Decadence you can eat, drink, and take home in a ribboned box Popular plate: The adorably delicious chocolate mice – charming bonbons trailing ribbon tails – are a signature item sold in the cafe and are popular as boxed gifts and take-home souvenirs.

Tipple of choice: The hot chocolate drinks, pure molten indulgence, are single source, with origins including Bolivia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Madagascar, each featuring its own unique flavor and personality.

In this caramel-lit cafe, the scent of chocolate warms the air over cozy tables for two. Burdick's location in Harvard Square makes it popular with students and couples, but it also attracts cocoa connoisseurs.

The cafe tempts with artisanal chocolates, made with couverture imported from France, Switzerland, and Venezuela. Also beckoning from within the immaculate glass cases are an assortment of pastries such as Luxembourgers, Cannelé Bordelais, and various chocolate cakes.

A fine range of teas and espresso drinks are also available for those who fear that eating and drinking chocolate verges on the vulgar.