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Hot chocolate is one of my Delhi winter coping skills, and I have tried every single one on this list. It’s a surprisingly popular winter beverage here. Most people think because Delhi is in India it must be hot all year round, but that’s not the case. When the temperatures drop in December and January, it feels pretty darn cold. If you happen to be in Delhi during the winter, these are the best hot chocolates to keep you warm.
See my insider’s tips on how to cope with Delhi in winter!
If you’re in a hurry, here’s what I think are the best hot chocolates in Delhi:
The Best Hot Chocolates In Delhi to Warm Up With
1. Hashery
Ordering hot chocolate at Hashery is like ordering a personal pizza and selecting your dough, toppings and cheese, but instead it’s hot chocolate. There is a full page dedicated to nothing but hot chocolate with many options to build your own perfect cup of cocoa.
Hashery offers 8 types of cocoa, 20 spices, 10 flavours and nearly 20 toppings. The possibilities are endless and will keep you returning to try new customized cocoas.
For anyone daunted by the number of choices, there are several specialty hot chocolates on the menu, like Gimme S’more and Raspberry Blondie.
- Location: Middle Circle, Block B, Connaught Place
- Nearest metro: Rajiv Chowk (Blue and Yellow lines)
2. Coast Cafe
This cafe is mostly known for its delicious South Indian food and the hot chocolate is something of a local secret. It’s rich and flavoured with cinnamon and sea salt, served with an excellent biscotti.
Coast Cafe is a great spot for a bite to eat or hot drink after exploring exploring Hauz Khas Fort.
- Location: Above Ogaan, Hauz Khas Village
- Nearest metro: Green Park (Yellow line)
3. Cafe Bond
Cafe Bond is a favourite spot in one of Delhi’s best shopping destinations, Greater Kailash M Block Market, and they have a variety of hot chocolates on offer. Of course they serve a traditional cup of cocoa, which goes by the name of Bond hot chocolate, but they also have cinnamon, pumpkin spiced, mint (with real mint leaves), bittersweet and peanut butter hot chocolates. All are made with frothy, textured milk.
Any of these hot chocolates can be made with almond, soy or cashew milk, making them vegan friendly.
- Location: Greater Kailash M Block Market, Greater Kailash I
- Nearest metro: Kailash Colony (Violet line)
4. Chocolateria San Churro
This neighbourhood cafe is a favourite in the area, consistently serving delicious Spanish style hot chocolate. This is not your average milky cocoa – the hot chocolate here is thick and rich, like liquid pudding. Chocolateria San Churro has 5 varieties to choose from, including a mocha version with espresso and one with a scoop of ice cream. As their name suggests, they do make and sell churros, the perfect accompaniment for a thick cup of hot chocolate.
- Location: GK2 M Block Market, Greater Kailash II
- Nearest metro: Greater Kailash (Magenta line)
5. Fabelle Chocolate
Fabelle is a chocolate boutique, kind of like the Chanel of chocolate shops. It’s almost a local secret because it is tucked away in the one of Delhi’s best 5 star hotels, the ITC Maurya.
Their hot chocolates are exquisite and they offer unique varieties, like milk cocoa with pistachio almond nougat chunks or my favourite, the spiced hot chocolate infused with Indian spices.
Make sure you check out the one of the coolest free things to see in Delhi, the exquisitely painted vaulted ceiling in the ITC Maurya lobby.
- Location: ITC Maurya Hotel, South Delhi
- Nearest metro: Durgabai Deshmukh South Campus
6. Sardar-Ji-Bakhsh
There are several locations in Delhi, but the one by the Lajpat Nagar Market is the best. They serve classic hot chocolate, thick hot chocolate and Nutella hot chocolate, which is amazing.
You can customize your hot chocolate with almond or soy milk, a selection of syrups like hazelnut, Irish cream and caramel, or a shot of expresso and a scoop of ice cream.
- Location: Block M, Lajpat Nagar Market
- Nearest metro: Vinobapuri (Pink line)
7. Colocal Chocolate Factory and Cafe
True chocaholics will adore this place. Colocal is India’s first cacao roaster and they make their own chocolate right there on the premises. All the chocolate used in their desserts and chocolate drinks comes from their own factory.
This is serious hot chocolate, which comes in percentages of cacao, 55%, 66%, 72% and 85%. For non-purists there is banana hot chocolate, caramel hot chocolate and smoky campfire hot chocolate. Take my advice and ask for a spoon so you can get every drop – it’s that good.
As if that wasn’t enough to entice you, this location is also pet friendly. There is a cafe at Khan Market also, but I prefer the quieter and more spacious location at Dhan Mill Compound.
- Location: Dhan Mill Compound, Chhatarpur and Khan Market
- Nearest metro: Dhan Mill Compound location – Chhattarpur (Yellow line); Khan Market location – Khan Market (Violet line)
8. Cafe Dori
This beautiful, industrial style cafe makes a serious cup of hot cocoa. They use Callebaut 100% Belgian dark chocolate and it is divine. Rich and frothy, dusted with cocoa powder and topped with a toasted marshmallow, this is adult hot chocolate.
