Salvation Café (Milpark)

A prized attraction in 44 Stanley, the café that recently won an award for Joburg’s best cheesecake, also happens to serve one of the best hot chocolate drinks in the city. Salvation Café serves up a comforting hot chocolate that’s made with pure Callebaut Belgian chocolate, mixed with milk and topped with cream for R49. There is also a Kiddies hot chocolate available for R38 that comes with a Belgian chocolate stick and a complimentary cookie. For the vegans, the hot chocolate is available with dairy-free alternatives, including soy, almond or oat milk. No sugar is added to the hot chocolate and it is available all year round.

 

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Patisserie de Paris (Blairgowrie)

A cute, French-style café with al fresco dining, Patisserie de Paris is as popular for its baked delights, as its scrumptious breakfast offerings. The café also serves up a stellar Belgian hot chocolate made from Callebaut milk chocolate, topped with full cream hot milk, priced at R60. A vegan hot chocolate version is also available with options of soy or oat milk. The hot chocolate here can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Just Teddy Fine Boulangerie & Patisserie (Hyde Park Shopping Centre & Nelson Mandela Square)

If you’re looking for a truly sinful and decadent hot chocolate to indulge in, Just Teddy is the perfect choice. The Oreo Avalanche is made with Callebaut milk chocolate, full cream milk and crushed Oreo cookies, topped off with thick Chantilly cream and adorned with gold leaf. For R45, we think it’s a steal! Just Teddy also serves a regular hot chocolate for R40, without the Oreo cookies. Both hot chocolate versions are available all year round.

Hot chocolate served at Just Teddy. Photo supplied.

PAUL (Melrose Arch and Morningside Shopping Centre)

A family-owned artisanal patisserie and restaurant with a French heritage dating back to 1889, PAUL is well-loved for its signature hot chocolate that is made from a secret French recipe. Priced at R35, the hot chocolate blend is manufactured in France and mixed with skimmed milk and cream. For a dairy-free alternative, options of almond, soy or oat milk are available and cost an additional R9. PAUL also serves hot chocolate shots for R21 each and both, the hot chocolate and hot chocolate shots are available throughout the year. Prices vary for takeaway options.

 

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Arbour Café & Courtyard (Birdhaven)

A picturesque French-style café with indoor and al fresco dining, Arbour Café and Courtyard situated in the leafy Birdhaven precinct makes for an ideal spot to mull over a mug of freshly brewed hot chocolate this winter. Take your pick from the standard hot chocolate made with Callebaut Belgium milk chocolate and steamed full cream milk, priced at R45 or the Almond Belgium white chocolate, priced at R56. There is also a vegan hot chocolate made with almond milk that is available for R59. For a sinful indulgence, you can also add a shot of kahlua to your hot chocolate, for an additional R25. All the hot chocolate varieties can be ordered year round.

Coco Safar (The Zone, Rosebank)

Coco Safar, Cape Town’s popular boutique café and bakery that opened in Johannesburg this April, is known for its heart-warming hot chocolate. Made from scratch, the café combines dark, milk and white premium French Valrhona chocolate in a secret blend for its hot chocolate, that is priced at R48. The Café Mocha, which is a combination of hot chocolate and coffee, is priced at R45. Both hot chocolate varieties are served with a shot of sparkling water as a palate cleanser, as well as a complimentary lemon-poppy seed madeleine. The hot chocolate is available throughout the year.

 

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tashas

Come chilly weather and tashas hot chocolate is the talk of the town. Priced at R58, tashas indulgent hot chocolate is made with two spoons of Nutella and hot milk and served with marshmallows on the side. The rich and creamy hot chocolate is available throughout the year. For an alcoholic makeover, a dash of Amarula can be added to the hot chocolate for an additional R28.

The Whippet (Linden)

Known for its laid-back ambience, great coffee and moreish menu, The Whippet has some unique hot chocolate options planned for this winter. While the café wowed patrons with its marshmallow and caramel popcorn hot chocolate last year, this year, the menu will include an adult hot chocolate made with KWV Wild Africa cream liqueur, as well as a hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and shards of milk, dark and white chocolate. The new hot chocolate variants will be available from June 19 till mid-September, while the regular hot chocolate is available all year round. For a vegan hot chocolate alternative, oat, almond or soy milk is mixed with OKJA hazelnut chocolate spread. All the hot chocolate varieties will be priced between R55-58.

Paul’s Homemade Ice Cream (Blairgowrie, Morningside, Fourways Mall, Linksfield, Cresta, Parkhurst)

Paul’s Homemade Ice Cream, Joburg’s favourite ice cream parlour, introduced its hot chocolate last winter and since then it has been a runaway success with customers. The standard hot chocolate made with 55% dark chocolate chips and steamed milk is priced at R29 for the ‘tall’ cup and R27 for the ‘short’ cup and is available all year round. Additionally, from June onwards, Paul’s Homemade Ice Cream will also serve a limited period winter special salted caramel hot chocolate made from high quality dark chocolate and salted caramel sauce – a perfect blend of sweet and salty.

 

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Fresh Earth Food Store (Delta Central, Blairgowrie)

Well-known for its vegan and health food offerings, Fresh Earth Food Store serves a tantalising hot chocolate that is available all year round. Priced at R44, the hot chocolate is made with raw cacao and 80% Belgium dark chocolate, blended together with coconut blossom sugar and a choice of regular milk or dairy-free oat, almond or soy milk.

The Vegan Chef (Sandton and Fourways)

Promising vegan hot chocolate that is in equal parts decadent and healthy, The Vegan Chef’s hot chocolate uses locally sourced dark chocolate chips and cacao, mixed with almond or oat milk and is priced at R45. The hot chocolate is served throughout the year, with the plant-based milk providing a dairy-free alternative to traditional hot chocolate.

Have we missed your favourite spot? Tell us about it in the comments section