Baby, it’s cold outside! Time for Melbourne’s best hot chocolate

Mörk: it first appeared as a strange but fun-to-say Swedish word on café menus, now it’s the hot chocolate of choice on every Melbournite’s lips.

Though you can try Mörk’s sumptuous hot chocolate blends at a variety of venues all around the city, we reckon it’s worth going straight to the source – Mörk’s brew house and on-site cacao roasting facility in North Melbourne.

Not only can you indulge in the whole range of Mörk’s wild and wonderful creations here, you’ll also get to see the magic in process and have a chat with the friendly chocolatier staff in-house.

Everything’s made from scratch and the menu’s full of tantalising options – from a “bounty” like coconut-infused brew to the campfire hot chocolate with maple smoke and charcoal salt. Our advice? Whatever you do, don’t pass on the toasted vanilla marshmallow.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Hot chocolate with Australian natives ($6)

Whether you’re northside, southside or smack-bang in between, there’s bound to be a Koko Black nearby. And thank the chocolate gods! Because as Melbourne’s chilly days grow even chillier, this chocolate shop chain’s Belgian-style hot cocoa has to be one of our favourite ways to warm up.

Koko’s signature blend is made up of 54% dark chocolate, cream and milk. Though it’s heaven on its own, there’s an option to go wild with add-ons if you please. Try chili, hazelnut, orange or cinnamon for the ultimate winter indulgence.

And if you’d like to take your Koko Black experience home with you, the Aussie-made, hand-crafted chocolates make a delightful gift. Take a gander at the pristine glass display units and you’ll find a 250-plus range of truffles, marbles and blocks to choose from. Just try not to go chocolate mad.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Belgian hot chocolate ($7)

Picture a relaxed neighbourhood wine bar meets Italian-inspired cicchetti (Venetian version of tapas) eatery in the heart of Carlton. That’s Heartattack and Vine. It also happens to deliver what many believe is the best hot chocolate on Lygon Street.

For Heartattack’s Spanish version of the classic winter drink, anticipate a warming combination of house-made ganache and chilli orange syrup to lift your spirits. It’s creamy, spicy and just the right balance of bitter and sweet.

And if you’ve got time for dinner, why not stick around? There’s always an array of tasty, imaginative snacks at Heartattack as well as an impressive European wine list. Bring a friend or date along to make a night of it.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Spanish hot chocolate ($5)

For a true Italian-style hot chocolate, Melbournians make a beeline for Brunetti’s. While it’s easy to discount the famous pasticceria as just another chain coffee spot, Brunetti’s is renowned as one of the few places in the city where you can enjoy the traditional, thick-textured, ultra dark style of hot chocolate customary in Italy’s cafe culture.

Less watery thin cocoa, more melty dark chocolate in a mug, it’s an experience to remember. But be warned. Once you’ve tried the Italian style, it’s hard to go back!

Dish Cult’s top pick: Cioccolata calda ($6.80)

What’s better than chocolate? Nothing, of course…except maybe cheese. Which is why the cheese-infused hot chocolate at Fitzroy’s Sonido is all kinds of sinful and gooey deliciousness. But the combo isn’t a hipster fad. It’s actually a Colombian style of drinking hot chocolate, perfected and enjoyed in South America for centuries.

If the thought of a chunk of cheese in your chocolate still freaks you out, think again. Served in a traditional olletta (jug) with a molinillo (stirring stick), Sonido’s take on hot chocolate con queso (with cheese) is surprisingly moreish. Think stringy, gooey, salty, creamy and sweet all at once.

Just try to resist the temptation to fill up on Sonido’s famous cheese-filled savoury arepas beforehand or you might fall into a dairy coma. But let’s be real: that doesn’t sound too bad.

Dish Cult’s top pick: Colombian hot chocolate ($5.50)