Cafe Dori allows pets in their outdoor space and there’s even a menu for dogs.
Location: Dhan Mill Compound, Chhattarpur
Nearest metro: Chhattarpur (Yellow line)
9. PAUL
The French bakery has a couple of locations in Delhi, and the one at Ambience Mall in Vasant Kunj consistently serves excellent quality food and drinks.
PAUL makes a traditional hot chocolate (the PAUL hot chocolate) but my favourite is the Chocolate Viennois which is topped with loads of real whipped cream. They also serve a chocolate latte which is milk based and not as heavy.
- Location: Ambience Mall Vasant Kunj and Select Citywalk in Saket
- Nearest metro: Ambience Mall Vasant Kunj location – Munirka (Magenta line); Select Citywalk location – Malviya Nagar (Yellow line)
10. Di Ghent Cafe
If you end up in the suburb of Gurugram, this is one of Delhi’s best cafes. Di Ghent Cafe serves European style food and drinks in a lovely setting. The Belgian hot chocolate is a real treat and easily one of the best hot chocolates in Gurugram. Plus they have a fantastic breakfast menu – think waffles, French toast and croissants.
- Location: Cross Point Mall, Opposite Galleria Market, DLF Phase IV, Gurugram
- Nearest metro: Phase 1 (Rapid metro Gurgaon)
11. Theos
Noida’s favourite bakery has several hot chocolates, including a hazelnut hot chocolate and mochaccino. But I’m a traditionalist and always get their pure Belgian hot chocolate made with chocolate truffles. Theos has several Noida shops, but the best one is in Sector 41.
Theos now has a kiosk at Sangam Courtyard in Delhi and a full bakery/shop at Cyberhub in Gurugram.
- Location: Dadri Main Rd, Sector 41, Noida
- Nearest metro: Golf Course (Blue line)
12. Ladurée
The iconic French patisserie famous for their macarons has two locations in the Delhi area. They serve a fabulous European style hot chocolate which you can order with Chantilly cream. The Khan Market location is the largest, it has a street level shop and beautiful restaurant upstairs. A smaller location in Ambience Mall, Gurugram recently opened, a kiosk with a large seating area.
- Location: Khan Market, Delhi
- Nearest metro: Khan Market (Violet line)
13. Perch Wine & Coffee Bar
Perch Wine & Coffee Bar is one of Delhi’s most popular cafes and a favourite of those who want to work from somewhere other than home. The hot chocolate here is creamy, not overly thick and served with slices of cake, which automatically elevates it in my opinion.
The cafe has several locations in Delhi: Vasant Vihar (Priya Complex), Khan Market and DLF Avenue Saket, which happens to be one of Delhi’s best shopping malls.
- Location: Khan Market, Delhi (locations also in Saket and Vasant Vihar)
- Nearest metro: Khan Market (Violet line)
14. Choko la
Choko la is an Indian brand fine chocolate shop that specializes in everything chocolate. They sell chocolate bars, cakes and desserts and make hot chocolate to order.
This was one of the best hot chocolates I’ve had in Delhi. It was the perfect consistency and sweetness – rich and decadent but not overly so. I also love that you can buy boxes of their hot chocolate mix and make it at home.
- Location: Khan Market, Delhi (locations also in Vasant Kunj, Saket, Gurugram and Indira Gandhi International Airport)
- Nearest metro: Khan Market (Violet line)
My Own Recipe for Indian Hot Chocolate
If you don’t want to go out for some of the best hot chocolates in Delhi, why not make your own? Here’s my personal recipe for hot chocolate and the magic ingredient that helped me get through a winter with no central heating. You can easily make this at home.
Indian Hot Chocolate
- 1 cup milk
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- 1 tsp sugar or jaggery
- pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 or 2 tsp milk
- 3 tbsp Old Monk rum (optional)
Heat milk over medium heat until almost boiling (don’t let it boil over).
While the milk is heating up, stir cocoa powder, sugar (or jaggery) and cayenne pepper together in mug with 1 or 2 tsp milk very briskly. It should be thick and pasty. Keep stirring vigorously for about 30 seconds.
Pour hot milk over cocoa mixture in mug and stir gently to blend. Add the Old Monk rum now if you are using it.
How to Get to the Places with the Best Hot Chocolate in Delhi
I always recommend using Delhi’s excellent metro system to get around the city. It’s fast, cheap and easy to use. All of these hot chocolate spots are reasonably near metro stations. What I do is take the metro to the closest stop by my destination, and then either walk if it’s not far, or take an auto rickshaw right to wherever I’m going. There are always auto rickshaws waiting outside the metro stations.
The Wrap-up on 14 of the Best Hot Chocolates in Delhi to Warm Up With
If you find yourself in Delhi during the winter, you are now well equipped to battle the cold with the best hot chocolates in the city. All you need is a portable oil heater, socks, sweaters, warm quilts, a hot water geyser in the bathroom and hot chocolate.
Don’t forget travel insurance! It’s always a good idea to carry travel insurance just in case something goes wrong. I really like and use SafetyWing
