(Photo by Fallon Michael)
All of the cold and wet weather Pasadena’s been experiencing makes a person want to enjoy a steaming cup of hot chocolate.
As luck would have it, National Hot Chocolate Day is on Sunday, Jan. 31. Be sure to support the following small businesses by purchasing a cup from them while out and about.
Amara Cafe and Restaurant, 55 S. Raymond Ave., serves all kinds of hot chocolate, but pride themselves on serving their own blend, the Amara “Gran Criollo” Dark Chocolate Blend, made from certified organic Criollo cacao beans from Venezuela. They’re open on Sunday for limited in-store ordering, as well as curbside pickup and delivery orders, from 7:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call (626) 744-1765 or order online through www.amaracafe.com.
Urth Caffé Pasadena, 594 E. Colorado Blvd., is open on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. They serve hot cocoa for breakfast and all day, as well as all kinds of organic coffee, fine teas, and blended iced drinks. Call (626) 844-4644 to order, or visit www.urthcaffe.com.
Vanilla Bake Shop, 88 E. Colorado Blvd., is open Sunday for hot chocolate, favorite cakes in-store, and for pickup and delivery orders, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. To order, visit www.vanillabakeshop.com or call (323) 204-4075.
La Monarca Bakery and Cafe, 1001 Mission St., South Pasadena, offers hot Mexican chocolate, made from scratch. And don’t forget the organic cacao nibs. They’re open on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. To order, call (626) 403-6860 or visit www.lamonarcabakery.com.
The Pie Hole, 59 E. Colorado Blvd., is open for takeaway and delivery orders from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Order hot chocolate, along with a favorite pie online through PostMates, https://postmates.com/merchant/the-pie-hole-59-e-colorado-blvd, or by calling (626) 765-6315.
FrenchiFornia, 247 E. Colorado Blvd., is open Sunday for take-away only from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It’s a little shop that “stands out with a great selection of tasty French and European treats,” customers on Yelp say. To order hot chocolate, call (626) 319-3031 or visit www.frenchifornia.business.site.
Carmela Ice Cream, 2495 E. Washington Blvd. Is open from noon to 10 p.m. Sunday for in-store shopping and delivery. They have all kinds of ice cream flavors, but their housemade hot chocolate is perfect with their vanilla bean marshmallows. Call (626) 797-1405 to order, or visit www.carmelaicecream.com.
Intelligentsia Coffee Pasadena Coffeebar, 55 E. Colorado Blvd., is open Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., for take-away orders only. They’re known for quality coffee, but their hot chocolate is equally superb. Visit www.intelligentsia.com for more information, or call (626) 578-1270.
