The Brief

It’s getting cold outside. Sure, I can say that: I’ve spent almost all my life in sunny Los Angeles.

On a recent winter’s day, I stared down dismally at a sub-80-degree forecast on my weather app. I suddenly began to crave something. Something piping hot. Something delectable. Something that would lift me from the sorrow of a 4:30 p.m. sunset.

A cup of hot chocolate.

Anyone can “make” a microwaved, haphazard concoction of store-bought powder and warm milk. But there’s something extra festive about a real, delightful cup of chocolate goodness served in a ceramic mug. Extra points for a marshmallow.

So, where does one find the best hot chocolate in and around LA? Where does one even start?

With this list, of course.

A quick disclaimer: I am no expert here. Sure, I loved these hot chocolates — but there was no science to my process. It’d be irresponsible to claim these are the best of the best.

So, don’t come for me if your go-to cocoa didn’t make the list. Channel that energy to send me the address instead. I might even check it out and add it to this list.

With that out of the way, here’s my top picks:

Tierra Mia Coffee in Highland Park

The Chocolate Mexicano de Guadalajara at Tierra Mia is a light, simple choice for a sunny December afternoon.

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What to order: The Chocolate Mexicano De Guadalajara

Just a few blocks from Figueroa Street, wedged between Avenue 56 and Monte Vista Street, you’ll find a delightful little rectangular building accented with painted leaves and bold brown letters.

Tierra Mia is a perfect spot for a relaxing Sunday afternoon sip. Personally, I’m partial to the Highland Park location, but the beloved coffee retailer has over a dozen locations scattered across Southern California (including Echo Park, downtown LA, South Gate, and Lincoln Heights).

I ordered the classic Chocolate Mexicano de Guadalajara. Legend has it, they also have a mint and peppermint version, but I decided to keep it classic for the sake of this experiment. Let me tell you — I’m so glad I did, because now I have a reason to come back for more.

Tierra Mia’s hot chocolate was light and balanced, with notes of cinnamon lingering between sips. It was delightfully cozy without trying too hard. Compared to some of the more rich, overpowering cocoas I tried, I found it refreshingly simple and soft spoken.

Give it a try. If hot chocolate isn’t your cup of tea, there’s plenty of delicious coffee blends to enjoy instead.

Tierra Mia Coffee Company serves Latin-inspired coffees and beverages — and some amazing hot chocolates.

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Demitasse in Santa Monica

A cup of hot chocolate from Demitasse pairs nicely with a day of holiday shopping in Santa Monica.

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What to order: The Lavender Hot Chocolate

Maybe you’re wrapping up a long day at Santa Monica Pier, or doing some last minute gift shopping on Third Street Promenade (good luck with the parking).

Promise me one thing: you won’t leave without stopping by Demitasse.

I ventured to this little spot on a chilly Tuesday afternoon, tired from sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Slightly hangry and fully frazzled, the atmosphere inside Demitasse brought me a needed sense of calm, warmth, and familial comfort.

I settled on the lavender hot chocolate, fully equipped with a large marshmallow on top. The first sip was exquisite — rich and velvety, with light hints of lavender extract most prominent in the aftertaste. My favorite part, of course, was the slightly crispy, half-melted marshmallow, like a sponge filled with chocolate that melted in my mouth.

The cup was tiny, but it worked; too much more of this rich concoction would have been overpowering. I savored each sip alongside a slight December breeze, watching tourists dart from store to store a block away.

Don’t want to drive out to Santa Monica? Lucky for you, Demitasse sells lavender hot chocolate kits online.

Demitasse serves creative takes on espresso and coffee beverages, as well as other cozy drinks.

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Café Santo in Montebello

The delectable Oaxacan hot chocolate from Café Santo in downtown Montebello.

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What to order: The Oaxacan Hot Chocolate

This charming, Oaxacan-style café is perfect for a lovely, outdoor breakfast on a sunny morning. Café Santo honors regions such as Oaxaca, Chiapas, Guatemala, and Columbia, and roasts beans locally in Los Angeles. Order the Oaxacan Hot Chocolate for a truly delectable cup, brought to life with cinnamon and almond flavors.

