The weather outside is frightful, but at least the hot chocolate beverages are delightful! February is YYC Hot Chocolate Fest month, the perfect time of year to enjoy a confectionary drink while winter is still in full swing. Restaurants around the city create a signature hot chocolate drink specifically for the festival with traditional, unique and hot chocolates with spirits involved! This isn’t your typical hot cocoa and peppermint Schnapps!

The nice bonus about YYC Hot Chocolate Fest is that you’ll be drinking to a good cause. The event is an annual fundraiser for Calgary Meals on Wheels to help them keep up with demand to feed needy seniors. The 2017 event saw over $35,000 raised for the charity through the thousands of hot chocolates sold throughout Calgary. So with an entire month to get drinking, here’s a look at just 10 of the available hot chocolates to check out for the 2018 edition of YYC Hot Chocolate Fest.

• Vendome Cafe – Dutch Hot Chocolate

 

• Alforno Bakery – S’mores Hot Chocolate

 

• The Nash – Smoked Chocolate Chili Mocha

 

• River Cafe – Honey & Haskap Hot Chocolate

 

• Boxcar Cafe – Gingerbread Hot Chocolate

 

• Bridgeland Market – Be Still, My Beet(ing) Heart

 

• Rosso Coffee Roasters – Orange Blossom Hot Cocoa

 

• Analog Coffee – Thai Chili Chelada

 

• Cravings Market Restaurant – Cinnamon Spice Hot Chocolate

 

• Deane House – Caramelized Honey Hot Chocolate

 

Don’t these hot chocolates all look so amazing! Check out the YYC Hot Chocolate Fest website for full details and locations. Dairy-free, gluten-free, vegan, and fair trade options are also available at some locations.