You might be embarrassed to admit it, but nearly everyone loves a steaming mug of hot cocoa in the winter to bring back childhood memories. On one typical snowy winter day in Madison, four brave Cardinalistas decided to take on the challenge to seek out the best hot chocolate on State Street. Everyone has their favorite place for a non-fat sugar-free white mocha or just a standard cup of coffee, but where can you find a flawless hot chocolate to sip on walking to class?
We tried it all, from an overpriced, watery mess to heavenly chocolate perfection. Check out our ratings on a scale from one to 10 of the best and worst hot chocolate Madison has to offer.
Starbucks
We began our chocolatey journey here with high hopes and empty stomachs. Starbucks is a world-renowned coffee chain, so we expected nothing less than mass-produced excellence. After our first sip of the regular hot chocolate, we all knew we had been proven wrong.
Bill threw away his scientific expertise and went with his gut reaction. With a sour look on his face he proclaimed it was among the worst hot chocolate he had ever had. The rest of us were quick to agree. Emily thought it was way too sweet and said she could have made it herself at home. She even claimed her grandma could do better. Although Starbucks still received the lowest overall score, the only thing that saved it from really tanking was the festive holiday cups.
Overall: 4.5
Einstein Bros. Bagels
As a popular campus spot for coffee, we were interested to see if Einstein's could live up to its name. We all agreed the flavor was more robust than Starbucks. Ariel thought it had a more specific flavor, like Hershey's chocolate. It had an almost marshmallowy taste we enjoyed but still had a grainy texture, putting it in our top three favorites.
Overall: 7.5
Espresso Royale
After getting over our immediate reaction to the tiny size of the cup, we realized Espresso's hot chocolate had a nice, chocolately flavor. Although we all enjoyed this stronger flavor, Emily was not a fan, pushing it to a close fourth place.
Overall: 7.3
Sunroom Café
The three foodies who know and love Sunroom had expectations that the hot chocolate might hold a candle to the delectable Sunday brunch. We immediately were filled with disappointment when we saw there was no whipped cream to top off this lackluster treat. Although it had a rich flavor, it was a bit watery for our taste.
Overall: 6.5
Steep and Brew
If you are looking to show off your hot chocolate, Steep and Brew can definitely help you out. Not only was it topped with whipped cream and cocoa powder, but this drink had real chocolate syrup inside. We decided this was an indulgence we couldn't have made ourselves, making S and B's hot chocolate our number two pick.
Overall: 8.4
Fair Trade Coffee
While Fair Trade's offering was clearly better than Starbucks, it was a big disappointment. We agreed it tasted like rich, warm, 2% milk. The chocolately flavor all fell to the bottom. Despite the bland flavor, Emily said when she's old she will come here to get her warm milk.
Overall: 6.25
Paciugo
We went off our normal coffee house path to find the spot of our favorite hot chocolate. Paciugo specializes in gelato and offers a few coffee drinks, so you wouldn't necessarily think of coming here to warm up on a winter day. Even though it cost at least a dollar more than the others we tasted, it was well worth it. It was extremely rich and chocolately, and it packed the chocolate intensity we were waiting for. If you want to give it a try, your best bet might be to order the hot chocolate with a milder flavor of gelato in it and share with friends.
Overall: 9.2
Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream
After our luck at Paciugo, we figured we could give another dessert spot a chance. While it was the cheapest option at only $1.50, you could have made this bland hot chocolate at home with some Swiss Miss. If you are on State Street and are desperate for a hot chocolate fix, just take a few extra steps over to Steep and Brew.
Overall: 5.75
