It’s officially fall in Berkeley. What better way is there to warm up on a brisk, autumn day than with a steaming cup of hot chocolate? And not just any old hot chocolate but hot chocolate from Elmwood Café.
Photo by Holly Birchfield
Nestled on the corner of College Ave. and Russell St., just a fifteen minute walk from Unit 2, Elmwood Café boasts an array of fresh pastries, daily breakfast and lunch foods, coffee drinks and most importantly, hot chocolate.
Elmwood Café uses a house-made, dark chocolate ganache. It is mixed together with steamed milk until completely melted. The concoction is then topped with a dollop of fresh whipped cream, also made in-house.
Photo by Holly Birchfield
The beverage comes in a European-style bowl from which you can sip or use a spoon. What you have now is basically chocolate soup–delicious, creamy, thick chocolate soup. It’s rich but delicate at the same time. So good.
Photo by Holly Birchfield
I prefer Elmwood Café’s hot chocolate over others’ because it’s not too sweet, and it’s creamy. I’m always disappointed when I order a hot chocolate and end up getting overly sweetened, chocolatey water. There’s no chance of that here. It’s incredibly smooth and overflowing with intense, chocolate flavor. And who can turn down a spoonful of homemade whipped cream? Hands down, my favorite hot chocolate. Ever.
Photo by Holly Birchfield
Even if Elmwood Café didn’t have such wonderful hot chocolate, I would still highly recommend it because it’s a chic cafe with delicious food and friendly staff. It was renovated from the Elmwood Soda Fountain, which first opened in 1921, and the building still retains much of its original character, which many of its customers, myself included, find particularly cool. Elmwood Café also uses organic ingredients whenever possible and strives to serve locally sourced and seasonal goods. And it donates money to a different community program every month to boot–just in case you needed any more reasons to go check this place out.
Photo by Holly Birchfield
Photo by Holly Birchfield
Location: 2900 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705
Hours of operation: Mon-Sat 7am to 10pm, Sun 7am to 9 pm