27+ Best Chocolate Shops in San Francisco (Bay Area) (2024)

This is the ultimate chocolate lover's guide to San Francisco, a city as renowned for its gourmet chocolate as for its iconic Golden Gate Bridge. For hands-on research, I spent a very busy week traversing the Bay Area chocolate shops, searching for the best chocolates in San Francisco and visiting the San Francisco Chocolate Salon.

This article takes you on a delectable journey through the Bay Area's finest chocolatiers and chocolate shops, each offering unique creations that touch on every level of chocolate artistry. Whether you're a local or a visitor, prepare to unwrap the best chocolate in San Francisco, from classic creamy truffles to innovative Asian flavors, plus a map of SF chocolate shops at the bottom.

About The SF Chocolate Scene

Even though I spend just over a week in San Francisco, the only reason I was able to really check out all these chocolate shops is thanks to the SF Chocolate Salon. This annual even is held around Easter each year, just as the weather is starting to defrost, and it plays host to a few dozen specialty shops each time.

The event is also the reason why there are several shops just outside the city, but I try to be realistic as to what shops a short-term visitor may be able to go to.

Also unsurprising when you factor in the cost of rent, but many of these SF chocolate brands are online-only, meaning that locals can easily arrange pickup while almost all of them offer nationwide shipping.

This means that the map at the bottom of the post is also a bit misleading, since so many of the companies don't have a physical location, though many do have pick-up in one consistent spot; please just check individually.

San Francisco Chocolate Makers

9th and Larkin

This is a bean to bar maker whose single origin creations I've already tried many times over the years, and think are fantastic. The owner, Lan, works with a few distinct origins thought the year, making her way through bags of beans in her tiny SF chocolate factory.

Notably she works with one of my favorite cacao brands, Kokoa Kamili, as well as Ben Tre beans from Vietnam, where she was born & raised. A couple years back her Valentine's Day collection included some cacao pulp pates de fruit which I still dream about to this day.

But normally she reserves her most creative ideas for her monthly chocolate subscribers, who recieve 3 bars each month, 2 from the main line and 1 special creation. There's also free standard shipping within the US over certain order amounts.

Regular customers also have access to her newer infused bars, of which recent options include a spiced Kokoa Kamili 65% dark as well as a limited-run whiskey infusion. Beyond the bars are seasonal offerings of fruits in varying positions.

L'Amourette Chocolat

You probably haven't heard of this small bean to bar chocolate maker in San Francisco, but they may be your best bet in the Bay Area for affordable single origin chocolates. Most of their product line is also vegan-friendly, comprised mainly of 72% dark chocolate bars made with South American cacao and a variety of popular inclusions.

Otherwise their shop also offers a selection of nearly a dozen flavors of truffles and a few pates de fruits (when I went it was passion fruit, raspberry, and orange). But at just $6-7 apiece on my visit, their 100g chocolate bars are the real bargain.

Featuring flavors like Sesame Halva, Candied Orange, and English Toffee, there's a future favorite on offer for anyone who visits. Our favorites were the Croquant 72% and the Candied Orange Peel 72% (both made with dark chocolate).

Dandelion Chocolate

Perhaps the most famous San Francisco chocolate shop other than Ghirardellhi, Dandelion has made a name for themselves over the last decade as a two-ingredient bean-to-bar operation in the heart of San Francisco.

Through their expansion into Japan and more recently into Las Vegas, the quality has remained high. In all 3 of their SF locations, there are over a dozen unique chocolate and coffee drinks on offer, any of which you can top with their nibby whipped cream, as well as over a dozen different luxurious pastries.

For those who just want to shop, there are two large walls of treats, similar to what you can buy from any one of their three locations, which have among them bars, drinking chocolate mixes, chocolate books, and bonbons & other confections.

Editor's note: The nibby horchata with their nubby whipped cream is AMAZING, but the horchata is so very sweet and the cream is more mild, making them a mighty combo. Highly recommend!

