As the chilly winter months continue, I’ve decided it would be fun to see if I can find out where in the Hills you can get the best cup of hot cocoa. My tastes may be discriminating, because I must say, I make a really mean cup of cocoa myself.

The first location on my list is Bully Blends, a coffee and tea house in downtown Rapid City. Let me start off by saying that the place gets very high points for atmosphere, which seems rather unlikely when you realize it is located in the old Aby’s Feed & Seed store in one of the more historic blocks of downtown.

I’m not sure if the hot chocolate here qualifies as “cocoa.” Cocoa seems to me like something you should be able to put marshmallows into, and I think a European would probably faint if you put marshmallows in his hot chocolate. And that’s what Bully Blends serves: European-style hot chocolate.

Ever seen the movie Chocolat? If not, imagine melting a bar of chocolate, putting it in a cup, and serving it as a drink. That’ll get you pretty close. Don’t be offended when your small hot chocolate is the size of a thimble, because it’s so rich, that’s probably all you’ll be able to drink. And it is very good, I must admit. With a nice scone on the side, it is really delightful.

This is the sort of place you should go when you have some time to spare, to sit and chat with an old friend, relax, and enjoy the atmosphere. If you’re on the run or want a nice hot drink to swig while you drive to work, this is not the right hot chocolate for you.

On a side note, Bully Blends also hosts High Tea by appointment. What fun! I haven’t tried it yet, but as soon as I find the right foofy hat, I’m going to get some friends together and do just that. Who says grownups can’t have tea parties too?