Winter in Prague … the days are short and gray, the sleet stings your face, the snow crunches under your feet, and the chill sneaks under your coat. In such bleak conditions, what could be more cosy and comforting than a nice cup of hot chocolate? I admit that I was skeptical about hot chocolate at first because, coming from the United States, I had always experienced hot chocolate as brown powder sprinkled into hot water, with a few desiccated marshmallows on top. Imagine my delight when I discovered that, by contrast, hot chocolate in Prague is made by melting real, high-quality dark chocolate into hot milk and is served heaped with thick whipped cream. My local expert on hot chocolate (my husband, Matt) took me on a tour of his favorite hot chocolate spots and shared his own recipe so that when the weather is particularly wintry, you can enjoy hot chocolate’s rich delights in the comfort of your own home.
Café Ebel
(Kaprová 11 and Řetězová 9, Prague 1)
We visited the Řetězová shop, where tables cluster in a comfy dining room decorated with a grandfather clock and coffee-related photos. (The Kaprová shop, tiny and redolent of roasted coffee, is also worth a visit.) Our server, Anna, told us that Café Ebel concentrates on “rich chocolate, careful measurements of cream and chocolate,” and features “special chili chocolate.” The regular hot chocolate is thick and complex and reveals layers of flavor, beginning with a somewhat bitter spiciness, and ending with a rich sweetness. It was my favorite of all the cups I tasted. The “unsweetened” hot chocolate is not at all bitter but is instead a lovely milky concoction topped with thick, slightly sweet whipped cream. I highly recommend it if you have a cranky child with you who needs to be soothed to sleep. The chili chocolate, made with 80% chocolate, is also delicious.
Choco Café Family Chocolate Shop
(Betlémské náměstí 8/1004 and Liliová 4/250, Prague 1)
On our way into the Betlémské náměstí shop we were serenaded by tolling church bells. The café is bright with a high ceiling. The shelves display the “more than 50 kinds of chocolate” the café serves, the glass cases showcase homemade cakes and macarons, and the walls are festooned with old-fashioned chocolate advertisements. Our server, Markéta, noted that the café imports its chocolate from Belgium and Italy. Choco Café offers multiple flavors of hot chocolate, including coconut, ginger, chili, and sea salt. You can also get hot chocolate with fresh, cut-up fruit marinating in your cup and – even better – whiskey, rum, or other liquors. I sampled the hot chocolate with oranges and whiskey, which was a decadent cup of dark chocolate full of sections of orange and topped with thick, unsweetened whipped cream. Fair warning: they do not stint on the whiskey!
mamacoffee
(Vodičková 674/6, Prague 1; Jaromírova 576, Praha 2; Londýnská 122/49, Prague 2; Náměstí Jiřího z Poděbrad 12, Prague 3; Cafe One, Veletržní Palace, Dukelských hrdinů 530/47, Prague 7; Sokolovská 6/85, Prague 8; Mobile Cafe – travels to markets or other locations)
Our favorite mamacoffee is on Vodičková and features art exhibitions and an upstairs gallery where you can survey the street as you enjoy your drink. I also visited the shop on Londýnská, which is tucked behind an inviting garden where, in less blustery weather, you can sit at shady outdoor tables. Inside you will find a steady stream of customers ordering coffee, baked goods, and thick hot chocolate in large cups. On chilly winter days you can enjoy a corner table bathed in light and surrounded by plants; cacti adorn each table. The hot chocolate here is straightforward and simple – made of high-quality dark chocolate with no frills – and is so thick that you will want to use a spoon to scoop out the yummy chocolate sludge when you’re done sipping.
Wine Food Market
(Strakonická 948/1, Prague 5)
This market, in an unprepossessing industrial area, is a wonderful Italian place that sometimes has free entertainment in the form of a pianist who, during our visit, played jazz standards as well as pop hits like “Billie Jean” and “Money.” My daughter was also kept fascinated by a giant tuna the entire time we were there. You can order lunch at a number of stands around a central atrium and then sit at rustic tables surrounded by lovely smells of coffee, pizza, and chocolate. Wine Food Market’s hot chocolate is the only offering we’ve tried that is made from powder, but they steam milk in their cappuccino maker to make it light and frothy before stirring in the dark, intense powder. It is less sweet than other cups we’ve tasted and makes a perfect end to a delicious meal.
Matt’s Hot Chocolate
This recipe, handed down from generation to generation on the internet, makes two cups but can be multiplied depending on how many guests you have, or how much you are craving chocolate.
Heat 300ml whole milk. Chop 60 grams of dark and 30 grams of milk chocolate as finely as your patience allows. Put the chocolate into the milk and add a pinch of salt. Either using an immersion blender or stirring quickly, blend the chocolate into the milk until smooth. Add cinnamon, grated ginger, orange zest, or more chocolate to taste. Pour into cups and serve to grateful people.
