Most 'hot chocolate' in Amsterdam is powder — cocoa, sugar, sometimes a thickener — stirred into hot milk. Real hot chocolate is melted chocolate emulsified into warmed milk. The difference is the difference between instant coffee and an espresso. Amsterdam has roughly six cafes that still do it the real way. This is the complete list.
The classic Amsterdam tearoom hot chocolate. Made from melted dark couverture, served in a glass cup with a small wafer. 5.50 euro. Sit-down only; the room is part of the experience.
Limited winter menu (October to March). We melt our own single-origin bars (Madagascar 70% or Vietnam 75%) into oat or whole milk, no sugar added. 5.20 euro. Take-away or stand at the counter. The Madagascar version is the one to try first.
Thick, almost pudding-consistency, topped with a hand of slagroom. Less subtle than Pompadour but the most theatrical version in the city. 6 euro. Cash-friendly American-style cafe.
Small Italian-Dutch hybrid making a cioccolata calda — the spoon-stands-up Italian style. 5.80 euro. Tiny seating; takeaway is fine.
Local-only spot. Hot chocolate made from a Tony's bar broken into hot milk, served in a heavy ceramic mug. 4.50 euro. Sunday-morning institution for Jordaan residents.
Best known for stroopwafels, but the hot chocolate is genuine — made from melted dark chocolate, modestly sweetened. 4.80 euro. Pair with a warm stroopwafel for the full Dutch winter ritual.
Ask for 'warme chocolademelk van echte chocolade.' If they hesitate, it's powder. Real hot chocolate is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and isn't oversweet. It also takes 3-4 minutes to prepare, never under one minute.
Buy a 100g single-origin bar (any 70% dark — Madagascar gives the brightest result). Chop it fine. Warm 250ml whole milk in a small saucepan to a gentle simmer. Off the heat, whisk in the chocolate until smooth. Optional: a pinch of sea salt, a strip of orange peel. Serves two. Cost: about 2 euro per cup, beats every cafe version including ours.
Pompadour on Huidenstraat for the classic tearoom version, Amsterdam Chocolate Factory on Leidsestraat for single-origin hot chocolate in winter, and De Drie Graefjes near Dam Square for the thickest, most theatrical version.
Chocolademelk, or warme chocolademelk when served hot. Traditional Dutch hot chocolate is thick, lightly sweetened, and often topped with slagroom (whipped cream).
Ask for 'warme chocolademelk van echte chocolade' — hot chocolate from real chocolate. Real hot chocolate takes 3-4 minutes to prepare, coats the back of a spoon, and isn't oversweet.