Dreams come true. They really do! I have been dreaming of having that hot chocolate at The Angelina in Paris for many years. I didn’t have a British passport till 2 years ago and I didn’t want to go through the hassle of visas to travel to Europe. So I waited a whole 13 years till visiting Paris…..

A friend once told me that Angelina had the best hot chocolate on the planet. I wasn’t sure if I was going to take her word on it but I did really want to experience the space and culture. Finally, upon my return from New York in February (post visiting the Angelina in New York), I made sure to make Angelina the first thing to do when I landed in Paris in March. It was a short trip but I had to add some magical moments to it so I booked a table as soon as I could and went for lunch.

Angelina Paris may definitely be a tourist attraction but there is something so Parisian and understated about it, I realised that everyone there was enjoying themselves and mingling with one another. I also happened to strike a conversation with an older gentleman on the table next to mine and he was ever so entertaining. Parisians have a great sense of humor in my opinion and this was my first glimpse in to it.

The hot chocolate is divine. It is isn’t overly sweet and comes accompanied with some whipped cream. You have to take your time to enjoy and refill your cup especially if you’re visiting from out of town, you will regret not having savoured it. The food is also extremely delicious. I have never had avocado toast with brioche instead – only the French can do it!

I dreamt of visiting Angelina years ago. It finally happened and what I can take away from this experience is, once you want something, it does lead to fruition – you just have to believe it. For me Angelina isn’t just a restaurant or cafe. It is a place I really wanted to visit as that is one of the first cafes I ever heard of in Paris. I felt it wasn’t easy for me to get there with all the visa hassles but I made it happen when the time was right.