Hardcore chocolatiers are taking a cue from third-wave coffee geeks to create some of the country's most complex hot chocolate. The result? A few remarkable mugs that prove single-origin is the best thing to happen to hot chocolate since marshmallows. Here are three chocolatiers experimenting with our favorite new advancements in drinkable chocolate, plus a few other cafés and restaurants around the country where you can find cocoa with custom flair.
The technique: Husks and nibs are steeped in hot water (using a sachet or French press) for a tealike twist.
The result: This isn’t the sweet stuff you sipped at the ski lodge. Bright and fruity, it has the taste of pure cacao and the mouthfeel of tea or a fine Chemex brew.
Drink at: Vicuña Chocolate Factory and Café, Peterborough, NH
The technique: Whole cacao nibs and husks are brewed for 24 hours, then strained.
The result: Who said hot chocolate had to be hot? As steeped nibs are to hot tea, cold-brewed nibs are to iced. If you want yours without milk, order it “red,” not black, a nod to the drink’s tint.
Drink at: Mast Brothers Brew Bar, Brooklyn
The technique: Pure melted chocolate is whisked into hot milk (or even heavy cream; alt-milks like coconut, almond, and soy are also often on offer).
The result: Hot cocoa gets richer, thicker, creamier—and earns the respect of baristas and chocolatiers alike. This drinkable chocolate calls for slow sipping.
Drink at: Fine & Raw, Brooklyn
Tracking a few more recent developments in the wild world of hot chocolate:
Marshmallows Get a Makeover: Ras-el-hanout–spiced marshmallows crown cocoa at Bondir in Cambridge, MA.
Custom Cups: Craftsman and Wolves gives the drink its own mug, created by Bay Area ceramist Travis McFlynn.
Steep at Home: Choffy’s ground beans achieve the impossible: choco flavor without fat or sugar. $15; choffy.com
Just Add 'Shrooms: Vosges Haut-Chocolat boutiques add ground reishi mushrooms and walnuts to roasted ground cacao.
Spiked: Hot chocolate with Chartreuse and mezcal keeps customers cozy at Hunt + Alpine Club in Portland, ME.