J Street Chocolate

This online only chocolate maker is just about the smallest type of chocolate maker possible, with the business's namesake Julia Street at the helm in every sense. Though their ability to scale is limited, J Street remains dedicated to two tenets that make the company unique: home fermentation and upcycling.

With ingredients like Beets, Shoyu, Sourdough, and Caramelized Koji each getting their own bars to star in, there's no shortage of interesting flavors to indulge in. There's even a quarterly subscription option, which gets you 5 bars sent to your home or that of aloved one every three months.

The only downside is the (understandably) limited stock, and sometimes even completely sold out. There was very little selection left in their store the week I was in SF, so I haven't yet had the chance to try J Street for myself, but it's been recommended to me by multiple local chocolate friends.

Address: online only

Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory

Though no longer the factory that makes Ghirardelli Chocolates (that's in San Leandro), this is the brand's most famous retail shops. Located in Ghirardelli Square, visitors can immerse themselves in a quintessential San Francisco chocolate experience.

The shop offers a wide selection of Ghirardelli's chocolate varieties, from intense dark chocolate to flavored whites and creamy milk chocolate squares, often filled with caramel, mint, or other seasonal creations. Over the decades, the company has built up a reputation thanks to their free samples and robust shop aroma.

Guests can also enjoy freshly-made ice cream sundaes drizzled with Ghirardelli's rich chocolate sauce, though the historic surroundings are more of the pull for me.

The Oakland Chocolate Company

While you can't currently visit The Oakland Chocolate Company, you can still buy their handcrafted chocolates. The company takes pride in its bean-to-bar process, using cocoa beans exclusively from Jamaica, which results in rich and distinctive chocolate flavors.

Customers can expect a range of artisanal products, from bars to bonbons, each with a story of its origin. Just note that they do not have a retail location, and you must order in advance if you want to pick up as their factory (which is why it's not marked on the map below).

Address: online only since covid

San Francisco Chocolate Shops

Chocolate Covered

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While this tenured spot is separate from most others, that's partly because it's in a league of its own. Opened in 1994 by Jack, the same craft chocolate curator who runs its today, SF's Chocolate Covered shop is legendary for having one of the widest selections of craft chocolate anywhere in the world.

Over the last 30 years he's had hundreds of makers pass through the doors of his tiny Noe Valley chocolate shop— with over 200 individual types of bars in stock, at last count— and many thousands of happy customers.

The ups and downs of chocolate's seasonal demand is highly reflected in Jack's selection, which ranges from single origin and flavored bars to filled bars and locally-made toffees.

There's a rotating selection of regionally-made bonbons, plus a decent-sized collection of San Francisco-made chocolates and seasonal items, like Easter Eggs and Chocolate Chickens.If you pay him a visit, be sure to go up to the counter to say 'hey' and ask for Jack's recommendations.

Online-Only SF Chocolatiers

David Upchurch Chocolatier

With a regular spot at the Noe Valley Farmer's Market, DU Chocolatier is a rare find but worth the hunt. The so-named solopreneur behind the brand crafts all the confections himself, ranging from seasonal bonbons to the crowd-pleasing bars and sets of pates de fruit.

On my trip I met up with David to pick up some of each of these in person, which ended up including a couple of his vegan Easter Bunnies filled with peanut praline (aptly named 'nuttie bunnies'). David uses a curated combination of Felchlin Chocolate from Switzerland and Ecuadorian chocolate from Conexion Chocolate, pairing whichever origin he wants to highlight with a flavor bouquet to match its elegance.

The variety of flavors changes by the season, and combinations rarely repeat, but my picks included the Dark + Floral and the Almond + Spice bonbons, each their own mashup that complements the couvertures without overwhelming. I liked the orange pate de fruit more than the floral purple one, but I'd buy both again.

The San Francisco Chocolate Factory

The San Francisco Chocolate Factory offers chocolates and confections molded in the heart of the city. Note that their location is closed to retail business, but online customers can still explore a variety of chocolate treats, including signature themed tins filled with assorted chocolates, perfect for inexpensive souvenirs.

