It’s that time of year. The air has that crisp bite to it, holiday celebrations are in full swing, and one of the best ways to join in is with a cup of hot (or cold) chocolate. Something about all that chocolatey goodness feels so festive! Read on for our favorite spots in Rochester, MN.
Updated November 2026
Jump to: Locally Owned Shops | National Chains
Locally Owned Shops
Bravo Espresso
111 S Broadway, Suite 219 (Skyway Level, Galleria at University Square), Rochester, MN 55904
(507) 281-4076
Rochester’s oldest coffee shop sits on the skyway level of the Galleria at University Square, and the line out front will catch your attention. Order your hot chocolate with regular, white, dark, sugar-free, or caramel chocolate. Not a fan of dairy? Try soy, almond, or coconut milk, or ask for it made with water. Bringing your littles? Ask for a kid-friendly temperature.
Café 49
1650 4th St SE, Rochester, MN 55904 (inside the OMC Hospital, main north entrance)
210 9th St SE, Rochester, MN 55904 (inside the OMC Rochester Southeast Clinic)
5067 55th St NW, Rochester, MN 55901 (inside the OMC Rochester Northwest Clinic)
Already have an appointment at Olmsted Medical Center? Stop by Café 49 for a triple chocolate hot chocolate made with dark and white chocolate, or a toasted marshmallow hot chocolate. Ask for it hot or blended and mix and match their other flavors. Soy and almond milk are available too. Note that Café 49 is open weekdays only and closed on holidays.
Café Steam
315 S Broadway, Rochester, MN 55904 (Broadway)
150 S Broadway, Rochester, MN 55904 (Skyway Level, DoubleTree Hotel)
415 2nd Ave SW, Rochester, MN 55902 (Two Discovery Square)
1147 2nd St SW, Rochester, MN 55902 (across from Saint Marys, with its own parking lot)
(507) 208-4160
With four locations around town, including the newest spot across from Saint Marys, Café Steam’s hot chocolate is never far away. It’s made with house-made chocolate syrup using Ghirardelli semi-sweet cocoa, house-made vanilla bean syrup, and grass-fed, hormone-free milk from Kappers Big Red Barn.
Lumen Coffee
3550 55th St NW, Rochester, MN 55901
(507) 722-1685
This drive-thru on the north side of town is perfect for your favorite hot chocolate or coffee drink. Drinks are made with milk from Kappers Big Red Barn in Chatfield, and soy, almond, and coconut milk are available too. The dark chocolate option is vegan. Top it off with whipped cream or a chocolate drizzle. Fast, friendly, and drive-thru only, Lumen is a great pick for moms on the go.
MOKA
1023 N Broadway, Rochester, MN 55906 (North drive-thru) | (507) 282-6652
306 12th St SE, Rochester, MN 55904 (South drive-thru) | (507) 280-6652
2483 Commerce Dr NW, Rochester, MN 55901 (West Circle Drive drive-thru) | (507) 258-4564
18 1st St SW, Rochester, MN 55902 (Peace Plaza café) | (507) 322-6062
Don’t want to leave the warmth of your car? Swing through the north, south, or West Circle Drive MOKA for a Traditional, White, or Black and White Hot Chocolate. Ask for skim, whole, breve, soy, coconut, or almond milk, and add peppermint, caramel, or raspberry for extra flavor. Prefer to sit? The Peace Plaza café is right downtown.
Old Abe Coffee
832 7th St NW, Rochester, MN 55901
(651) 410-4137
Old Abe’s hot chocolate is made with Ghirardelli chocolate and can be made with dairy or non-dairy milk. Craving a tropical escape from Minnesota winter? Order the “Almond Joy,” made with coconut milk, almond syrup, and chocolate and topped with toasted coconut. Excuse us while we dream we’re lying on a sunny beach. Check hours before you go, since the café is closed early in the week.
Parlor Doughnuts
1005 6th St NW (inside Forager Brewery), Rochester, MN 55901
(507) 361-4155
Minnesota’s first Parlor Doughnuts opened inside Forager in 2025, and it pairs perfectly with a cup of cocoa. Order a hot chocolate from their hot chocolate and steamer lineup (there’s a kids menu, too), then pick out a flaky layered doughnut to go with it. Chocolate fans should go straight for the Chocolate Chocolate or Campfire. Vegan and gluten-friendly doughnuts are available.
People’s Food Co-op
519 1st Ave SW, Rochester, MN 55902
(507) 289-9061
Need some fuel before grocery shopping? The Co-op’s coffee bar makes a standard hot chocolate that can be made with coconut, soy, or almond milk. Ask your barista about additional flavors. Pair it with a muffin or scone from the bakery and you and your littles will be content while you work through the grocery list.
St. James Coffee
4156 18th Ave NW, Rochester, MN 55901
(507) 281-3559
This delightful, kid-friendly coffee shop on the northwest side of town is made for meetups. Bring your littles, your friends, and their littles to enjoy the toys, books, and games while the grown-ups sip. Their classic hot chocolate can be made with soy or almond milk and is finished with whipped cream and a drizzle of chocolate.
Café Aquí
1811 2nd St SW, Suite B (inside Sargent’s on 2nd), Rochester, MN 55902
(507) 884-8376
Tucked inside the greenhouse at Sargent’s on 2nd, this beautiful café will make you want to stay all day. Their hot chocolate is delicious on its own, but piling on toppings is encouraged. Kids get their own option, too: the “Not-So-Hot Chocolate.”
Spyhouse Coffee Roasters
601 2nd St SW (inside TownePlace Suites), Rochester, MN 55902
You may recognize this name from its Twin Cities cafés. Rochester’s Spyhouse makes its hot chocolate with house-made chocolate sauce, and you won’t want to miss it.
National Chains
Caribou Coffee
With 11 locations in town, Caribou is about as convenient as it gets. Order a dark, milk, or white hot chocolate and add your favorite flavor. Kids 12 and under love the frozen hot chocolate. Don’t forget to ask for extra whipped cream!
Dunkin’
2519 Commerce Dr NW, Rochester, MN 55901
(507) 361-1219
Not bothered by the cold? Try Dunkin’s frozen chocolate, your favorite warm drink served icy. Can’t choose between coffee and hot chocolate? Ask for a hot chocolate with a shot of espresso for the best of both worlds. Keep an eye out for seasonal hot chocolate flavors, too.
Scooter’s Coffee
1608 Broadway Ave S, Rochester, MN 55904
If you treasure the hot cocoa of your childhood, Scooter’s rich chocolate blended with warm milk and topped with fluffy whipped cream is exactly what you need. Bonus: there’s a drive-thru.
Starbucks
Multiple Rochester locations, including
1401 N Broadway
2276 S Broadway
1240 12th St SW
2407 Commerce Dr NW
Starbucks’ classic hot chocolate is steamed milk with vanilla and mocha syrups, topped with sweetened whipped cream and a chocolate drizzle. During the holidays, look for a seasonal peppermint version.
Need a caffeine fix instead? Check out our guide to Rochester coffee shops and drive-thrus.
CHECK OUT THE HOLIDAY GUIDE FOR MORE FESTIVE FUN!