While waiting for my chocolate, I took a peak behind the little shop to find a courtyard full of tables. Turns out, Café Santo belongs to BLVD Market, a community food court with mouthwatering options from LA Burrito Company to Los Taquero Mucho. It’s a perfect place to bring your friends with different palettes, or grab some good food to accompany your cocoa.

There’s also plenty of seating out front, inviting you to relax and enjoy the ambience of downtown Montebello.

Café Santo highlights Oaxacan flavors and culture through a variety of coffee and chocolate options.

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Playa Provisions in Playa del Rey

A cup of hot chocolate served by the beach at Playa Provisions in Playa Del Rey.

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What to order: The Hot Chocolate

A great hot chocolate takes you back. I have fond memories sipping it on a Morro Bay beach with my grandma after a morning of sailing, warming my frigid fingers and tiny nose against the cardboard cup. Since then, there’s always been something about beach hot chocolate that feels like home.

For that reason, I couldn’t wait to try the cozy blend at Playa Provisions, which is literally across the street from Playa Del Rey beach. Ocean air and beautiful scenery complimented a perfectly creamy hot chocolate. Of all the options I tried, I’d have to say this one had my favorite milk-to-chocolate ratio: not too frothy, but not too heavy either. I also felt energized after drinking it, rather than sluggish and sleepy.

Despite Playa Provisions’ fairly large menu, its approachable ambiance makes it perfect for a quick coffee or tea. The pleasant outdoor seating, combined with the overall energy of beach-going customers, created a truly wonderful Monday afternoon.

If you’re tempted to try it, just remember to pack your sunscreen. Like I said, the beach is right there.

Playa Provisions is a beachside spot for anything from a quick coffee to an extravagant brunch.

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Amara Café in Pasadena

Amara Café is known for its Venezuelan style dark chocolate blend, especially popular during the holidays.

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What to order: The Venezuelan Hot Chocolate

A brownie in a cup. That’s the best way to describe the decadent magnificence that is Amara Café’s signature Venezuelan hot chocolate.

This one snuck up on me. Despite the little café being two blocks from LAist’s offices on Raymond Avenue in Pasadena, I’d never stepped foot in Amara. When I finally did, an otherwise routine lunch break was transformed into a scrumptious, transformative experience that left me questioning everything I thought I knew about hot chocolate.

Imagine a gourmet chocolate cake melted down, mixed by hand, and delicately poured into a cup, layer by layer. I’d never had a hot chocolate so rich, so bold in its flavor — yet defiantly simple in its presentation. The consistency was so thick that I lost my lunch appetite, but that’s more a compliment than a complaint.

I just wish I could experience this one for the first time again. If that’s you, count yourself lucky.

A word of advice: Never neglect the hot chocolate right under your nose. The best you've had could be right down the street.

Amara Café serves Venezuelan breakfast and brunch, but don't miss the hot chocolate.

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GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Mexico took advantage of a defensive blunder by South Korea to win 1-0 and become the first team to advance to the knockout stage of the World Cup on Thursday.

It marks a major triumph for a team that failed to get out of the group stage in 2022 and now has won twice on home soil in front of jubilant crowds.

Luis Romo scored in the 50th minute after South Korea goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu collided with defender Lee Gi-hyuk and dropped the ball inside the area. Romo easily found the open net after picking up the loose ball.

The South Koreans nearly equalized in the 87th minute when Mexico goalkeeper Raúl Rangel stopped a header from close range by Cho Gue-sung, then made an even better save on the rebound, extending his right arm to keep the ball from crossing the line.

Mexico has six points from two Group A matches, three more than South Korea and five more than the Czech Republic and South Africa, who drew 1-1 earlier Thursday in Atlanta.

The top two teams from each group move on to the knockout stage, along with the best eight third-place teams. A round of 32 is being played for the first time at the World Cup after the tournament was expanded to 48 teams.

Los Angeles city housing officials are pushing back on allegations from the outgoing city attorney, who claims that a legal aid provider has failed to comply with its taxpayer-funded contract to help tenants avoid eviction.

