Everyone loves a cup of hot chocolate on a cold, winter day, but what makes it even better? When it also supports a good cause.
Every year in February, YYC Hot Chocolate Fest brings together dozens of restaurants and cafés in a friendly competition to see who can create the best hot chocolate, which is judged and voted on by the public. A portion of all proceeds goes to Meals on Wheels to help support its mission to end food insecurity in Calgary. The 2025 festival was the biggest yet, with more than 102,800 cups enjoyed by the public and over $145,000 dollars raised for Meals on Wheels.
This year, more than 160 restaurants and cafés have revealed one-of-a-kind hot chocolate creations, which are available from February 1 to 28. At the end of the month, awards are given for the most sold drink, top-rated hot chocolate, top-rated spirited hot chocolate, most creative drink and top-rated hot chocolate outside of the city limits. You can vote on the festival’s website or by downloading the YYC Hot Chocolate Fest app for Android and IOS.
Here are just a few of the drinks we’re excited to try this year.
Second Breakfast from Euphoria Cafe
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Euphoria Cafe has created a unique hot chocolate inspired by The Lord of the Rings books. The drink features a mix of melted chocolate, butterscotch, malt and cinnamon, which is then finished off with whipped cream, crumbled shortbread cookies and cocoa to create the ultimate sip.
8 Varsity Estates Circle N.W., 403 313-0503, myeuphoria.coffee
Churro ‘Purrro’ Hot Cocoa from Regal Cat Cafe
This local cat café has crafted a comforting drink for this year’s festival. Expect cinnamon and vanilla flavours complemented by a miniature churro doughnut on top.
303 10 St. N.W., 403-455-2287, regalcatcafe.com
Miso Caramel & Houjicha from Analog Coffee
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This year, Analog Coffee is serving up a hot chocolate with some savoury notes. Featuring an in-house dark chocolate base, maple and Maldon salt, the miso caramel and houjicha hot chocolate is topped with cardamon-infused whipped cream and a white miso and caramel sauce.
Multiple locations, analogcoffee.ca
Rightside Up from Hexagon Cafe
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Can’t get enough of the latest season of Stranger Things? This is the drink for you. This Stranger Things-inspired drink has a chocolate sauce and salted caramel base, toasted marshmallow whipped cream and a dimensions-inspired mix of blueberry and strawberry compote. The final garnish, a crispy Eggo waffle, offers a fun tribute to Eleven’s character.
1140 Kensington Rd., 403-209-2881, thehexcafe.com
Shuck the Corn Up! from Butter Block Bakery and Cafe
Butter Block brings a Vietnamese-inspired drink to this year’s festival. The hot chocolate features corn in two forms: There’s a blend of steamed corn and milk with mocha sauce and condensed milk, which is then complemented by whipped cream and caramel popcorn.
908 17 Ave. S.W., butterblockyyc.com
Iced Fluffernutter from Covet Sips + Sweets
Taking the “hot” out of hot chocolate, Covet Sips + Sweets stands out as one of the only iced options this year. The Iced Fluffernutter features iced milk chocolate cocoa topped with marshmallow fluff, peanut butter whipped sweet cream and cocoa. It’s a particularly great drink to enjoy on a warm winter day this February.
322227 15 St. E., Okotoks, 833-332-6838, covet-sips-sweets.com
Beet The Cold from The Coup
With its vibrant red hue and plant-based ingredients, Beet The Cold offers a memorable take on hot chocolate. The Coup marries vegan dark chocolate, oat milk and beetroot to create a naturally sweet and eye-catching beverage. Coconut whipped cream and a chocolate-dipped beet chip bring the perfect finishing touch to this drink.
924 17 Ave. S.W., 403-541-1041, thecoupyyc.com
Chucho Y Chata from Native Tongues
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Native Tongues’ Chucho Y Chata is a traditional Mexican-inspired hot chocolate crafted with a house-made horchata base, dark cacao and spices. Guests can also opt to add an ounce of agave-based coffee liqueur if they want to spice things up further with the spirited version of the drink. The finishing touch is a toasted coconut whipped cream.
Multiple locations, nativetongues.ca
The Great Pyramid of Amato from Amato Gelato
Amato Gelato’s hot chocolate creation is a feast for the eyes and the stomach. Made with Dutch cacao and Sicilian blood orange sobetto, The Great Pyramid of Amato also has some impressive toppings. Along with whipped cream and a chocolate pizzelle cookie, the drink features an eye-catching chocolate mousse pyramid from Italy that reveals a crunchy chocolate and hazelnut centre inside.
2104 Kensington Rd. N.W., 403-270-9733 and 602 17 Ave. S.W., 587-231-6603, amatogelatoalberta.com
Root Beer Hot Chocolate from Higher Ground
Higher Ground brings the flavours of a familiar soda to this year’s festival. Drawing from the idea of a root beer float, this hot chocolate is made from root beer-infused chocolate milk and takes the theme even further with root beer whipped cream and crushed root beer candy.
1126 Kensington Rd. N.W., 403-270-3780 and 2502 Capitol Hill Crescent N.W., 403-668-1175, highergroundcafe.ca