When visiting Venice, one must visit Piazza San Marco, the city’s main public square. During the day it is where all of the tourists flock, and there are many in Venice, but in the evenings, when most of the tourists return to the mainland, it feels infinitely more…Venician. The top of Torre dell’Orologio situated right in front of impressive St Mark’s Basilica on the square has the best views of the city. In the winter, the square floods often and elevated walkways are set up to help pedestrians get around without getting too wet. But not today. Today the sky is clear, the sun is warm and my desire for a good hot chocolate very real.
When visiting Piazza San Marco, one must stop at one of the cafes there. For hot chocolate lovers, Caffe Florian is the most famous. Founded in 1720, it has been the café of choice for Venetian nobility, merchants, artists, and citizens of the city.
There is a large terrace outside set up around an elevated platform where a small band is performing. If you sit on the terrace, or even inside, you are paying for the pleasure of that music, six euros a person, so enjoy it! But while outside is perfect for people watching, my recommendation is to sit inside. The cafe is made up of several small halls, each beautifully decorated. The Oriental Room is covered in paintings by Giacomo Casa made in the 19th century. Sitting here takes you back in time, away from the crowds, the running shoes and baseball caps to extravagant embellished gowns and three piece suits.
The hot chocolate, or cioccolata in tasa costs 14 euros, or 17 euros with whipped cream. The serving is not very generous, enough for a small cup (in comparison, the French often give enough for a couple) . I opted for the classic, but they have other chocolate based drinks. The Casanova hot chocolate has mint cream. Caffe Anniversario Florian has coffee, chocolate, zabaione liqueur, whipped cream and crushed amaretto biscuits (18 euros) and Caffe del Doge has coffee, hot chocolate, milk cream and hazelnut (17 euros).
The hot chocolate is beautifully presented, smooth and rich but not heavy. It doesn’t have a strong chocolatey flavor but more of a bitter dark cocoa powder flavor, likely thickened with cornflour in the typical Italian style. It came with two delicious amaretti cookies.
No information is shared about their chocolate, not the origin or percentage. All the waiters are able to share is that the cocoa beans come from Central Africa.
Overall, I’d say you are paying not for the hot chocolate, which is not much different than you will find in cafes all around Venice. You are paying for the experience of sitting in Café Florian, and that experience, especially if you have the time to really sit and enjoy it, is probably almost worth the high price tag.
Piazza San Marco, 57, Venice www.caffeflorian.com
