Submarino
Submarino
Argentina's charming take on hot chocolate — a bar of dark chocolate 'submarined' into a cup of steaming hot milk, where it slowly melts as you stir. A café ritual loved by kids and adults alike.
Submarino (Submarino)
Argentina's charming take on hot chocolate — a bar of dark chocolate 'submarined' into a cup of steaming hot milk, where it slowly melts as you stir. A café ritual loved by kids and adults alike.
- 250ml (1 cup) whole milk
- 1 bar (40-50g) dark or milk chocolate (Águila brand is traditional)
- Sugar to taste (optional)
Wine Pairing
Pairs with medialunas (croissants) for a classic merienda
- •Every confitería and café in Argentina
- •Café Tortoni (Buenos Aires) — iconic setting
- •Richmond Café (Florida street) — classic porteño experience
- 1
Heat the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until steaming hot but not boiling. Small bubbles should form around the edges.
- 2
Pour the hot milk into a wide cup or mug.
- 3
Place the chocolate bar on a small plate or saucer beside the cup.
- 4
To drink, plunge the chocolate bar into the hot milk — the 'submarine' — and let it sit for 30 seconds.
- 5
Stir gently with a spoon, watching the chocolate melt and swirl into the milk.
- 6
Continue stirring until the chocolate is fully dissolved or enjoy it in stages, alternating between milky sips and chocolatey ones.
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The quality of the chocolate bar makes all the difference. In Argentina, Águila chocolate bars are the classic choice. Use any good-quality chocolate with at least 50% cacao.
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Don't boil the milk — it needs to be hot enough to melt the chocolate but not scalded, which changes the taste.
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This is a ritual, not a recipe. The pleasure is in the slow melting and stirring. Don't rush it.
The submarino (literally 'submarine') is a beloved Argentine café tradition. Rather than pre-mixing cocoa powder into milk, cafés serve a cup of steaming hot milk with a bar of chocolate on the side. You plunge the chocolate into the milk — like a submarine diving — and stir as it melts. The ritual of watching the chocolate dissolve is half the pleasure. It's a winter staple in every confitería (café) in Argentina, and a rite of childhood.
Must be consumed immediately — this is a made-to-order drink.