These two Washington spots are among the best in US for hot chocolate, Yelp says

It’s hot chocolate season in Washington. The air is chilly and snowy in some parts of the state making it the perfect time to reach for a warm drink.

And Yelp released it’s list of the top 20 hot chocolate spots in the U.S. just in time.

The list includes two places in Washington: Rey Amargo Chocolate Shop in Seattle and the Frosty Barell in Newcastle.

To find the “Top 25 places for hot chocolate across the U.S. and Canada,” Yelp identified businesses in the food and restaurants category with a large number of reviews that mentioned “hot chocolate.” Then it ranked these places on the total volume and ratings of reviews.

Rey Amargo Chocolate Shop — Seattle

This Mexican chocolate shop in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood serves over a dozen hot — and iced — chocolate drinks.

“Now that the weather is cold, this place is top of mind!” one Yelp reviewer wrote.

But this chocolate establishment doesn’t serve just one kind of hot cocoa. The menu has a large variety of drinks.

Customers can order signature hot chocolate drinks that are customizable, and either hot or iced. The next decision involves the type of chocolate, the base, and any add ons (marshmallows and vanilla syrup).

Different types of chocolate range from the percentage of cacao to the flavors. One drink called “The Royal” has 50% cacao. It’s “not sweet, just the perfect middle ground,” the shop says.

Yelp reviewers raved about the Mayan chocolate, a drink with fresh roasted corn.

“We got the Mayan hot chocolate which I believe has roasted corn in it — and was delighted at how tasty but light the drink was. I’ve seriously never had a hot chocolate like it.”

There’s also the South American chocolate drink that has chunks of Monterrey Jack cheese. Or the Swiss-style drink that is made with thick chocolate and topped with whip cream and chopped cacao beans.

The Frosty Barrel — Newcastle

An ice cream shop in New Castle also made Yelp’s list for the top hot chocolate in the country.

Frosty Barrel doesn’t just serve ice cream, it also has plenty of hot chocolate options, including hot chocolate flights that can be paired with ice cream.

The four flavors include the traditional Dutch, butter rum hot chocolate, Mexican hot chocolate and s’mores hot chocolate.

“The team has curated pairings so customers can have a flavorful experience. I recommend for date night desserts, or for a fun treat with friends,” one reviewer wrote.

For the holidays, there are also boozy hot chocolates on the menu, like the spiked butterscotch. It’s made with white hot chocolate, Butterscotch Schnapps, Baileys Irish Cream and finished with whipped cream and cinnamon.

Yelp reviewers also mentioned trying the wine flights with ice cream pairings.

“With the pairing set, they give you a card that describes the featured wine and ice cream origin and flavors. My favorite pairing was a white wine and pear sorbet. It was light, fresh, and perfectly sweet!” another Yelp reviewer wrote.

Newcastle is about 10 miles southeast of Seattle.

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