There’s nothing more soothing on a frosty winter day than a steaming cup of the classic drink. Ottawa Parenting Times recently dropped in on some of Ottawa’s most popular spots for this delicious treat.
Hot chocolate. It’s the hallmark of winter. Families bond over it while taking a break from outdoor play. Friends enjoy it together, sipping as they chat and laugh in the frigid Ottawa air. Paired with a Beavertail, it makes for the ultimate Canadian snack.
It offers comfort, warmth and a rich chocolaty taste that’s irresistible. It nourishes the soul.
But where are some places in Ottawa that serve really good hot chocolate? As the season begins, we wanted to investigate this important question.
Turns out, there are many places in the city that serve an excellent cup of hot chocolate. Here, we list some of the ones we visited; you may have your own favourites. If we’ve missed a place that you think offers an unbeatable cup, drop us a line at editor@ottawaparentingtimes.ca.
Truffle Treasures
Where: Two locations: 314 Richmond Road in West-boro, and 769 Bank Street in the Glebe.
What makes it special: Truffle Treasures takes pride in its “exceptional and deliciously rich and exotic hot chocolates.” Choose the type of chocolate you want your hot chocolate made with, and they will make it before you. Available with skim milk or soy milk, their hot chocolate is made from real chocolate, cream, spices and so on. For a full list of the various flavours, see their website. Our publisher, Peter Ausland, tried the Pumpkin Spice flavour. He described it as rich and creamy, and very decadent.
Website: www.truffletreasures.com
Wild Oat Bakery Café
Where: 817 Bank St., in the Glebe.
What makes it special: This drink, served in a simple ceramic cup, is all natural – pure cocoa, no sugar. You have to add sugar yourself. Our editor Kelly Roesler (also a diehard plain coffee and tea drinker) didn’t add any sugar and enjoyed the unsweetened cocoa flavour. She found it a refreshing change as hot chocolate can so often be overly sweet, creamy, heavy or rich. She found it a satisfying, authentic cup of cocoa to enjoy amid a warm, lively atmosphere.
Website: Search for “Wild Oat Bakery” on Facebook.
Stubbe Chocolates
Where: 375 Dalhousie St.
What makes it special: In 1845, Johannes Heinrich Petrus Stubbe established Stubbe chocolates in the northern German city of Meppen, laying the foundation for six generations of chocolate making. In 1989, the Stubbe family moved the company to Canada, and today, their passion for chocolate lives on in boutique shops in Ottawa and Toronto. Editor Kelly Roesler sat down for a cup of regular hot chocolate, and savoured the warm chocolate aroma of the store. The drink, made from pure origin chocolate, was served in a lovely glass mug with cookies. The flavour was rich, creamy and delicious – an ideal reprieve from a wintry day.
Website: www.stubbechocolatesottawa.com
Simply Biscotti Café
Where: 307 Richmond Rd. and 354 Preston St.
What makes it special: Publisher Peter Ausland, who stopped by for a sample, described Simply Biscotti – which offers homemade biscotti and other Italian pastries, as well as a lunch menu and coffees – as a cosy setting with friendly service, “yummy looking hot chocolate with whipped cream, and lots of amazing-looking biscotti and other treats and desserts.”
Website: www.simplybiscotticafe.com
Bridgehead
Where: Various locations.
What makes it special: Bridgehead is an Ottawa fair trade coffeehouse chain with several locations throughout the city. If sustainability is important to you, you’ll feel great about indulging in a cup of Bridgehead’s hot chocolate, and supporting cocoa growers La Cooperativa Agroindustrial Tocache in northwestern Peru, which has won awards for best international cocoa. Publisher Peter Ausland recently tasted a cup of Bridgehead’s hot chocolate, and he found their take on the drink “tasty, not too heavy, and the price and atmosphere was great.”
Website: www.bridgehead.ca