Never a date unto itself of course, but a detour to a hot chocolate spot is a must this winter!

1. The City Bakery
Thick-as-a-milkshake and topped with ginormous marshmallows, this is how hot chocolate was destined to be.

2. Jacques Torres Chocolate Haven
A spicy concoction not for the uninitiated. If you like the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate at Starbucks, you’ll go ga-ga for JT (and you’ll already be used to the hefty price tag).

3. Serendipity
Purveyor of the world-famous Frozen Hot Chocolate featured in countless movies about NYC.

4. Vosges Haut-Chocolat
The chain’s foreign-sounding name is really all you need to be convinced of it’s reliability.

5. Otto Enoteca Pizzeria
Most people know that Mario Batali of Food Network fame bakes a fine pizza at this West Village joint. But many do not realize that he also brews a mean hot chocolate there too.

6. Ninth Street Espresso
At $2 a cup, it’s tough to beat!

7. La Maison du Chocolat
At $8 a cup, it’s tough to justify! But seriously, if you’re on a date at the nearby Metropolitan Museum of Art, you cannot afford to pass this up.

8. Dessert Truck
These mobile food concepts seem to be popping up at more and more street corners every week. Buying hot chocolate from the Dessert Truck will transport you back in time to the good ‘ole days of Good Humor.

9. Dylan’s Candy Bar
The daughter of designer Ralph Lauren owns this shop, and let’s just say her confection skills are top-of-the-line.

10. Starbucks
“Really? Come on, DateSpaces! You should be ashamed of yourself…” No we’re serious. The ‘Bucks used to feature a too-thick-to-actually-drink hot chocolate that no one was buying. They’ve replaced it with two new varietals of more drinkable viscosity. And, as much as it pains us to say it, they are mighty tasty.