Destination:
Angelina
About
Angelina’s hot chocolate is largely considered the best and most famous hot chocolate in all of Paris. Their signature hot chocolate is composed of three kinds of African cocoa from Niger, Ghana, and Côte d’Ivoire. The combination of these chocolates gives Angelina’s hot chocolate its exceptional taste and distinctive character.
Mont-BLANC
This iconic pastry combines meringue, light whipped cream, and chestnut paste vermicelli to delight even the keenest of palates. The Mont-Blanc’s unique, unrivaled recipe has made it Angelina’s famous trademark pastry since 1903.
Review
About
The Angelina Cafe in Paris opened in 1903 when an Austrian born confectioner named Antoine Rumpelmayer decided to open a tearoom in Paris — naming it after his daughter-in-law Angelina. Through the years it became known for its signature African hot chocolate, which is a blend of three kinds of African cocoas from Niger, Ghana and Côte d’Ivoirethat. The blend gives it its magical flavor, but the specifics to the recipe are still a closely guarded secret. In 2005 Bertrand Restauration purchased Angelina’s and has since expanded to 31 locations around the world.
In 2020, amidst the Covid19 pandemic, Angelina’s expanded into New York City — it’s first of two in New York City and the only two location in the United States. This location, just outside Bryant Park, seats 6O guests. If you prefer to grab your goodies and go, they have a bakery counter full of pastries, teas and hot chocolate just inside the entrance. The second location, which opened in April of 2023, is located on the Upper East Side at the corner of 78th and Lexington Ave. It is a small location with minimal seating but with much more of a neighborhood feel and little to no tourist.
What They Are Known For
Hot Chocolate
Angelina’s main attraction is their thick hot chocolate that is served with a dollop of homemade whipped cream. The combination of three African cocoas mixed with their secret recipe gives the hot chocolate its thick, velvety smooth flavor. The experience is comparable to that random shoulder massage that immobilizes you with comfort. The flavor is very representative of the dark chocolate that constructs it. You will find it to be a rich, bolder flavor that is not sweet and perfectly balanced. When combined with the fresh whipped cream the hot chocolate is pure adultery.
Mont-Blanc
The Mont-Blanc is Angelina’s signature pastry. It has been served at the tearoom since it first opened. The pastry is made up of meringue, chestnut paste and whipped cream to create its trademark confectionery; however the rest of the recipe is also a tightly kept secret.
There are two ways to eat the Mont-Blanc. You’ll find most people in America eat it the traditional way. They will start eating the Mont-Blanc from the top and work their way through the pastry. In France, however, they flip the Mont-Blanc over and start eating it from the bottom. This allows you to get directly into the whipped cream — the best part of the Mont-Blanc. The whipped cream is thick and fills your palate with luscious dreams.
To get a better idea of how the French eat the Mont-Blanc we have provided pictures at the bottom.
Experience
Angelina is a high-end, luxury tearoom. It is not ultra fancy, but they absolutely market themselves as such. As evidence, look not further than the cities they have opened up locations in: New York City, Paris, Dubai, Beijing and Tokyo are all wealthy cities.
Nonetheless, our experiences at the New York City locations have always been excellent. They staff is always a pleasure to speak to and are knowledgable about their items. They have, on multiple occasions, given us the whipped cream to-go even though it’s reserved for in-door seating at the Bryant Park location. The reason for this is in an effort to save time, as that location can get very busy. If you opt to go to the 78th Street location, they will give you that delicious whipped cream to-go.
Their locations are always very bright and clean. The items are always fresh — as you would expect — and taste great every time we order them. The only downside would be lines. But if you are a hotspot in NYC then there will always been a line … especially in tourist-packed Midtown. If you want less crowds head to the Upper East Side location for a much more neighborhood vibe.
Pricing
As previously mentioned, Angelina is a luxury brand. Prices are fairly high, as a Mont-Blanc — which cost $10 when they first opened — is now $12. The to-go hot chocolate is currently $11. When you visit places like Angelina it’s about expectations. You expected it to be good and it is. You expect good service and you get it. And as long as you expect the prices to be higher than your standard hot chocolate then you won’t be taken back by it.
What people are saying
What they like:
“A fantastic experience. Worth the wait in line. Their hot chocolate met and exceeded expectations. Best I ever had.”
What they don’t like:
“Lines can be long. The hot chocolate is too rich and you have to drink it before it gets cold. Considering time and price, the food wasn’t worth it.”