Address: online only (pickup available)

Topogato

This pickup-only (or shipped) San Francisco chocolatier makes beautiful creations, but I unfortunately found them flat. I purchased their "Deep Flavor Experieince" Gift Box, and of the 9-piece and 5-piece boxes of confections, the 2 flavors of bonbon bars, and the espresso chocolate bar there were few winners.

The peanut butter miso, hazelnut crunch, and pumpkin were my favorites and pretty decent, but none of the other 15 flavors worked for me - that's a pretty bad ratio. My husband, who's not picky, said of the 9-piece truffle box, "you eat it and it's a chocolate.... and that's really it. Nothing special."

He also declared the Scotch Porcini Stone as "a smoked carpet," and I have to agree, but with an undertone of burnt rubber. The Ancho Prickly Pear was also much too spicy for a chocolate not eaten on a dare.

Address: online only (pickup available)

Brigadeiro Sprinkles

This Brazilian chocolate bar specializes in the condensed milk truffles known as brigadeiros, which are traditionally made with dark chocolate, but in this case are flavored with all types of different chocolates and flavor combinations.

During the spring they even have large traditional Brazilian brigadeiro eggs, which are filled with a slathering of brigadeiro chocolate and layers of different types of chocolate, meant to be cracked open and then enjoyed and shared.

My favorite of their brigadeiro flavors were the lemon and the coconut, but everything we had tasted fantastic. Though they don't currently have a retail location, you can order their brigadeiros, chocolate spreads, and chocolate kits online (baked goods for pickup only).

Address: online only (pickup available)

CocoTutti Chocolates

The home of tiny bonbons and the famed cocoquintet bars, CocoTutti holds a special place in my heart. Way back in 2014, just a few months before I started this site, I actually entered their contest to name their filled bars, and they picked my name: CocoQuintets.

I won a 64-piece box of chocolates, which came to my dorm room in the most adorable tiered box and didn't last more than a week. These days the business seems to be thriving, and their creations are as flavorful as ever, with huge variety.

The flavors are actually even a bit too strong for me, but the concept is adorable and has expanded into bars and regular-sized bonbons, all of which are available to order online. In-store visits are by appointment only.

Address: online only (pickup available)

Bon Sucree

This creator was one of my favorite finds of the SF Chocolate festival. Her focus is on layered bonbons in classic and fun flavors with an Asian flair, and this was her first year at the festival.

I tried a 12-piece box, which contained a fantastic strawberry shortcake and a stunning creme brulee, but then as I worked my way through the whole box, I realized that each of the creations has levels to it, and is the best version of itself.

These were some of my favorite bonbons in San Francisco, with each of the elegant touches that one would hope to get from $4 bonbons— liquid cooked sugar in the creme brulee; a whole candied nut in the hazelnut; and a layer of each strawberry jam, cream cheese ganache, and Graham crackers crust in the strawberry cheesecake.

I know most companies are a bit too obsessed with their own salted caramel, but this stuff is obsession-worthy. Someone get this woman a shop!

Address: online only (pickup available)

Charles Chocolate

This more traditional European-style chocolatier has been in operation since 2004, specializing in chocolate-covered nuts, boxes of bonbons, and bars of all sizes and flavors.

In addition to the wide selection of bars, he offers some of the more elusive European confections, including mediants, gianduja squares, and chocolate-dipped lemon peel, in addition to adult candy bars.

However, I walked all the way to their shop location in Mission and it's closed, so I assume they sell online only, as they seen to still be in operation based on their website. For that reason they are not on the map below.

Address: online only (pickup available)

San Francisco Chocolatiers

Casa de Chocolates

I accidentally walked by this small Oakland chocolate shop, which has an array of understated bonbons beside their

They also offer flavored chocolate bars, though their bonbons are the clear show-stoppers. The vegan collection is particularly impressive, with clear, balanced flavors; the Mango and the Lavender were group favorites.

