Hot Chocolate on Campus, Ranked

The snow on campus, the beginning of December, and the start of finals stress: the perfect combination of events to enjoy a nice cup of hot chocolate.

Because I have too many Flex Points (and because the semester is ending soon!), I’ve decided to scope out different cafes on campus for the best hot chocolate. Notre Dame has lots of convenient locations for grabbing a quick drink, so I’ve spent the past week trying different places and discovering some hidden gems.

6 Dining Hall

Though this hot chocolate is basically included with the meal swipe, I decided that it counts in my endeavor to find the best hot chocolate. My expectations were low, and though it was very hot and very chocolate tasting, it became my standard for all other hot chocolate on campus.

5 Au Bon Pain

Coming back from Ricci Band Rehearsal Hall and cutting through the library to avoid the snow, ABP has a great location for my Monday commute. Though the cost outweighs the quantity (and quality), the hot chocolate was a nice way to warm up and a great distraction for the work I had piling up on my desk.

4 Crossings

Hidden in the Eck Hall of Law, Crossings was my first experience of on-campus dining. I ventured here to try their hot chocolate – forgetting how out of place I would look amongst the law school students. The staff was nice, and though their hot chocolate was out of a packet, it was the cheapest I’ve found on campus.

3 Starbucks

Despite always being at Starbucks, I had never tried their hot chocolate. On this visit, they were out of my usual order, so I decided to give their hot chocolate a taste. Though I paid $4 for a grande, their hot chocolate was probably the best that I could buy on campus. Plus, their holiday cup and cute script handwriting added to the aesthetic.

(picture taken by the author, of the holiday cup)

2 Waddick’s

To be quite honest, I didn’t realized this cafe existed. I cut through O’Shaughnessy to get to class because of the cold, and I was rewarded. The wait was short (I ordered before 9:25 classes let out) and the drink stayed hot as I walked to DeBart. Their hot chocolate costs as much as ABP’s, but had a larger serving (and tasted better, in my opinion). I will definitely be going back throughout the winter.

1 McWell Pop Up

What better way to start the day than FREE hot chocolate on the way to class? Answer: there is none. It’s free, and usually unexpected but always greatly appreciated. You can’t go wrong with McWell in the morning.

All in all, these locations offer a great winter drink to be enjoyed by anyone. I would definitely recommend that any lover of hot chocolate finds their cafe of choice before the end of the semester.

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