Christian Constant == 6, Rue Assas 75006 Paris Metro: St. Placide

Locally, Frans in Seattle.

I can remember the first time I had "real" hot chocolate. Mrs Sweet Willie and I walking the streets of Monaco, stopped in so she could have a coffee, and out of the corner of my eye I see this thick & lucious looking hot chocolate swirling about in this automatic stirring machine. WOW !!! simply incredible.
Wish I could recall the name of the place.

Thanks to all who have listed places to try, I've taken them down !!^

+1

homepage (german)

but after a long cold skiing day, nothing beats the Sprüngli hot chocolate that Gisela prepares at our Chalet there.

+1 :) Marvelous.

Cafe Morro. I think it's on Lazaro Cardenas a few blocks south of Bellas Artes.

Si, delicioso, but you have to chant "bate bate chocolate" as you spin the molinillo between your palms to mix the chocolate as it melts into the milk.

The hot chocolate at Les Deux Magots in Paris is wonderful. I would like to try Angelina's on my next trip.

I second Angelina at Rue de Rivoli in Paris. Excellent. Order a Montblanc with it. That should be the calorie intake for a grown man for one day. ;) Very rich!

Otherwise, I have the prejudice that France, Switzerland, Spain, Mexico and Holland probably are the countries where you can get the best hot chocolate. It strikes me as hard to believe that the best hot chocolate could be had in the USA. It's just not culturally anchored here. Sorry.

Till

If you're going to Angelina I would recommend you go on the day the Louvre is closed (Mondays I believe?).

Lots of tourists pair a visit to Angelina with their visit to the Louvre since they're so close (Carousel entrance to Louvre is just across the street and to the left). Last trip (December) we went the day the Louvre was closed and it was much quieter than other days we'd been there.

Also, if you just want chocolat ask for the Salon du The, don't wait for a table in the back. We often see folks waiting for a table even through the Salon (the small tables in the front) is empty!

Some of the best hot chocolate that we have had was in Bayonne France.

I try to always have a hot chocolate at La Maison du Chocolat in NY. I guess you could count that as French and American. Whatever, it lifts my spirits. I prefer it to Angelina's, in fact, and since I am in NY about ten times for every one trip to Paris, this is lucky for me!

Had the wonderful thick Spanish hot chocolate last week in London, on Portobello road at Garcia's. Somehow hot chocolate and London weather, especially doing an outdoor activity like Portobello Road, go together well.

Thanks for this info, ElkeNorEast, I'll keep it in mind for my next trip. Hopefully the weather will be conducive to sipping hot chocolate.

I nominate Jacques Torres in Brooklyn. The jalapeno hot chocolate.

In Paris, another vote for Angelina.
A Mont Blanc along with it??? That's overload for moi! :)
I usually buy the Mont Blanc on the way out at the bakery counter to have later.

At Cocoa et Chocolat on rue Buci is also good for a quickie. It's a chocolate shop, but they have a couple of seats.

In New York, the Union Square Cafe hot chocolate is excellent and they make their own marshmallows.

Also, when in NYC, visit La Lanterna di Vittorio near W. 4th St. Their hot chocolate is served more bitter than sweet style with molten mini marshmallows on top. Delicious!