Have you tried local chains such as Blenz, or Bean Around the World, or even Waves? I don't like hot chocolate much anymore, but have friends and family members who do like the European style (ie thicker, and less sweet) that you reference so am often with people purchasing those items. All of those microchains have their own style of hot chocolate, often referencing European-style chocolate. Have you tried Mink? It's a chocolate shop with a few cafe outlets. Schokolade on Hastings has a German name but I am not familiar with their product. They do have a cafe so worth a try. What about Thierry? Their prices are rather crazy, but their food items quite authentic. Thomas Haas is similarly high priced but similarly authentic; I'm certain that at least one of his locations must have hot chocolate on the menu. I'm not a fan of Faubourg, but they may be worth a visit as well.

And Vancouver has an entire hot chocolate festival! http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2012/0...ot-chocolates/

It was in fact the horrible 'hot chocolate' usually served in the US which put me off hot chocolate; I used to drink it daily.

There used to be an excellent independent in Vancouver which is now a Bean Around the World location (Cornwall), which served Mexican chocolate mocha, with pepper and cinnamon.

German chocolate producer Schokinag makes drinking chocolate and has a wholesale outlet in the area; you may want to contact them and ask if any local coffee shops purchase their product.

(For a time, Starbucks had a 'drinking chocolate' which is more likely similar to what the OP is referencing)

OP, I'm familiar with all the items you reference in your first post; just had lunch at Apostrophe last week in fact. If you are ever in Edinburgh, try Chocolate Soup.

For make at home, try to find Scharffenberger (in some US grocery shops), Schokinag (more difficult to find these days, but again they have a wholesale outlet near you), or Lindt chocolate flakes (not available in Canadian Lindt shops/outlets, but perhaps in US outlets, which carry a more broad range). Avoid anything with added items and look for cocoa and sugar as ingredients.

Edited to add: here are more suggestions http://vancouverfoodster.com/2009/11...hot-chocolate/ I'm not surprised that Thomas Haas came out on top of that list (although I've never had hot chocolate there as I said above) but I am a little biased. Picnic on that list by the way closed; but I believe that Meinhardts may still be doing something with that location.