I didn't try any of the liquor flavors, but of my 12-piece box, we found all of the fruit flavors to be perfectly clear, though some of the caramels were a bit more liquid than I was expecting. The Passion Fruit Caramel and the Rose Petal were my two favorite flavors overall, though their cajeta flan is also a fantastic buy, if you shop in person.

Teuscher Swiss Chocolatier

Teuscher's San Francisco shop transports visitors to a tiny Swiss chocolate haven, renowned for its impeccable craftsmanship and attention to detail. Much like in other international locations, such as LA, the store's most popular offering is their Champagne Truffle, a delicate blend of cream, butter, and chocolate with a touch of champagne.

The selection includes an extensive number of truffles and bonbons, each made with fine ingredients, my favorites being those with nuts and nut butters. While the chocolates themselves aren't made in SF, the service is always good and the chocolate is reliably delicious, with an upscale and inviting atmosphere making each visit feel like an outing.

Christopher Elbow

Yet another import, this San Francisco chocolate shop is only the second location of Kansas City-based chocolatier Christopher Elbow. With a wide selection of bonbon flavors and all of their giftable boxes of confections, this corner location belies products from one of the world's finest chocolatiers and a personal favorite.

As soon as you walk inside you're greeted by a gallery of artisan chocolates, where each piece is meticulously crafted and the flavors carefully paired. I always suggest the bonbons over the bars, but the chocolate turtles are famously popular and for good reason.

The shop's modern and sleek design doesn't detract from the selection, either, and while everything is good, I've developed some favorites over the years: Passion Fruit, Lemon, Lavender Caramel, Rosemary Caramel, and Raspberry. They're all simple, but beautifully made.

The Xocolate Bar

Women-owned and -run, this small chocolate shop specializes in feasts for the eyes and taste buds. The menu includes creations such as chocolate salami and lime white chocolate "brie," as well as adult candy bars.

They do offer traditional tablet bars & bonbons, as well, including a fully vegan bonbon collection and a fittingly-named 'pretty in pink' collection. I was most intrigued by the nine flavors of candy bars, however, and picked up an OMG bar, a slab of caramel studded with crunchy toasted almonds and a generous pinch of flaky salt.

I'd get another one of their bars in a heartbeat, but their vegan-friendly bonbons and chocolate-coated treats didn't call to me as much. If you're local, the shop itself also does seasonal chocolates, like heart-shaped gifts for Valentine's Day, and offers sipping chocolates & a decent selection of bean to bar chocolates from around the world.

tinyB Chocolate

This Brazilian-owned shop specializes in brigadeiros, a chocolate specialty of the country better known for cows than cacaos, but fun fact— Brazil used to be one of the top cacao producers in the world, for centuries in fact, until an act of bioterrorism devastated hundreds of thousands of farms.

The company's signature bridageiros are the centerpiece of their offerings, made in a couple dozen different flavor combinations in dark, milk, and white chocolates.

While I enjoyed their brigadeiros, I got a gf lava chocolate cookie and a brigadeiro spread, both of which are absolutely delicious. The spread is the same filling with which they make their brigadeiros, so you could even use it to make your own brigadeiros at home with kids.

Socola Chocolatier

If you've read any of my Vietnam chocolate posts, you may recognize that this SF Chocolatier's name translates as 'Chocolate' in Vietnamese. This nod to the owner's heritage is reflected in much more than the name; every flavor Socola offers has a touch of Southeast Asia flavors.

Those touches are in some of these bonbons, but they still fell a bit flat for me, with the flavors not strong enough to present themselves against the chocolate base. However, I think they should open up a confectionary because their pates de fruit are fantastic, with very clear flavors and natural ingredients.

Their caramels are also fantastic; the ginger caramel is one of the best things I have ever eaten, and I didn't like the other flavors as much, but I'd buy a whole 'nother bag for just 2 more of their spicy ginger caramels.

Kokak Chocolate

This sweet family-run business has crafted a focus on bonbons, and in particular caramels, with several sizes of boxes available for their unusual square bonbons. In fact, they have over 50 flavors in rotation throughout the year, differentiated by the unique patterns on top for each cube.

