With 143 drinks at 95 locations crafted by 66 vendors, the 2023 Greater Vancouver Hot Chocolate Festival is the annual event's biggest yet.
Running now through February 14 - the sweetest day of the year, of course - the popular fest finds "chocstars" across Metro Vancouver offering up creative hot chocolate concoctions, often with treats on the side, to make these chilly winter weeks a little warmer.
Each year, participating vendors tend to try to outdo themselves from the year before. But each fest also brings new "chocstars" to the table, with new stops for delectable hot chocolate sips.
We can't try all 143 hot chocolates, but we've made good progress so far at three area cafes and bakeries with their unique offerings.
First up, Honolulu Coffee, whose three Vancouver locations are making two hot chocolates:
- The Donut - A donut-shaped hot chocolate using 70 per cent dark chocolate mixed with a single shot of espresso and finished with a sea salt cream cheese frosty topping. (Can be made decaf, but cannot be non-dairy). The drink is paired with a donut-shaped fudge chocolate cake glazed with refreshing raspberry icing.
- Raincouver - You'll know you're in Vancouver when you see this fun, 70 per cent dark hot chocolate with pink Himalayan salt melting a cloud of suspended cotton candy. It's raining!
Over at Beaucoup Bakery, they're making the Afternoon Tea Set: Inspired by Hong Kong-style afternoon tea sets, the drink features salted Milo and Horlick Blond Hot Chocolate infused with Madagascar vanilla, topped with whipped cream and pineapple bun topping cookie crumbs. Beaucoup's drink is erved with a pineapple bun brioche with salted honey-whipped butter.
We also paid a visit to Fife Bakery, which is making StrawRuby Fields, a pink drink made with ruby chocolate and strawberries and comes with a mini muffin.
Watch: Trying four drinks and treats from this year's Hot Chocolate Festival
@forkingawesomevia That’s a lot of hot chocolate! #vancouverbc #forkingawesome #hotchocolatefestival 🎙️ @LindsayWR ♬ Would That I (True that I saw her hair like the branch of a tree) - Hozier
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