The City Bakery closed last year, and fans of its hot chocolate worried that that would be the end. But the bakery’s founder, Maury Rubin, is opening the Wonderbon Chocolate Company on Saturday, with a new partner, Alex Atzberger, a chocolate aficionado. The pop-up is a celebration of all things chocolate, starting with steaming cups of the hot kind. The counter-service shop occupies the space that some might recall as home to the original Murray’s Cheese, now across the street.
At Wonderbon, there will be at least a dozen flavors, including white miso, malted milk, espresso and cinnamon as well as classic, introduced gradually throughout February. Flavored whipped creams are a new option, but because of production issues there are no marshmallows. (Bring your own.) The hot chocolate is made, as it has always been, by melting chocolate bars, not from cocoa powder.
In the future, Mr. Rubin plans to use this technique to develop an instant hot chocolate that can be shipped nationwide. Chocolate truffles, tartines, puddings and a vegan chocolate-avocado shake are also served.
Chocolate happy hour with spiked hot chocolate, like rum with coconut whipped cream, will happen on weekdays from 5 to 7 p.m. For now, Wonderbon is in the new West Village location for three months, a time frame that may be extended.
The Wonderbon Chocolate Company, 257 Bleecker Street (Cornelia Street), 646-410-0222, wonderbon.com.
