Shanghai’s Top 5 Spots for Hot Chocolate

Shanghai’s Top 5 Spots for Hot Chocolate
By Andrea Scarlatelli , eChinacities.com

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Photo: wordpress.com

With the long, frigid winters here in Shanghai, there is really very little that can beat a warm, steaming mug of hot chocolate. For something seemingly so simple to make, though, it takes a surprising amount of attention to detail and expertise to make that perfect cup. And, of course, quality ingredients make all the difference. So where can you go to find that perfect cup in the waning days of winter? Check out this list of Shanghai’s cozy corners that are serving the best hot chocolate in the city.

1) Le Jardin Secret
Perhaps the ultimate quiet corner, this little hole in the wall serves one of the most satisfying chocolate concoctions in town. Sit at the small bar area in order to watch them hand steam the milk and add a generous amount of liquid chocolate. Be warned that this one is for purists – there are no frou frou distractions, like whipped cream or marshmallows, added to the drink. No, there is simply milk and chocolate, the way a classic hot chocolate should be. Served in a generously sized mug that practically begs you to wrap both your hands around it, this is the perfect drink – and atmosphere – to keep you warm.

Le Jardin SecretView In Map
Add: 525 Fahuazhen Lu, near Dingxi Lu, Shanghai
地址: 上海市法华镇路525号, 近定息路
Tel: (021) 6082-1775
Opening hours: Daily, 11:00-00:00

2) Whisk
This is the go-to place for chocolate (especially their to-die-for molton lava chocolate cake), it should be no surprise that their hot chocolate is on par with any of their desserts. Unbelievably rich, these mugs will keep you satisfied for a long, long time. You should definitely make an effort to try their Spanish hot chocolate (more commonly known as Mayan hot chocolate), a heavenly combination of sweet chocolate and spicy red chili pepper. Going down, it is all chocolate, but wait for a moment and you’ll feel the spice start to tingle your lips – it’s the only hot chocolate in town that will make you sweat!

WhiskView In Map
Add: 1250 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Huating Lu, Shanghai
地址: 上海市淮海中路1250号, 近华亭路
Tel: 021 5404 7770
Opening hours: Tues-Sun, 10:30–23:30

3) Sofa Bar
This cafe is easy to miss if you are not familiar with the area, but it is an absolute oasis for hot chocolate drinkers. Bored of the plain old milk chocolate varieties? Stop by for different takes such as cinnamon hot chocolate and (my personal favorite) caramel hot chocolate. Infused with the buttery sweetness of caramel, this drink surprisingly never becomes overly sweet, even as you reach the bottom of the massive mug that you are guaranteed to need two hands to hold. While you can certainly order it as an accompaniment to your lunch or dinner, it’s equally good (and filling) enough to stand in as a dessert.

Sofa BarView In Map
Add: 41 Xianghuaqiao Lu, near Fahuazhen Lu, Shanghai
地址: 上海市香花桥路41号,近新华路
Tel: 021 6294 9477
Opening hours: Daily, 09:00-21:00

 

4) HoF
Another Shanghai mainstay with a stellar reputation for all things chocolate, I challenge you to find a richer, more dizzyingly thick hot chocolate in the city. Made with melted chocolate chips that are an astonishing 72% cocoa, and freshly steamed milk, this almost tastes as though you are drinking one of the decadent truffles they have for sale in the display cases at the front of the store. This version is another one for those who want their hot chocolate made simply with quality ingredients. There is absolutely no fuss in this cup – just the classic combination of rich, thick chocolate and milk that will remind you why this drink became popular in the first place.

HoFView In Map
Add: 30 Sinan Lu, near Huaihai Zhong Lu, Shanghai
地址: 上海市思南路30号, 近淮海中路
Tel: 021 6093 2058
Opening ours: Sun & Tue-Thurs, 11:00-00:00; Fri-Sat, 11:00-01:00

 

5) Charmant
If you think only small cafes and chocolate shops can do hot chocolate right, think again. Charmant, that always-busy Taiwanese restaurant, does a surprisingly good cup of hot chocolate. Using only Belgian chocolate as the base (it tastes as though they just melted a bunch of truffles – and that’s a good thing), they combine it with homemade marshmallows that somehow avoid the cloyingly sweet taste that store-bought ones often have. In case that wasn’t enough chocolate for you, they also add extra cocoa powder to the mix, which pushes this hot chocolate from great to just about heavenly. 

CharmantView In Map
Add: 1414 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near of Fuxing Lu, Shanghai
地址: 上海市淮海中路1414号, 近复兴西路
Tel: 021 6431 8107
Opening hours: Daily 10:00-04:00

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