Mon. to Sun. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
This place is a Paris institution and its thick, velvety hot chocolate is legendary. Founded in 1903 by the Austrian Antoine Rumpelmeyer, it was eventually renamed in honor of the founder’s daughter-in-law. Elegant service in a gorgeous Belle Epoque décor make Angelina a popular destination among tourists and locals alike. Marcel Proust and Coco Chanel were regulars here.
Arnaud Larher
53, rue Caulaincourt, 75018 Paris
Tel. +33 (0)1 42 57 68 08
Métro: Lamarck-Caulaincourt
Hours: Tues. to Sat. 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
It may be a bit of a trek to find Arnaud Larher’s patisserie in Montmartre, but as all who’ve taken the time can attest, the effort is well rewarded. Hot chocolate is available here in chocolate vanilla, chocolate orange, bittersweet chocolate and chocolate cinnamon. You’ll also find an astounding variety of elegant chocolate cakes, éclairs, macarons, and other goodies.
Carette
4, place du Trocadéro, 75016 Paris
Tel. +33 (0)1 47 27 98 85
Métro: Trocadéro
Hours: Mon. to Sun. 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
A fixture on the place du Trocadéro since 1927, Carette is known for its quality and old-fashioned service: here, hot chocolate is served on a silver platter. Features a beautifully restored art deco interior and a huge terrace.
Jean-Paul Hévin
231, rue Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris
Tel. +33 (0)1 55 35 35 96
Métro: Tuileries
Hours: Mon. to Sat. 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Jean-Paul Hévin has a tea room on the 1st floor of his chocolate shop on rue Saint-Honoré where one can enjoy the famous chocolatier’s luxury hot chocolate along with a chocolate pastry or two.
La Charlotte de l’Isle
24, rue Saint-Louis-en-l’Isle, 75004 Paris
Tel. +33 (0)1 43 54 25 83
Métro: Pont-Marie
Hours: Thurs. to Sun. 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
This adorable little café near the eastern end of the Ile Saint-Louis is reputed to have amazing hot chocolate. Here’s what the New York Times says about it: “(…) absolutely favorite place for hot chocolate is La Charlotte de l’Isle, a cluttered, almost alarmingly charming little cafe on the Île St-Louis run by a flamboyant woman of a certain age who could probably tell great stories of la vie de bohème after a carafe or two of wine. Rich, bittersweet, dreamily good, hers is the absinthe of hot chocolate.”
Le Café Martini
11, rue du Pas-de-la-Mule, 75004 Paris
Tel. +33 (0)1 42 77 05 04
Métro: Bastille
Hours: Mon. to Sun. 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Conveniently located just steps from the place des Vosges, the Café Martini offers a selection of hot chocolates, including classic hot chocolate, Viennese hot chocolate, old-fashioned hot chocolate (chocolat à l’ancienne) as well as liqueur-infused hot chocolates (Cointreau, Grand Marnier, etc.)
Les Deux Magots
6, place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, 75006 Paris
Tel. +33 (0)1 45 48 55 25
Métro: Saint-Germain-des-Prés
Hours: Mon. to Sun. 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Today frequented mainly by tourists, this legendary café is the former haunt of intellectuals and writers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. The hot chocolate, served in a pitcher, is rich, dark and velvety smooth. A great place for people watching, especially in summer.
L’Heure Gourmande
22, passage Dauphine, 75006 Paris
Tel. +33 (0)1 46 34 00 40
Métro: Odéon
Hours: Mon. to Sun. 12 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Tucked away inside the quiet passage Dauphine, l’Heure Gourmande serves up its traditional hot chocolate the old-fashioned way, in a chocolatière. An ample selection of chocolate cakes and tarts and other classic pastries make this an ideal place to spend a lazy afternoon.
