We originally ran this story over the holidays but REALLY-it is MEANT FOR THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, who are we kidding. ANYWAY--I did some research, asked some mouths I fully trust, and here's your ultimate chocolate guide to DC (please leave comments with your favorites). We'll separate them in:

• Pastries to go
• Desserts IN Restaurants
• Hot Chocolate
• Savory Dishes
• and Drinkable (and probably alcoholic) chocolate.

Who loves you? I do.

ADDENDUM:

• D.C. is home to some fantastic (and creative) chocolatiers and now you can find them all with this handy guide to gourmet chocolate in the District. (via TBD)
• Georgetown is having a WEEK OF CHOCOLATE AS WE SPEAK. Click here for details on how to make the most of it.

PASTRIES TO GO:

• BUZZ Bakery - a split between the SCOUT CUPCAKE (hey, it's a girl scout thin mint AS a cupcake) and chocolate dipped Mocha-Amaretto Jewels that are almost too pretty to eat.

• Pastries by Randoph - their DELICE Cake

• Hello Cupcake--- Dupont and Capitol Hill have Heart of Darkness! which is their richest, chocolatiest flavor. Bittersweet chocolate ganache on chocolate cake with chocolate sprinkles.
• Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery - Once described as "absolute nirvana", Chef David Guas' DAT-O Cookie is his personal take on the Oreo cookie.  As one of a kind, the DAT-O is a giant sandwich cookie, perfect for sharing (in theory).

DRINKABLE CHOCOLATE: PROBABLY ALCOHOLIC

• Black Chocolate Stout (Brooklyn Bewery, Brooklyn, NY) - around town
• also, obviously, CO CO SALA is a great choice for chocolate martinis but here are some other options:
• LEGAL SEA FOODS offers Ultimate Chocolate Ecstasy Tasting Flight - 1 oz. pour of each: Bailey's Irish Caramel Cream Liqueur, Godiva Chocolate Cream Liqueur, Bailey's Irish Chocolate Mint Cream Liqueur
• CUBA LIBRE meets your white chocolate needs with Coco Cubano (Cruzan Banana Rum, Cruzan Cream Rum and White Crème de Coco)
• HUDSON with a pretty can't-miss Classic Chocolate Martini featuring Belvedere Vodka, Godiva White Chocolate and Dark Chocolate Liquor, Swiss Chocolate Straw
• Quill at The Jefferson - DID YOU KNOW - At Quill, every Rum is served with a pairing of Chocolate....

HOT CHOCOLATE:

• OYAMEL'S CHOCOLATE CALIENTE Recipe

Every time we eat at Oyamel we just want to stand up and clap a little. That's how much we love it. But small plates and delicious cocktails aside, Jose Andres' Chinatown location also serves what is probably one of the best hot chocolates we've laid our lips on. We didn't really think they'd give us the recipe but they did. You're welcome.

(serves 4)
Chocolate mix – makes about 4 cups of the chocolate mix.
1 pound Mexican Chocolate (Ibarra brand chocolate for example)
1 cup powdered sugar
½ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp ground Mexican (canela stick) cinnamon
Grind the chocolate to a powder in a food processor.
Combine the ground Mexican chocolate with all other ingredients.

Runners up in the hot and chocolatey category:

• Pitango - so rich
• AC KC - so spicy

DESSERTS IN RESTAURANTS:

• The Source's chocolate chocolate chocolate. It's a chocolate souffle with chocolate ice cream and topped with a chocolate sauce that took 10 years to perfect. It's an overdose of chocolate in the best possible way.
• Morton's legendary hot chocolate cake

• Black's Bar and Kitchen - Chocolate Terrine with Blood Orange Sorbet, Crème Chantilly & Caramel Sauce
• Zengo DC - the Mexican Chocolate Tart with cocoa nibs / cinnamon whip and chili ancho anglaise as well as  Churros y Chocolate with a Mexican hot chocolate dipping sauce

• The Melting Pot's Disaronno Meltdown: Silky white chocolate swirled with Disaronno Originale Amaretto and flambéed tableside (and if you're in an especially indulgent mood, add that to their Chocolate Wildberry Crunch Fondue, which is their take on the timeless American classic PB&J – made with milk chocolate, crunchy peanut butter with a puree of blackberries, raspberries and strawberries
• POSTE - chocolate pot de crème with chocolate cookie crumbles and cream on top. Bonus: LARGE AND EVER SO PERFECT FOR SHARING.

• speaking of pot de creme's... Room 11's chocolate ancho chili pot de creme with the espresso shortbread cookie  is pretty damn tasty
• RIPPLE's made-to-order fresh cookies with Milk - it's been on the dessert menu since the restaurant opened and it's probably never going to come off because it's so popular

• DC Coast - Campfire S’Mores: Chocolate Semifreddo, Toasted Marshmallow, Graham Crumble, Chocolate Sauce
• PS 7's Restaurant - Chocolate Haze: Hazelnut Sorbet, Chocolate Cake, Ganache, Crunch, Grand Marnier gel
• CENTRAL - come on, the kit kat bar is a must, right?
• COPPI's - Nutella Calzone
• this dessert @ Oval Room

SAVORY DISHES:

• there seems to be a fight between BYT friends and contributors re: the BEST MOLE in town...is it:
• "Mole Poblano" from Guajillo, Arlington
• or Oyamel's "Pollo con mole poblano"
• or duck mole from Rosa Mexicano?

BRUNCH BONUS:

• Urbana's new brunch menu features: the Sugar Rush, which includes three fudge brownie pancakes, whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

NOW YOU TELL US YOUR FAVORITES:

Previously in BYT Guides:

• 5/4: The Bourgey Guide to Guacamole
• 4/9: What to Wear to Work - Spring Edition
• 3/30: BYT STYLE GUIDE: SPRING/SUMMER 2012!!!
• 3/26: ARTS Guide: Spring/ Summer 2012
• 3/23: Creative Cocktailwear: BYT + Corcoran ARTINI 2012
• 3/22: Theatre Guide: SPRING/ SUMMER 2012
• 3/21: Food Guide: Spring/ Summer 2012
• 3/20: MUSIC GUIDE: SPRING/SUMMER 2012
• 3/19: FILM GUIDE: SPRING/SUMMER 2012
• 2/29: I Spy: A Movie Marathon