5 best spots for creative hot chocolates in Las Vegas
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
It’s getting harder and harder to find creative cocoas that haven’t been spiked with alcohol these days, especially in Las Vegas. But Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf actually has three all-ages varieties — salted caramel, red velvet and peppermint — that are devoid of liquor and coffee.
Grand Canal Shoppes, 702-794-4520, coffeebean.com; with several other valley locations
PBR Rock Bar & Grill
For sheer variety alone, PBR should be on any boozy hot chocolate lover’s list, with its whopping nine different preparations. Although trying to make it through PBR’s Cinnamon Toast Hot Chocolate (Fireball and RumChata), Irish Hot Chocolate (Baileys), Rum Hot Chocolate, Vodka Hot Chocolate, Ski Lift (peach schnapps and rum), Chocolate Russian (Kahlua and vodka), Southern Cocoa (Southern Comfort), Ski Slope (Baileys and Kahlua) and Candy Cane (Baileys and peppermint schnapps) might simultaneously wreak havoc on your waistline and liver.
Miracle Mile Shops, 702-750-1685, pbrrockbar.com
Winter’s Village
Hot chocolate and ice skating go hand in hand. So Green Valley Ranch’s ice rink, set amid 60 decorated trees in the hotel’s pool area, is a perfect place to try either an innocent, kid-friendly hot chocolate or an adult version spiked with Stoli Vanil and mint.
Green Valley Ranch Resort, 702-617-7777, greenvalleyranchsclv.com
Freedom Beat
Urban myths notwithstanding, Jagermeister does not contain reindeer blood. But it does feature an antlered deer in its logo, which is one good reason to make it a holiday favorite. Freedom Beat’s decision to add it to hot chocolate and top it with peppermint whipped cream is another.
Downtown Grand, 702-719-5100, downtowngrand.com
Four Seasons
The Silent Night cocktail at the Four Seasons bar adds sea salt and the orange hint of Grand Marnier to a combination of four chocolatey ingredients: Marie Brizard Chocolat Royal Liqueur, cocoa powder, a house-made ganache and chocolate shavings. Moreover, you can enjoy it in front of the sugary Christmas village that chef Jean-Luc Daul has assembled in front of the massive lobby Christmas tree.
Four Seasons, 702-632-5000, fourseasons.com/lasvegas
