I just came back from Paris and tried Angeline's and must day that it give San Gines in MAD a run for the money!
Truly outstanding and worth the Mile Run... altho parisians are getting ready for summer and they kind of give you a wicked look if ordering hot chocolate.

In London, I could get awesome hot chocolate all over the place. Not one, but two chains, Caffe Nero and Apostrophe both served really great stuff (Cafe Nero calls this Hot Chocolate Milano). I can't find the equivalent in Vancouver (where I live) or actually anywhere in the USA. What gives? Is there a chain I missed?

I am posting this in FlyerTalk because I need someone who travelled to London cos I cant really explain what I am looking for otherwise

Not too far from Vancouver - Seattle is full of chocolate shops. Close to me is a shop called Chocolopolis. It sells "sipping chocolate" in their shop and on their website. I tried a dark sipping chocolate and it is thick, rich and decadent.

There are some incredible hot chocolates (and frozen ones) available in New York.

I've become very partial lately to the mexican chocolate disks for home, dissolved in a bit of hot milk.

I may get flamed for this, but Starbucks has great (to me) hot chocolate. Panera, on the other hand, serves terrible hot chocolate.

ETA: I'm pretty sure I've been to Cafe Nero but that was 5+ years ago. I'm not a coffee drinker and do prefer hot chocolate. That said, I don't remember anything special about it.

Before continuing could the answerers please please indicate whether they'd tested the London stuff I am talking about?

I'm a great fan of the spicy hot chocolate made by a local artisian chocalatier, Chauo Chocolate. It takes a bit of effort to make a spectacular hot chocolate at home. I've had hot chocolate powder from Angelinas (Paris) and the like, and it simply didn't taste the same as in their cafe. So, if you want a cafe worthy hot chocolate, here are the directions for doing so:

1. Heat milk in microwave
2. Take about an inch deep of milk and mix 3 tablespoons slightly rounded of chocolate into it.
3. Stir, put in microwave til it foams up - 17-18 seconds, must watch to see that it doesn't boil over
4. Repeat after stirring, takes 13-14 seconds
5. Repeat, again about 13-14 seconds, watch carefully so it doesn't foam over. The purpose is to fully melt the chocolate into the milk.
6. Foam milk
7. Mix with foamed milk; save some foam to put on top

I have had the Nero one, never heard of the other chain tho!

I find hot chocolate as a rule in North America is far sweeter than in the UK - sickly so in fact. I like dark, rich hot chocolate, and the closest I found was for a limited time when Starbucks (I think, could have been Second Cup) did a dark hot chocolate shot. I don't like Second Cup's regular hot chocolates, Starbucks is ok, but I add raspberry syrup to make it a different drink frankly (and skip the cream, make it with skim milk, have it extra hot, with chocolate curls!)

If I want real hot chocolate, I make my own - 70% good dark chocolate, milk and cream on the stove, shot of alcohol (Bailey's being the house favourite, Cointreau for a Terry's moment!) optional! Green & Blacks is reasonable as a packet option, and I will admit that the 'luxury' Options comes home with me in a suitcase for an at work sweet fix (although it is not comparable to good, counter made hot chocolate).

I am not at all a coffee drinker, but on the few occasions I frequent Starbucks (either I need to use their WiFi, or I got gifted with a Starbucks gift card) I invariably get their hot chocolate. One issue I have with MOST hot chocolates in the U.S., and certainly Starbucks' as well, is that it is too watery, as opposed to milky. I usually remedy this by putting a heavy dollop of Half and Half or creamer into it.

I've never had anything in the US compare to that of what I've had in Europe,
Everything I've had in the US is watery compared to the rich/luxurious hot chocolate across the pond.

I'd like something more local!

Its true but nothing can beat homemade. If you have a superb recipe and technique to make it, you can enjoy it too mush. My mother used to give me Lemontart with hot milk when I got to college. However, I had the best hot chocolate ever in Four Seasons in East Paulo Alto.

I think you need to be looking at Chocolate Shops instead of cafes.

In Seattle, Dilettante is my favorite, but Fran's is an option ... and maybe even Theo?

In Kansas City (and maybe San Fran)Christopher Elbow

In NYC, Jacques Torres

In Anchorage, Modern Dwellers

Granted, none them beat Angelina in Paris, but they're worlds above Starbucks

They may use 2% milk by default. I would imagine that Starbucks of all places would be willing to steam whole milk , maybe even with some half and half in it to make your HC.

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.

As a regular hot chocolate drinker, I don't recall Cafe Neros... but I've probably had it. I do prefer to add a shot of vanilla or caramel.

Favourite to home made are Charbonnel et Walker:
http://www.charbonnel.co.uk/products...chocolate.html

I did once have a spiced hot chocolate which was to die for, but I can't recall who was the maker I thought Hotel Chocolat, but can't find it there.