What's more soul-soothing than sitting down as a family on a cold winter's day and indulging in oversized mugs of hot chocolate? Don't settle for Swiss Miss. Instead drop by one of these area caf‚s that offer splendid slants on traditional

Café Angelique
1 Piermont Road, Tenafly
(201) 541-1010
Does your usual Starbucks order contain the words "soy," "non-fat" or "sugar free"? If so, you'll love the customized hot chocolate served at this European-style caf‚ in Tenafly. Far from ordinary, the hot chocolate served here is made with a special powder with ingredients imported from Italy. The low-fat cocoa powder is naturally gluten-free and has a lighter vibe and intensity than typical hot chocolate. And you can customize it any way you (or your kids) need. Cozying up to your customized cup is a delight at this bustling caf‚ housed in a charming, historic train station.

Sook Pastry
24 South Broad St., Ridgewood
(201) 493-2500
Craving gourmet treats? Look no further than Sook Pastry, a French-inspired bakery and caf‚ where you can order a decadent chocolate ‚clair or Nutella crepe with strawberries and bananas to pair with your impossibly creamy hot chocolate. Owner Keum Sook Park, has developed an exceptional method for making the creamiest hot chocolate around. First she melts chips of fine Valrhona 64% chocolate, adds cream and whole milk and stirs it all together in a hot kettle. You may not be on the Left Bank, but it's as close as you'll get here in Bergen County.

E-Bar at Nordstrom
501 Garden State Plaza, Paramus
(201) 843-1122
In the mood for something a bit spicier than your typical hot beverage? Slip over to this café bar just outside the entrance to Nordstrom for a Mexican Hot Chocolate. This steamy cup of hot chocolate simmers with flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg and a special blend of semi-dark Mexican chocolate. Add a shot of espresso and you'll have yourself a Mexican Mocha. If your kids aren't the spicy types, they can order a traditional hot chocolate.

Ridgewood Coffee Company
90 E. Ridgewood Ave., Ridgewood
(201) 921-9700
You know your hot chocolate is going to be divine when it's made with Omanhene Chocolate, a single-origin cocoa from small farms in Ghana. The quality of the hot chocolate at this Ridgewood Avenue caf‚ is superior thanks to the cacao beans themselves, which are shade grown and pesticide free, and take a full six weeks to go from tree to finished chocolate. The specialty chocolate is blended with your choice of whole or fat-free milk, and upon request, can be made with grass-fed organic whole milk, which produces a creamier, healthier, more vitamin-enriched drink.

The Cheesecake Factory
197 Riverside Square, Hackensack
(201) 488-0330
Have a hankering for a huge cup of chocolatey goodness? You can't go wrong at this Riverside Square staple. The baristas behind the bar start off with fresh milk, steam it "to order" using the steam wand of an espresso machine, then add their proprietary hot fudge, which gives the drink its rich, chocolaty flavor.