3 kinds of hot chocolate in NYC

I've loved conducting my own little food tours around NYC in search of the best burger, best donut and best cup of hot chocolate over the years. And if there's one thing that gets me through the brutal cold of winter months after the holiday season has passed, it's seeking out the city's best hot chocolate—even if they’re not all hot!

Countless places offer up some of the best cups, but today I'm rounding up 3 different types of hot chocolate so we can get through this cold month of February together.

This place is known for its frozen hot chocolate—and for good reason. Every time I go to the Upper East Side to visit Serendipity 3, I find myself saying things like, "What is in here?! Why is this so good?!"

I'm normally not a frozen drink sort of person, but they have the ratio just right—chocolate to icy chips to all that cream on top. My tip is to stir the whipped cream into the iced chocolate right away, which makes the drink creamy and smooth, and probably the best thing ever.

For something more elevated, try Kreuther Handcrafted Chocolate—this place makes all sorts of delicious handmade chocolates. You can taste the cocoa in their hot chocolate, which is on the darker side, but still sweet and full at the same time.

I like to pair my cup with a few of their small, flavored chocolates to eat alongside my drink—the flavor combos are always quite interesting, but somehow still very delicious. Raspberry with black pepper? I was intrigued and had to try. It was great!

For something thick and decadent, head downtown to The City Bakery just off of 18th St. and Fifth Ave. The best thing about the hot chocolate at City Bakery is the homemade marshmallow that you can get placed on top.

The hot chocolate is very rich and reminds me of the super-thick, melted chocolate drinks you find in Italy. (I recommend sharing a cup—you may not be able to finish an entire cup yourself because of how thick and rich it tastes.) And do make sure to order it with the homemade marshmallow. It’s the very best marshmallow in NYC and worth the cup of hot chocolate for that alone!

I’m sure you’ll enjoy exploring the city on this little adventure, searching for new, hot (and frozen) chocolates!

I hope trying these 3 different types can help you get through the winter (as they do for me!)