For the holiday season, we expanded our search to the tri-state area and sampled a variety of hot chocolate blends to find the best hot chocolate around.
Starbucks 

We started our journey at Starbucks on Greenwich Avenue. The iconic coffeehouse is situated in the middle of the Avenue. The modern style cafe is equipped with plenty of room for customers to stand or sit, creating a warm and relaxing environment. We decided to order the Peppermint Hot Chocolate which cost $4.25. It was only a short wait until we could enjoy our decadent drink.

We slid into a booth, rationed out the hot chocolate, and began drinking. We were pleasantly surprised by the hint of peppermint we tasted after enjoying the initial taste of rich, creamy milk chocolate. With every sip, the flavor of peppermint grew stronger. We could not get enough of this sweet refreshing treat.
The staff at Starbucks was happy and helpful in our quest to sample the perfect drink, making our experience even better. Although the popular coffeehouse is usually extremely busy, there were only a few other customers enjoying their drinks.
 
Tazza Cafe

Next, we went to Tazza Cafe, a large, clean, and comfortable space with ample outdoor and indoor seating, located on Main Street in Armonk, New York. Tazza Cafe offered a variety of frozen coffee, hot chocolate, and smoothie blends to appease the holiday season. We ordered the Frozen Hot Chocolate for $3.75. As we waited for our drink, the Christmas decorations that adorned the cafe and the surrounding Armonk Town Square dazzled us. 

After a short wait of about five minutes, our order was ready. We were in awe of the vast amount of whipped cream and chocolate syrup that filled the cup. The first sip offered a brisk, but refreshing frozen hot chocolate blend that left each of us wanting more. The staff at Tazza Cafe was friendly, but not as welcoming as we expected. With a decorated, charming atmosphere, we were able to sit down, chat, revel in the merriment of the Christmas season, and enjoy our frozen drink.
 
Dunkin’ Donuts 
Lastly, we arrived at Dunkin’ Donuts to sample its new Oreo Cookie Hot Chocolate, which is only offered this fall and winter season. The Dunkin’ Donuts on West Putnam Avenue in Greenwich is small and easily accessible for people on the move, as it is located on a busy connector road. The line moved efficiently and the cashiers were especially pleasant.

After a short wait for our drink to arrive, we took our first sips. Initially, the smell of creamy chocolate was a bit overwhelming. However, the drink itself had the perfect combination of Oreo cookie and cocoa. While it resembled regular hot chocolate, the drink was rich and creamy.
Pairing milk and cookies together is a classic combination and we were eager to try this duo in a new form. After a couple of sips, however, the drink became too sweet. A small with 220 calories and 31 grams of sugar was excessive. We agreed that only a few sips were needed in order to fully enjoy the chocolate flavor. Nonetheless, this upgrade from a regular hot chocolate is a delightful alternative during the winter.

Winner
At the end of our quest, we concluded that Dunkin’ Donuts had the best hot chocolate and overall experience. Although we thoroughly enjoyed our delicious chocolate drinks from Tazza and Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts’ twist on the classic cookies and milk was the most enjoyable and satisfying drink of all.
– Kristen Davis, Content Editor, Grace Mather, Sports & Health Editor, and Nadia Zuaiter, Social Media Content Editor and Co-Podcast Editor