I love hot chocolate in Paris. Have I always been a fan of hot chocolate? Yes (I mean who isn’t?!), but Parisian hot chocolate is a category all its own. No sad powder mixed with hot water. We’re talking thick, chocolatey hot chocolate. It’s truly an art form.
Over my collective 18 visits to Paris, I’ve managed to try a lot of hot chocolate establishments. I have been to the big 4 hot chocolate spots: Angelina, Carette, Les Deux Magots, and Cafe de Flore. I made a video about it, and someone commented that I should try the lesser known spots.
So on my recent trip in April, that’s exactly what I did! Armed with my opinions on the big 4 spots, I landed in Paris ready to also taste test 4 additional places. It’s a tough job, but someone had to do it!
Now let’s talk about the 8 best hot chocolates in Paris and my thoughts on them!
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How I Ranked These Parisian Hot Chocolate Spots
How did I determine who did this best and which ones I’d skip? Here was my criteria:
- Flavor. First and foremost, did I like it? Would I keep drinking it? Does it taste mind blowingly delicious? Flavor is king in this competition.
- Chocolate quality. Did I taste the chocolate? Was is masked by sugar? Was it milky or dark?
- Thickness. I prefer a thicker hot chocolate, but I tasted some thinner versions too. But watery is not the name of the game in Paris.
- Is it too sweet? The perfect hot chocolate needs to be chocolate forward and not too sweet.
- Value. How much does this thing cost? My most expensive hot chocolate was €28! Was it worth it?
- Wait times. Some of these places (I’m looking at you Angelina and Carette) can have crazy wait times. Are they worth it or should you skip it?
Note: Taste is purely subjective, meaning you may prefer different hot chocolates than me! Perhaps you like a thinner hot chocolate, or maybe you prefer something sweeter! So while this is my list, it’s okay if we don’t agree!
My Rapid Fire Hot Chocolate Rankings
Here is a quick summary of the best Paris hot chocolates! For more on my thoughts, costs, who it is best for, and my actual ratings, see below.
- Best Overall: Les Deux Magots
- Best Thick, Rich Hot Chocolate: La Galerie Georges V
- Best Historic Café: Les Deux Magots
- Best Hidden Gem: PLAQ
- Best if You Hate Waiting in Line: Chocolat Foucher
- Most Charming Experience: Carette at Place des Vosges (if it’s not crowded!)
Check out my thoughts on each of the 8 hot chocolate spots in Paris below!
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Angelina
Thoughts: If you go to Paris and expect good hot chocolate, Angelina will not disappoint you. She’s fairly thick, she’s creamy, and she’s sweet.
The chocolate quality is good, and chocolate is the star of the show. They’re famous for using premium African cacao beans in their drink. Overall, it’s a good one. I’ve had Angelina twice: once at Versailles and another time at the location along Jardin des Tuileries.
I will say I would’ve liked it to be slightly thicker and the chocolate flavor wasn’t as rich as I would’ve liked. I did enjoy it, but it doesn’t beat out other spots on this list. If you’re in the area, want good hot chocolate, and it isn’t busy, I’d go! If there is a line out the door, I’d skip it.
Price: €10.50 for the old fashioned hot chocolate with whipped cream.
Best For: A stunning cafe experience with really solid hot chocolate!
Rating: 7.5/10
Locations: Multiple locations, including in the 1st, 6th, 7th, and 8th arrondissements. You can also find Angelina in Château de Versailles and at the Trianon Estate in Versailles. Check all locations here.
Carette
Thoughts: This is one that I’ve gone back and forth on as the best over the years. This is an incredible hot chocolate. I know, with the crazy hype around it, it is reasonable to be skeptical, but Carette has always done a great job.
Their hot chocolate has an incredible depth of flavor, it’s not crazy sweet, and the chocolate really shines. It’s thick, and adding the delectable whipped cream makes it a dream of a hot chocolate.
This place may even have the best whipped cream of the bunch! The largest downside are the crowds. I recommend going early and going to the Place des Vosges location.
Price: €13.50 for the Chocolat “Carette” with whipped cream.
Best For: Instagrammable hot chocolate, but also really delicious
Rating: 9/10. If you had asked me a few years ago, I would’ve said 10/10, but the crowds alone and wait times have pushed the experience down a bit. Go early! While 100% worth the hype, there are 1-2 other spots I personally liked better!
Locations: 4 Place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, 75016 | 25 Place des Vosges, 75003 | and 7 Place du Tertre, 75018
Cafe de Flore
Thoughts: Cafe de Flore has always been a bit of a main character. This historic cafe is one of the famed literary cafes in Paris where writers and philosophers would congregate. While they may not have been sipping hot chocolate, this place became quite famous for this warm beverage.
And I’ll be real with you: yes, it is a solid hot chocolate. If you’ve never tasted other hot chocolates in Paris, you’ll probably enjoy it! It’s a good hot chocolate.
However, this may be my least favorite on this entire list. The hot chocolate is runnier, the whipped cream was alright, and the chocolate flavor is there but nothing special. I don’t really need to go back, and I’d probably skip it.