At stake in the dispute is $177 million — approved months ago by the mayor and City Council but still awaiting the city attorney’s signature — to help renters stay housed.

For more than a year, City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto has refused to authorize new long-term funding for the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles, or LAFLA. On Thursday, she told LAist the delay was due to the nonprofit’s alleged failure to account for how it spends city funds.

“They didn't comply with the monthly reporting that they were supposed to do,” Feldstein Soto said. “They still haven't done so.”

LAFLA leaders strongly disputed those claims, saying they have provided detailed accountings of their caseloads and tenant outcomes. Barbara Schultz, LAFLA’s housing director, told LAist her organization has fully complied with the terms of its contract.

“After months of highly unusual investigations, document requests and audits that extend well beyond the scope of [the city attorney’s] office, she has failed to identify any misconduct — because there isn't any,” Schultz said.

Officials with the L.A. Housing Department also told LAist the contract monitoring and reporting requirements have been upheld.

“LAFLA has complied with every request for information put forth by LAHD,” said department spokesperson Sharon Sandow. “Like all new programs, tracking and information systems have been improved as the program has matured over the past five years. LAFLA provided the information requested.”

City attorney’s dispute with legal aid group runs deeps

Feldstein Soto has frequently clashed with LAFLA. Separate from its tenant defense work, the organization has joined lawsuits against the city over its homelessness policies.

Feldstein Soto has objected to giving LAFLA city funds, telling council members in a confidential memo earlier this year that the city should “reconsider the award of such a large contract to a frequent litigant against the city.”

Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, LAFLA has led Stay Housed L.A., a city- and county-funded effort to provide eviction defense, rent relief and other aid to tenants at risk of losing their housing.

The city has also tasked LAFLA with scaling up the city’s “Right To Counsel” ordinance, which provides free attorneys to qualified low-income renters facing eviction. Statistics show that landlords almost always have attorneys in eviction proceedings, but renters rarely come to court with lawyers of their own.

Last year, Feldstein Soto rejected a new five-year contract with the organization, saying any further funding should have gone through a competitive bidding process. The city responded by opening up a new call for submissions. Officials ultimately selected the Legal Aid Foundation to continue eviction defense services. The City Council and mayor approved that contract in April.

But Feldstein Soto has continued to withhold her signature. On Monday, she issued a report detailing why she has delayed the contract with LAFLA, as well as contracts with other tenant aid groups slated to receive funding for rent relief programs, enforcement of the city’s ordinance against tenant harassment and tenant rights education programs.

Feldstein Soto’s report included a series of audits of LAFLA from the Harrington Group, an independent accounting firm. When LAist asked if she had identified any evidence of impropriety in those audits, representatives for her office did not respond.

Data on tenant outcomes

Feldstein Soto said she believes information provided by LAFLA is insufficient to determine how many eviction cases involving city funding went to court, what the outcomes were or the average cost per case.

“The funds that we provided have not been accounted for properly in any way, shape or form,” Feldstein Soto said.

On Wednesday, the city’s housing department published a report saying Stay Housed L.A. has assisted tenants in 27,273 eviction cases, including 6,522 cases in which tenants were fully represented by a lawyer throughout their legal proceedings.

Over the last four years, 53% of fully represented tenants stayed in their homes, according to the report. Another 41% were able to negotiate agreements in which their landlords gave them more time to move out, forgave their overdue rent or sealed their eviction record. Less than 3% of tenants lost their case in court.

Much of the funding for the tenant aid contracts comes from the city’s so-called “mansion tax,” which could soon be scaled back by the city’s voters in a potential November ballot measure.

What comes next? 

Schultz said if city leaders are not satisfied with the accounting, they could ask for a formal audit through the City Controller’s Office. Feldstein Soto launched an audit of LAFLA last year, but has not released any findings so far. She told LAist more information could be coming soon.

“I am likely to file both a public report and a confidential report with my client, because you can't just gift away public funds without an audit trail and without transparency and accountability,” Feldstein Soto said.

