Winter Cups of Happiness

Between last minute panic buys for the office Kris Kindle and braving the frozen city winds this winter, you’ll quickly need (and very much deserve) something to heat up your frozen hands and make your belly happy. We’ve picked out the coziest and most delicious hot drinks from around Ireland just to keep you warm and happy this Christmas season.

1. Hot chocolate in Brother Hubbard (153 Capel Street, Dublin 1)

If there were a queen of hot chocolates, this one would absolutely rule the roost. It isn’t simply a hot chocolate but a ?rich chocolate ganache? (i.e. gorgeous melted chocolate) which they serve separately with their own hot chocolate milk for you to mix at your pleasure. Scrumptious.

2. Spiced Pumpkin Latte in Starbucks (Various locations)

As an obvious but still a hugely deserving choice, Starbucks? Pumpkin Spice Latte is the one to convert all the non-believers among you who think they don’t like coffee. It’s sweet, cinnamon-infused, it’s got real pumpkin spice and nutmeg and they only ever have it when it’s chilly out. That definitely counts as one of our five a day right?

3. Peanut Butter Cup in Accents Coffee and Tea Lounge (23 Stephen Street Lower, Dublin 2)

Are you guilty of begging any colleague/classmate/distant relative to bring you back Reese’s Cups from their trip stateside? This one was definitely made for you. A beautiful mix of hot chocolate with a scoop of peanut buttery goodness, served in one of the cutest sitting rooms in Dublin to boot.

4. Chocolate Chai in Cork Coffee Roasters (2 Bridge St, Cork)

Combining two of our favourite things in the world (chai and chocolate) Cork Coffee Roasters have created heaven, or at the very least Christmas in a cup. It’s even served with a few very meltable chocolate buttons on the side. Delish.

5. Hot Whiskey from The Whiskey Bar (37 Dawson Street, Dublin 2)

For a serious winter warmer, pop upstairs to corner of The Whiskey Bar in 37 Dawson Street, who have a staggering 37 whiskeys picked out for you to enjoy with some sweet brown sugar, lemon and cloves. A hot whiskey has a power to warm you up like no other and with 37’s lovely surroundings, there isn’t a cosier spot in Dublin to enjoy it in.

6. Rooibos Toffee in the Secret Garden Galway (4 William Street West, Galway)

The Secret Garden on William Street in Galway is one of the comfiest tea rooms in Ireland. Their yummy rooibos toffee tea genuinely tastes like milk toffee, too. Don’t mind if we do.

Hannah Popham @HannahPopham