If you use TikTok or Instagram, you’ve probably seen the famous hot chocolate topped with the most decadent mountain of whipped cream at luxurious cafés in Paris. But is this hot chocolate worth all of the hype or is it just a tourist trap?

I’m here to break down whether it’s worth it to go to Angelina’s Café or Carette in Paris for their hot chocolate with whipped cream, or chocolat chaud avec chantilly in French.

At a Glance:

Angelina’s Review
Carette Review
Final Thoughts

Angelina’s, 1e Arrondissement

Tourist trap or worth the hype?

Angelina’s is a very elegant café located in the 1st arrondissement near the Louvre in Paris. They have been around for more than a century, and even have international locations! They are best known for their hot chocolate with whipped cream, which you can even buy as a powder or pre-made in a glass jar from their store.

When I came here with my friends while backpacking Europe, Angelina’s was a high priority for us to try. We came for brunch so we tried their food as well, and I will give you a breakdown of everything we ordered and if I think Angelina’s is worth going to.

Angelina’s Hot Chocolate

I was very surprised with their hot chocolate! I actually ordered a mocha, which is their hot chocolate with espresso, still served with whipped cream. This was a very rich drink with a velvety smooth consistency, and in my opinion it wasn’t overly sweet. The whipped cream was very creamy and had that almost buttery like finish that keeps you wanting more.

My friends had ordered the regular hot chocolate with whipped cream, and they also loved it. They actually preferred my mocha because it cut out some of the sweetness!

Final thoughts: Angelina’s hot chocolate is definitely worth the hype! I really enjoyed the consistency and flavor, I think it was the best hot chocolate I’ve had to date.

Price: 8.90€ for the hot chocolate with whipped cream, 8.50€ for the mocha with whipped cream

Angelina’s Breakfast

Angelina’s offers a huge menu that will give you a good impression of a classic French breakfast filled with pastries and eggs. For me, I was looking for both a sweet and savory breakfast, so I ordered a pain au chocolat with an omelette on the side. This way I get some protein to keep me full longer and also indulge in my favorite pastry!

The omelette with herbs was cooked well but to me it lacked flavor. I should’ve added salt and pepper, but normally it should be cooked or topped off with the basic spices so it isn’t plain!

The pain au chocolat was very good – perfectly flakey and not dry. Though, for the price of the pain au chocolat, I would’ve rather picked one up from a nearby boulangerie for the same quality and a cheaper price.

Final thoughts: If I were to go back to Angelina’s I would probably stick to the hot chocolate or mocha and then have breakfast elsewhere!

Price: 3.20€ for the pain au chocolat, 16€ for the omelette with herbs

Carette, 16e Arrondissement

Tourist trap or worth the hype?

Carette is the other famous café, known for their hot chocolate where you can top it with whipped cream yourself! This café is located right near the Eiffel Tower at the metro stop Trocadero, so it is a very popular spot filled with tourists.

I came here on a chilly winter day with my friend when we were craving a nice mug of hot chocolate, and it definitely satisfied our cravings.

What I liked about Carette is the amount of whipped cream we were given and that we could top the hot chocolate ourselves. At Angelina’s, my mocha was already topped with whipped cream, and the amount of whipped cream given on the side for my friend’s hot chocolate was tiny compared to Carette.

The hot chocolate here was very filling and rich, and complemented the whipped cream well. Though, the atmosphere here was not as nice as Angelina’s. Here, it feels very run down and a bit dirty, and also completely swamped with tourists going to the Eiffel Tower. For the price and the atmosphere, I would rather go back to Angelina’s.

I didn’t have anything to eat here, but honestly their prices seemed ridiculously high so I would suggest finding a more charming café nearby.

Final thoughts: High quality hot chocolate, but definitely a tourist trap

Price: 12€ for the hot chocolate with whipped cream

Final Thoughts

Overall, the hot chocolate with whipped cream at both cafés were very delicious. Though, because Carette’s was so expensive and the café didn’t feel very clean or cozy, I probably won’t be going back. I definitely prefer the mocha and atmosphere and Angelina’s!

If you are craving a hot chocolate while in Paris but don’t want to pay the high price at Angelina’s or Carette, you can stop in almost any café or brasserie and find one for about 5€ under the name of chocolat chaud viennoise. Viennoise just means it’s topped with whipped cream!

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Have you tried either Carette or Angelina’s in Paris? I would love to hear what you thought about them! Leave a comment below with your honest review 🙂

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