Fiona Van Allen

Starbucks ★★☆☆☆

While waiting for my order at Starbucks, I was bombarded by tasteless covers of classic Christmas songs blaring above me. Not only was I disgusted by the song selection, but by the mediocrity of the hot chocolate I ordered. For its higher price, this drink tasted artificial and lack-luster. I almost felt as though I could taste the cardboard of the cup. With the complexity of modern Starbucks recipes and the variety of holiday drinks on the menu, surely a hot chocolate shouldn’t be too difficult.

Kaldi’s Coffee ★★★☆☆

This cafe had a charming atmosphere with varied seating options, tastefully decorated walls and quiet ambiance of work and chatter. While the environment of Kaldi’s Coffee felt high quality, its hot chocolate did not live up to this standard. For the steep price of nearly $5, the whipped cream tasted exactly like a store bought brand and the hot chocolate tasted of artificial syrup. As an awful cook, I could confidently recreate this hot chocolate for a fraction of the price.

Revocup ★★★★☆

Revocup offered a calm environment with friendly customer service, a warm atmosphere and quiet ambiance. This hot chocolate had an enticing aroma and was a lovely balance of sweet and rich. I would recommend this spot for a quick, comforting hot chocolate. Considering its lower price, this drink was perfectly satisfying in taste and quality.

Winslow’s Table ★★★★★

Winslow’s Table has the feel of a high-end cafe. Unfortunately, it also has the prices of one. My hot chocolate was presented with lovely latte art on top, and to my delight, its taste matched its presentation. The drink was decadent and velvety, complemented by the sweet foam on top. it tasted of real melted chocolate rather than powder, offering a higher quality flavor. To put it simply, this drink fulfilled every dream I’ve ever had about hot chocolate. When I picture a perfect hot chocolate, I picture this one. For just under five dollars, the experience and drink was perfectly reasonable and very enjoyable.

Dunkin’ ★★☆☆☆

Lit with cold, harsh lighting and conditioned with equally freezing temperatures, Dunkin’ did not offer an appealing environment. In theory, compared to the shop’s lifeless interior, my hot chocolate should have been warm and comforting. Instead, I immediately burned my tongue on the scalding drink. Not only was it thin and watery, but the hot chocolate was also incredibly underwhelming in flavor. The chocolate flavor I did taste was artificial and bland. I quite literally saw remains of chocolate powder floating on top, swirling in shame at their weak performance.

Deer Creek Coffee ★★★★☆

Offering a warm, welcoming atmosphere, Deer Creek Coffee was the coziest of the cafe options. With its large windows, all that was missing from my experience was some winter weather and holiday music. With a rich, nostalgic chocolate flavor, this hot chocolate reminded me of winter afternoons after sledding.