Meanwhile, tenant advocates say smaller legal aid nonprofits that receive city funding as subcontractors are in danger of running out of money soon. Lawyers could be laid off and tenants could become homeless if funding is not approved quickly, they argue.

Schultz said the City Council may need to look for ways to approve the funding without the involvement of Feldstein Soto, who recently came in third place in the June primary election. She will not advance to the general election for a second term.

“I think that the council should definitely look at — if they had a rogue city attorney that refused to follow their directions — what other avenues they could explore,” Schultz said.

City Council members have introduced a motion calling on the city attorney’s office to explain the delay. That request was supposed to come up for a vote in a housing committee meeting this week, but it was ultimately canceled due to an earlier meeting of the full City Council that ran hours over schedule.

When I visited Taqueria Hoy in Orange, owner Rafael De Anda couldn’t wait to get home to watch Mexico kick off its World Cup stint. After decades at the helm of his taco shop — he first started it as a food truck and now has brick-and-mortar locations in Orange, Santa Ana and Anaheim — he could put his feet up and relax. The business was in good hands.

His sons, Raphael V. De Anda, 34, and Christian De Anda, 30, had been working at the taqueria since childhood. But when Rafael De Anda was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2011 and battling the disease, the young men took over the complete running of the business — with their father still an integral part.

While I get a lot of emails pitching stories for LAist, rarely does a story materialize from one of them. But when Raphael De Anda emailed me about Taqueria Hoy, including a video that captured the warmth of his and his brother’s relationship with their father, it quickly piqued my interest.

In it they are quick to praise him for his work ethic and the lessons he’s imparted to them. In honor of Father’s Day, we’re celebrating those lessons here.

Rafael De Anda makes tacos at his taqueria in Orange.

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Lesson No. 1: Keep it simple and do it well

Rafael De Anda is from Arandas in Jalisco, and crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in 1974. A few years into life in the Santa Ana area, he realized there was no good taqueria around, unless you drove to Los Angeles or San Diego. And so Taqueria De Anda was born in the 80s, before it was rebranded to Taqueria Hoy in 2020.

He says he wanted the tacos to taste just like the ones he used to have every day.  ”If you eat my tacos here, if you go to any part of Mexico, it will have to be the same,” he explained.

Taqueria Hoy has a straightforward menu, offering the usual carne asada, al pastor, pollo, chorizo and carnitas, along with cabeza (cheek) and lengua (tongue), the most tender cuts of beef.

Cabeza and carne asada tacos adorned with the Taqueria Hoy's green and red salsas.

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Cooking the meats to perfection, he says, and keeping the quality consistently good keeps people keep coming back — sometimes spanning generations.

It's one of his first lessons for his sons: Keep it simple but do it well. “ If you're not gonna eat them, don't sell it.”

That philosophy even extends to their red and green Hoysioso salsas, made in-house with high quality ingredients.

Only three people in the world know the recipe — Rafael De Anda and his two sons. And the sons have promised to make the condiment just the way he taught them.

Lesson No. 2: Honor your customers and staff

“ We just started making tacos and that's it,” Rafael De Anda said, never expecting for the business to last more than forty years. "We were busy and then we just kept going and going.”

He and his sons credit that to their customer base. Some of them are the great grandsons of those first customers, according to Raphael De Anda.

 ”We're very grateful to the community that has accepted us and that has allowed us to continue to serve tacos for all these years,” he said.

Some of the workers at Taqueria Hoy have been with Rafael De Anda for decades.

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That love for their customer base also extends to their workers. Some have been at the taco shop for decades. Raphael De Anda said his father was a father figure to many, including those who crossed the border when they were young. He’d nurture them and help them get settled in the United States.

“He didn't only have two boys. He had many, many children,” Raphael De Anda said.

Lesson No. 3: Trust your kids

Now I love my father, but I cannot imagine working directly alongside him. I'm open and friendly at work, the type of person who would bake cupcakes for my colleagues' kids. My dad, on the other hand, would never hang out with someone outside of the office. Two different generations, two very different upbringings. One was raised in a strict all-boys Catholic school in Sri Lanka, another in an international school in Sharjah, UAE.

