While it may be March, it’s pretty clear that the Ithaca winter is not scared of blowing into the spring months. And if the winter can continue, I say that winter traditions, like good cups of hot chocolate, should as well. Hot chocolate is one of my rediscovered favorites. It is a bright spot on a cloudy day, warming you up from the outside in. Allow me to take you on a hot chocolate journey through Ithaca. My ideal cup of hot chocolate is sweet, but not too sweet, rich in flavor, and has a smooth consistency. I reviewed these hot chocolates with those criteria in mind and on a scale of one to five marshmallows, one being the worst and five being the best. From national chains, to local shops, to store-bought varieties, here are my reviews of places to find this sweet treat.
Starbucks
Good old Starbucks. The monarch of America’s hot drink empire. When I tried their hot chocolate, I found it pretty bitter. The flavor reminded me of dark chocolate, rather than the sweet drink I was expecting. It had a nice consistency, and the barista served it at the perfect temperature, but I couldn’t get past the bitter aftertaste it left on my tongue. I would definitely recommend it if you aren’t a fan of really sweet desserts, but not if you want to satisfy a sweet tooth. Three out of five marshmallows.
Dunkin’ Donuts
The world might run on Dunkin’ coffee, but does it run on their hot chocolate? I would say, yes because this hot chocolate was really good. It was decently sweet, and they added milk. This addition made all the difference. The drink was less watery and more substantial, and there was no aftertaste, cough cough, Starbucks. All in all, I was happy with the standard and delicious hot chocolate that Dunkin’ delivered. Four out of five marshmallows.
Purity Ice Cream
What, they have hot chocolate? Yes, yes they do. If you are ever at Purity and want something to balance out a cold scoop of ice cream, maybe try their hot chocolate. Be warned, the first sip I took was scalding hot, and I still don’t think my taste buds have recovered, but I guess I should have known that was inevitable on a hot chocolate tour of Ithaca. Anyway, the Purity hot chocolate had a pretty mild flavor. It was a bit watery,
but you could still taste the chocolate. It definitely warmed me up and sweetened my day. Three out of five marshmallows.
Ithaca Bakery
For my last hot chocolate from an Ithaca located cafe, I stopped by Ithaca Bakery to see what they had in store. I hate to say it, but I was pretty disappointed. This hot chocolate was very watery. It was hard to find
the flavor, and I was left grasping for a glimpse of the chocolatey goodness that I was waiting for. It was served at a nice temperature, but altogether felt more like drinking tea than hot chocolate. Two out of five marshmallows.
Nestlé
In the case that you are snowed in at the moment or feel that staying home would suit you better, here’s an at-home hot chocolate to try. Well, if the Starbucks hot chocolate was bitter, then this hot chocolate was the polar opposite: sweet, sweet, sweet. Almost too sweet, to tell you the truth. I made the hot chocolate with milk and added some marshmallows to spice things up. What I got was hot chocolate with a really nice consistency, but a flavor that was artificial. The whole drink tasted extremely fake. Imagine a banana Laffy Taffy; the flavor is reminiscent of banana, but in that way that flavored things are. This hot chocolate was the banana Laffy Taffy of hot chocolate. There was an unpleasant, artificial aftertaste that was especially
bothersome. I probably would not buy this brand again, but if you are a fan of super sweet things, maybe Nestlé is for you. Two out of five marshmallows.
Swiss Miss
Last but not least, I tried the Swiss Miss, another store-bought hot chocolate. I made it with milk and topped it off with marshmallows. Now, this was the drink my hot chocolate saga had been waiting for. It was rich and smooth, with just the right amount of sweetness. The milk really brought out the flavor and combined well with the chocolate. A genuine delight all around. When the next cold winter day rolls around, or I just need a drink to cheer me up, I will be choosing Swiss Miss. Five out of five marshmallows.