Interior
My friend and I visited Mariebelle in SoHo for a late afternoon cup of hot chocolate. It’s been a while since I’ve visited this boutique as there are so many different options as to where I can get my fill of chocolate – solid or liquid form – but I thought it’s about time to revisit.
This boutique has the elegant, vintage look with the large chandelier that hangs in the center or the room and vintage print posters reflecting their current Valentine’s Day packaging on their chocolate bars and caramels. It’s very pretty.
Valentine’s Day edition confections
When we walked around their retail side of the room, all their Valentine’s Day edition chocolates and caramels are slightly different than their typical flavors. The 12 Valentine’s flavors sold for their chocolates (or bonbons) are: Champagne, Whiskey, Peanut Butter, Espresso, Passion Fruit, Mint, Wildberry, Dulce de Leche, Cilantro, Milk Chocolate, Toffee, and Madagascar vanilla. They start at $29 for a 9-piece box, up to 100-piece for $260. The tropical flavored caramels range from guava, mango, kiwi, and the like, in a 7-piece box for $15.
Cocoa Bar, Hot Chocolate Menu & Baked goods
Proceeding to the back of the boutique, where the Cocoa Bar/Tea Salon is located, we settled down on one of their marble tables near the tiered display of the day’s baked goods. We each ordered a medium cup of hot chocolate ($8) and a sampling of assorted bonbons, barks, and bars.
For consumption
I had the Panella, a dark hot chocolate mixed with brown sugar. It’s dark, barely sweetened with a touch of molasses flavor. My friend had the Maya, a spiced dark hot chocolate with whipped cream that is sweeter than my Panella. Both hot chocolates had the signature, Parisian-style thickness and viscosity for a chocolat chaud that a cup can replace a meal because it’s so rich.
By default, Mariebelle does not serve their hot chocolate with whipped cream but my friend loves her hot chocolate with whipped cream. So after some persuasion to our server, my friend had her serving of fresh whipped cream.
All their chocolates were whimsical in terms of patterns and the flavors were nicely balanced. I adored the pistachio white chocolate bark for some reason. I’m not a big fan of white chocolate to eat by itself but the sweetness and lightness of the white chocolate complimented the whole pistachios so well that it’s very enjoyable.
If you crave a very good, luscious cup of hot chocolate, you should go to Mariebelle. Their beautifully packaged chocolates are something you can get for your significant other or for yourself.
For more photos from this visit, please look at my slideshow below:
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Information:
Mariebelle
484 Broome Street
New York, NY 10013
Map
Telephone: (212) 925-6999
and other locations
Website: http://www.mariebelle.com
I love chocolates with beautiful art on them. I bought them for a friend last year for her birthday, and they’re almost so beautiful you dont want to eat it. Im a sucker for hot chocolate/hot cocoa, but I will definitely have to try the Panella at this place. thanks for the tip!
Chris I love ANY good chocolate. If it’s beautiful and delicious it makes them even better!
The Panella is very good, especially if you’re not into the sweet category of hot chocolate (which I am). It’s like drinking luscious, thick, bittersweet hot pudding but it’s not sweet at all.