But while Rafael De Anda had a very different upbringing to his sons — him in Jalisco, his sons as American-born citizens who went to Chapman University — he's been open to their ideas and approaches.

They have taken to social media, using Instagram to explain how taqueros make carne asada, show off their heart shaped takeout containers for Valentine’s Day, and share collaborative posts with influencers.

“ Their way of approaching the business has been a little switching to the modern culture,” Rafael De Anda said. “I like it, that's something that I would not be able to do, to be honest.”

He adds that he keeps a close eye on what they are doing. “And to be honest, I'm proud of them,” Rafael De Anda said, uttering the magical words every kid wants to hear from their immigrant parents.

Lesson No. 4: Life isn't complicated. We're the ones who complicate it

Raphael De Anda said his father has instilled in his brother and him the importance of focusing on the task at hand rather than worrying too much about the future.

 "Sometimes my brother and I will talk with my Dad. "Hey, what do the projections look like for this year?" he said. "My Dad's like "well, it doesn't really matter. As long as we take care of what we're doing now, things will work out."

And Raphael De Anda said it always does end up working out.

Lesson No. 5: I do what I can with what I am given

Their father was not one to live in the future, and neither did he spend time worrying, his sons said.

"Instead of saying, "Oh, woe is me. I wish I had more customers", Raphael De Anda said, his father would focus on the customers he had.

"How do we treat them the best we can?"

Growth happened organically. Their father found the Santa Ana location through a conversation with a regular customer who was selling his billiards shop.

"The owner said, "We care for you so much and your presence, you've meant so much to the community. We want to offer you to buy the building first," recounted Raphael De Anda.

And he did.

Lesson No. 6: Be honest with yourself before you can be honest with others

The sons grew up hearing their father reiterate the message of staying true and authentic.

" Don't change who you are for others and that mantra is also carried through in everything we do here at the restaurant," said Raphael De Anda.

Birria, for example, is a popular offering at taquerias across Southern California. But, it's not something on offer at Taqueria Hoy.

 "That's not who we are. We have to be honest that we are a taco and burrito makers first," Raphael De Anda said.

And the burritos at Taqueria Hoy are massive.

And for some parting wisdom from Rafael De Anda, "How do you eat a big burrito? One bite at a time."

The World Cup has officially taken over Los Angeles, and not without controversy.

Fans have voiced frustration over ticket pricing and questions linger over whether the Iranian football team should be playing in the tournament.

Listen: Should Iran be playing at SoFi? Listeners weigh in as tentative US-Iran deal is announced

The man at the center of these decisions and how fans in Southern California are experiencing the World Cup is FIFA President Gianni Infantino.

Here's why he's the most influential voice in soccer right now.

How he got elected

The election of Infantino followed one of the worst corruption scandals in sports history. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted more than a dozen FIFA officials and executives on charges of bribery, money laundering and wire fraud.

Swiss authorities launched an additional investigation, which led to former FIFA President Sepp Blatter's resignation. He had held the position since 1998.

Following the corruption scandal, Congress passed a reform package, but criticism remains over lack of follow through.

Part of Infantino's success has been built on his ability to boost revenue for FIFA over the years.

Ticket pricing, human rights and other critiques

Getting in on the World Cup games here in L.A. has likely been... expensive.

And that's been one of the biggest critiques of Infantino as matches approached and FIFA announced ticket pricing would adjust based on demand. Infantino has defended the pricing method, comparing it to other major American sporting events.

Coaches, players and fans are also split on FIFA's decision to add three-minute mandated hydration breaks to matches, according to Reuters.

Infantino has also been criticized for downplaying concerns over human rights. For example, the Guardian reported in 2021 that more than 6,500 migrant workers died in Qatar during the 10-year lead up to it hosting the World Cup in 2022.

Oliver Kay, The Athletic's senior soccer writer, said during a conversation on LAist 89.3's AirTalk that Infantino's legacy is complicated and leaves true soccer fans with questions.

" How many of these decisions are being made for the good of the game, and how many of them are being made for whichever world leaders Infantino is cozying up to at that time?" Kay said.