Where To Drink Spiked Hot Chocolate In New York City
It may have taken a little longer than normal for the snow and freezing temperatures to arrive in New York City, but now that the seal has been broken, chances are you're cold and looking for something — anything — to warm you up.
Sure, a fresh cup of coffee would be nice, but you know what would really hit the spot? Some hot chocolate. And you know what might make it even better? If it was spiked.
To that end, we've sought out the best spots across the city to imbibe in a spirited mug of hot chocolate. Maybe you're just looking to enjoy something simple and comforting, in which case LA Burdick is a must-hit stop before retreating to your apartment to hibernate until April. Or maybe you're the kind of person who goes out on the town year-round, weather be damned, and so the expertly crafted Hot Chocolate Martini at Gramercy Tavern's gorgeous bar is more your speed.
At the end of the day, when you're cold, mad about being cold, and sitting at a bar without a drink handy, spiked chocolate seems like a pretty good cure for seasonal affective disorder.
At East Village spot The Redhead, it is quite apparent that they understand the fundamental logic of adding booze to hot chocolate. This is evidenced in their offering not one, but three spiked hot chocolate options. The fan favorite, though, has to be the Dark Chocolate Car Bomb, a delicious mix of hot chocolate, Jameson, Guinness, and a Bailey's marshmallow. Instead of a car bomb, this is the smoothest ride you're going to find.
Although not a bar, LA Burdick is a place where chocolate is taken very seriously. Here, you can pick from any one of their six single-origin hot chocolates (pictured), Dominican or Madagascan, for instance, and then pick out a shot of either cherry brandy, pear liqueur, rum, or whiskey to spice up your artisan cocoa.
At the always-chic Gramercy Tavern, there are several menu items that could break you out of the winter blues, but for something chocolaty with a kick, there's nothing like the Hot Chocolate Martini. This classy take on the comforting beverage is infused with Vanilla Stoli and amaretto, and what's more, they serve half and keep the other warm in a teapot, ensuring that every sip is just as hot and delicious as the last.
When that harsh winter weather rolls around, people often dream of a vacation to anywhere warm and sunny. Taking you there via hot chocolate cocktail, is Jo's in Nolita, where you can order their exotic take on spiked cocoa. In their version, enjoy Macchu Pisco (the new hot liquor on the mixology scene), house-spiced Ecuadorian chocolate, Aztec chocolate bitters, and orange. Enjoy the drink as you serenely picture yourself in an Andean ski lodge next to a warm, crackling fire.
Richard Sandoval supplies the Latin-infused flavors for DohYO, the restaurant at Yotel in Hell's Kitchen, an influence that can be seen at their bar, as well. Order up the Chile-Spiked Mexican Hot Chocolate at the bar, a tasty concoction made with two different tequilas, chocolate abuelita, and topped with a homemade ancho chile marshmallow and whipped cream. The warm chocolate mixes well with the spice, plus, it's hard to be cold when your mouth is tingling with that good burn.
So, you've spent a day actually enjoying the cold weather at the skating pond at Bryant Park, embracing that which you cannot change. The idea seemed good at first, but now you're freezing and need a drink to warm up. Thankfully, a mere 10 steps away is pop-up bar and restaurant Celsius. Order up the Snowcap at the bar, a mix of hot chocolate, vanilla vodka, and Kahlua to help take the edge off enjoying the winter wonderland.
If you find yourself wandering the cold streets of Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, with no destination in mind, then your luck's about to turn around. Follow the hordes of Whovians into The Way Station (yes, that's a TARDIS in the back) and sit down for a warming, boozy Swiss Mistress. This hot chocolate, punched up with amaretto, should give you just enough courage to ask someone if that's really in fact a jetpack up on the wall, not to mention give you back use of your fingers.