Price: €10 for the Flore Special Chocolate
Best For: The vibes and historical cafe
Rating: 7/10
Location: 172 Bd Saint-Germain, 75006 Paris
Les Deux Magots
Thoughts: This is my favorite hot chocolate spot in Paris. I do not care that it is one of the big ones that tourists go to (I AM a tourist- and if you’re reading this, you probably are too!). It’s my fave, even after tasting 4 additional, lesser-known spots.
This hot chocolate is the perfect melted candy bar-like drink and I love it so much. It’s thick, it’s not too sweet, it’s balanced.
It has a slight bitter/acidic dark chocolate flavor, especially at the end, balancing out the richness and creaminess of the hot chocolate. I don’t think I’ve ever even gotten (or needed) the whipped cream.
While it can certainly get busy, it typically doesn’t see as large of crowds as Carette, Angelina, or even Cafe de Flore.
Oh, and the filter coffee pot is SO good too! This is the place I take all of my family and friends who travel with me to at least once for their first time here. And if you go before 9 am, it usually isn’t busy.
Price: €10 for the small ancient hot chocolate pot, €12 for the large ancient hot chocolate pot, and €3 for whipped cream if you want that
Best for: Best hot chocolate in Paris, best people-watching, and best vibes.
Rating: 11/10
Location: 6 Pl. Saint-Germain des Prés, 75006
La Galerie at Four Seasons Hotel George V
Thoughts: This hot chocolate is certainly a unique experience. Tucked away in the 5-star Hotel George V, this is one hot chocolate that may be worth dressing up a little. La Galerie is where you can have afternoon tea, as well as their famed signature hot chocolate.
This came with vanilla bean whipped cream, crunchy crispy chocolate candies, and orange blossom marshmallows. It is decadent to say the least. And for the price tag, it better be!
The hot chocolate itself is THICK. It thickened the longer it sat too. But it was creamy, bold, and slightly acidic. If anything, it may have been too thick and creamy. Overall, it was pretty well balanced, and the chocolate was good.
Was it my favorite? No, but it was an excellent experience and a fabulously delicious hot chocolate. I’d go back.
Price: €28 for the Signature Hot Chocolate complete with whipped cream, crispy chocolate, and marshmallows
Best For: Those seeking a decadent experience
Rating: 8.5/10
Location: 31 Av. George V, 75008
Dengo
Thoughts: Dengo is a chocolate shop, so you know they take it seriously. Known for its chocolate sourced from Brazil, they focus on high quality chocolate, and it shows. It’s a thinner hot chocolate, but it’s still great. It’s a delicate hot chocolate where you can taste the bitter yet sweet chocolate, but it isn’t too powerful.
This place also serves up cacao drinks and other fun things (including cold chocolate for the hot summer days!), and you can get vegan hot chocolate here, which is great!
While not a classic thick creamy hot chocolate, if you want something more innovative and high quality, this is the spot!
Price: €7-9
Best For: Those who like a thinner, but high quality hot chocolate
Rating: 8/10
Locations: 58 Rue Bonaparte, 75006 | 19 Rue Yvonne le Tac, 75018
PLAQ Chocolat
Thoughts: PLAQ is another high quality chocolate shop. Everything here is so good- it is a must-visit place for chocolate lovers. I actually went there twice on my recent trip and I got the hot chocolate and chocolate mousse (also great!) the first time, and then I went to their other location on a food tour and had a chocolate tarte.
During the food tour, they were roasting their cacao beans, and it smelled amazing!
I got their hot chocolate with milk (you can also get it with water), and it was great! It’s a medium consistency, but thinner and less creamy than Les Deux Magots or Carette. However, the chocolate is rich and dark, and I enjoyed every sip.
The best part is that there were no crowds. I sat outside in their 6th arrondissement location, and I enjoyed their hot chocolate, which came with a piece of dark chocolate. I’d 100% come back!
If you don’t want to wait in lines but want a stand-out hot chocolate with good consistency, this is the place.
Price: Starts at €4.50
Best For: Medium thickness hot chocolate and high quality
Rating: 9/10
Locations: 4 Rue de Nil, 75002 | 57 Rue du Cherche Midi, 75006
Chocolat Foucher
Thoughts: I think I may have found a Les Deux Magots dupe! I mean nothing can replicate sitting on the terrace on a nice day, sipping hot chocolate, and people watching.
Les Deux Magots is elite in that regard (as is their hot chocolate). But Foucher makes an incredible hot chocolate, and it is perfect whether you want to take it to go or sit and enjoy it without the crowds.
It’s perfectly thick, sweet, but not too sweet, creamy, and has a great dark chocolate flavor. It is comparable to Carette and Les Deux Magots, and there isn’t a line out the door every day.
Price: Starting at €6
Best For: Those who want amazing traditional Parisian hot chocolate but don’t want to wait in lines
Rating: 10/10
Locations: 134 Rue du Bac, 75007 | 30 Avenue de l’Opera, 75002
