Hunt Country Hot Chocolate Crawl

Written by Diane Helentjaris | Photo by Callie Broaddus

With iced tea weather on hiatus and wine tours available year-round, winter is the perfect opportunity to investigate Hunt Country’s many hot chocolate offerings. Touring the countryside in search of the perfect cup of hot cocoa has few downsides: there’s no need to hire a limo or a babysitter, it’s not too pricey, and the cold weather is exactly what cozy treats like this are made for. Not to mention the health benefits — chocolate is rich in antioxidants and also stimulates the release of mood-boosting endorphins. Happily, our region has no shortage of unique sipping spots and tasty chocolate brews.

Before gassing up the car for a hot chocolate-themed trek through Hunt Country, a peek at terminology is helpful. Though here in North America, “hot chocolate” and “hot cocoa” are often used interchangeably, there is a distinction. “Hot cocoa” is made with cocoa powder, which lacks the cocoa butter found in chocolate. “Hot chocolate” can mean hot cocoa or a drink made by melting chocolate shavings, wafers, bars, or chips. North American hot chocolate is also a thinner drink than its European counterpart, which is sometimes called “sipping” or “drinking” chocolate. All of these may be made with cow’s milk of any fat content, nondairy milk, water, or a combination, and most hot chocolate drinks are sweetened. 

For history buffs, sipping hot chocolate at Warrenton’s Frost Diner is hard to match. The art deco restaurant arrived fully assembled from New Jersey on a flatbed tractor trailer and opened January 15, 1955. Inside, shiny steel, pink, and black décor appears unchanged since the likes of Muhammad Ali, Elizabeth Taylor, and John Warner dropped by. It’s easy to imagine Jackie Kennedy sitting by the Coke machine and munching on a Virginia country ham sandwich as she did in 1980. Lisa Stuart has owned the restaurant for the past 26 years. She proudly notes that their hot chocolate is “made on-site… 90% of our foods are made by us.” Topped with a tall swirl of whipped cream, Frost Diner hot chocolate is a classic take on the beloved drink. 

Another regional diner to check out is the Marshall Diner in, of course, Marshall. It offers traditional hot cocoa in a heavy earthenware mug and saucer, topped with whipped cream and a decorative swirl of chocolate syrup. This popular diner has been voted the best in Fauquier County in past years. And for your next stop, head just down the road to Red Truck Bakery & Café. Known for the pies, cakes, and baked goods it ships around the country and lauded by the likes of Oprah, it serves a semisweet hot chocolate upon request.

For those seeking a community hub, hot cocoa is an optional beverage. Doppio Bunny, for example, bustles with activity. Customers peer at their laptops, chat, and read as they enjoy the friendly atmosphere along with specialty cups of hot cocoa. Finely grated fresh orange zest sits atop the foam of a rich, cardamon-laced cup. Other flavors include peppermint, salted caramel, or traditional cocoa. Doppio Bunny has spots in The Plains, Purcellville, and Winchester. 

In Middleburg, coffee shops Common Grounds and Cuppa Giddy Up offer hot chocolate, as does Deja Brew Café in Warrenton. Kayla Kidwell, a manager at Common Grounds, says of their hot chocolate, “It’s rich… creamy. We love doing seasonal things around here.” Some current limited-time offerings include Camp Fire, which has a toasted marshmallow flavor, or Green Mint, which recalls a certain Girl Scout cookie. But hot chocolate stays on the menu year-round, with whole, oat, almond, and soy milk all on tap. Kidwell explains that their drinks are made with Ghirardelli chocolate and their whipped cream is made in-house with delicate vanilla flavoring. 

The Hamilton Mercantile, originally opened in the 1970s and billed as the “first natural food store in Loudoun County,” offers hot cocoa consistent with its emphasis on unprocessed, organic food. Customers can choose from grass-fed whole milk from South Mountain creamery, oat milk, soy milk, or almond milk. Whipped cream and vegan marshmallow toppings are also available. Their walk-up window opens as early as 7 a.m. for morning strollers. 

Leesburg is home to two chocolate-forward purveyors offering specialty drinks. The Conche’s purpose is “to express our commitment to enhancing life’s special moments and occasions with chocolate.” Chocolate is sprinkled throughout the menu, making surprising appearances such as the chocolate bitters joined with liquor in their Old Fashioned. The Conche offers five varieties of hot chocolate, including a pumpkin chai.

Round off your tour with European-style sipping chocolate at The Chocolate Palette, tucked on a quiet side street in downtown Leesburg. Proprietor Cheryl June uses high-quality chocolate wafers melted in warm milk. The result is a creamy, thick indulgence. The shop offers five sipping chocolates along with seasonal specialties. Dairy-free and sugar-free options are also offered. Sipping one of June’s cream-topped, inky-dark Italian Job drinks from her white, sculpted porcelain cup is a transportive experience — one of many available to Hunt Country chocolate trekkers. ML

Published in the December 2025 issue of Middleburg Life.