The Decadent NYC Hot Chocolate Worth Lining Up For

With Eater editors dining out sometimes several times a day, we come across lots of standout dishes, and we don’t want to keep any secrets. Check back for the best things we ate this week.

Sometimes, you need to treat yourself (and your niece) to decadent hot chocolate during a daytime holiday trek out to Rockefeller Center, and the only answer is the Upper West Side ice cream shop’s hot chocolate truck outpost. Yes, the line is long, yes, it’s packed, yes, it’s semi-annoying to find amid the maze of the plaza, but it’s worth it for those pretty and delightful drinks. And bonus: the rim of torched marshmallow is gelatin-free (aka halal-friendly), which is a nice bonus. Our group shared the three options available on the shortened menu: the s’mores ($11), the salted caramel ($12.50), and the peppermint ($13.50). It’s both adult and toddler approved. Glace truck, Rockefeller Center Plaza, between Fifth and Sixth avenues and West 49th and 50th streets — Nadia Chaudhury, deputy dining editor, Northeast

My colleague shared her Arthur Avenue guide months ago, and I finally put it to use after a visit to the New York Botanical Garden. Saying no to the dessert menu at dinner was easier knowing cannoli from Madonia Bakery were waiting for us. Somewhat comically sold in regular ($2.50) and large ($3.50) sizes, we each went for a large — roughly the size of an eclair — and managed to stay civilized enough to wait the entire hour-long drive home before digging in. As the sign at the counter reminds you, the cannoli are filled to order, which makes them impossibly fresh and maybe even more delicious. But what really sets them apart is the filling: creamy, rightly sweet ricotta, studded with chocolate chips and nostalgic in a way I didn’t expect. It reminded me of eating the whipped frosting off the bakery rum cakes my mom bought for every birthday. 2348 Arthur Avenue, near East 186th Street, Bronx — Patty Diez, associate director, brand development

I expected the katsudon ($13) to be solid when I visited the Moriya stall in Brooklyn’s Japan Village complex. I didn’t expect it to be the best version of the dish I’ve had in recent memory. The onion and egg mixture bursts with umami flavor; the cutlet is almost impossibly juicy. Japan Village has an embarrassment of choices, so if you’re as overwhelmed by the selection as I was when I walked in the door, know that you can’t go wrong with this donburi. 934 Third Avenue, between 35th and 36th streets, Sunset Park — Missy Frederick, editorial director, dining

I had to get back to Kid Pizza for their new hot pot pie, a collaboration with Stacey Mei Yan Fong, which is available through Thursday, December 18. It was also my chance to try their revamped dessert menu, including the Frosty Malt ($11) that I’ve been seeing all over Instagram. It’s got malted vanilla soft serve and ribbons of barley caramel, topped with a mound of little fried potato sticks, and is served in an iconic New York coffee cup. The dessert is nostalgic yet comforting, and reminiscent of dipping your fast-food french fries into vanilla ice cream, but way better all around. 157 West 18th Street, near Seventh Avenue, Chelsea — Stephanie Wu, editor-in-chief

I went to a fun celebration at Stissing House from King’s Clare de Boer over the weekend: True, it’s not an NYC restaurant, but it’s worth the journey north this time of year because it’s so festive. Roaring fires warm just about every room in the watering hole built in 1792. Even in the dead of winter, the salads were terrific, like spelt with apples, walnuts, and cheddar ($26), or a chicory Caesar with sunchokes ($25). A simple but juicy wood-roasted chicken with creamy potatoes and bright watercress ($37) was particularly good, the kind of homey dish that isn’t too rich, and is just right for the setting and the time of year. Don’t skip the dessert, whatever it may be, and consider an after-dinner pour at the bar. 7801 South Main Street, at Church Street, Pine Plains, New York — Melissa McCart, lead dining editor, Northeast

Spaghetti pomodoro at Mozzarella & Vino

Food critic Gael Greene was a mentor who used to tell me that in order to really judge a French bistro, she ordered roast chicken. I think simple spaghetti pomodoro is a similar litmus test for Italian restaurants. In the wrong hands, the pasta can be too mushy or spongy, and the sauce too sweet, overly salty, or with a slightly metallic taste — something you might find on a kids’ menu. After one bite, it was clear the spaghetti ($26) at this recently reopened enoteca was the real deal. The ultimate Italian comfort food, it was made from durum wheat flour, and despite being fresh pasta, it retained enough resilience to sink your teeth into, while the sauce, rich with Corbara tomatoes, had the right balance of acidity, hint of garlic, and aromatic touch of basil. It arrived piping hot with basil leaves on top — perfect for a chilly night. 33 West 54th Street, between Fifth and Sixth avenues, Midtown — Beth Landman, contributor, Northeast