All of the flavors are inspired by the owner's Filipino heritage, including some of my favorites. On my visit I bought a box of 16 pre-selected flavors, and while all of them were good, there are a few standouts: Mango Lemongrass, Guava, Passion Fruit, and all of their nut pralines.

I would return for more bonbons, but I'd want to be able to pick them for myself and stick to nut butters and tropical fruits, as that's where their flavor balance truly shines.

Flying Noir Chocolatier

Founded by an artist with a penchant for cocoa butter, Flying Noir has become renowned for their very ethereal designs and delicious combinations. At time of publish, all they produce are artisanal bonbons.

Since I happened upon them at a chocolate festival I got to try 5 little samples of their ganaches, and each one was a beautiful melt of flavors and balanced textures, so much so that I bought myself a whole box.

Between the selection of sixteen bonbons in their grand collection, I really got a taste for the artist's palate, and each piece really is designed carefully for both appreciation and consumption. Flavors on offer are constantly changing, so all you need to do is pick a box size and theme, and enjoy.

Michael's Chocolate

An established entity in the Bay Area chocolate scene, Michael's Chocolate has won good food awards repeatedly for their lemon burst chocolate bonbon, among others.

In heavier chocolate seasons they offer chocolate bars and bonbons as well as a few filled batons and mediants, though ther most year-round offerings are their flavored bars and my favorites were the bonbons.

I only got to try a few flavors of the bonbons, but the lemon burst were indeed my favorite (I found them good but not amazing, though maybe I didn't try the right flavors).

Feve Artisan Chocolatier

Based in the Bay Area, Feve is known both for their own beautiful chocolate works and their collaborations with neighboring Dandelion Chocolate, who also works with a few other chocolatiers in the Bay Area.

Feve Chocolates does have their own shop, however, where you can buy their artisan bonbons, dragees, and curved praline bars. The benefit of going to the shop itself is that you get to pick out what flavors of bonbons catch your eye, the perfect gift for chocolate lovers with pickier palates.

If you contact them, they also do larger chocolate making classes at Feve Chocolate Factory with enough advance notice.

Sixth Course

While this is also a chocolate shop, the main pull to Sixth Course seems to be their macarons, so I had to give them a try first. Their macarons are indeed beautiful, but the flavors aren't very strong, at least in the yuzu macaron I bought.

I didn't try any of their show-stopping cakes, but I did pick myself out a box of 6 different flavors of their painted bonbons, and all of the flavors were quite weak, similar to the yuzu macaron.

The Smoked Salt Caramel had a pleasant salty flavor, but it wasn't quite smoky and the caramel's cook was a bit light; it was more sweet than caramelized. I had the same issue with the other 5 flavors I tried, and even my husband couldn't taste a single flavor other than chocolate or ganache.

If you want something beautiful and chocolatey, this is your spot, but I would give the cake a try before returning for bonbons. I also had to come here twice, because the first time I came during their open hours and they just weren't open, so the second time I called before coming and made my purchases then.

Jade Chocolates

Well into SF's Chinatown is this Asian-influenced chocolatier with a bent for tea and a dozen-and-a-half delectable flavors of bonbons for you to try. I bought an assortment of 11 different flavors and was impressed by the complex blends of flavors with particularly beautiful chocolate works of art featuring a thin shell and flavorful insides.

The layered Sakura Lemonade, Mint Ginger, and Olive Oil & Yuzu were particularly memorable, while the Miso Caramel and Roasted Sesame were both good but blurred the flavors together more than the others. There's also a large wall of imported teas with multisyllabic names and some delicious-sounding tea blends.

I also tried a reluctantly-given espresso (these are 100% tea people) which was quite good, and grabbed one of their signature bars. Everything was equally good, and you can see their large boxes of Guittard bars, so they source their chocolate locally, too.

Recchiuti Confections

This long-running confections company has well-earned their top title, with their Ferry Building outpost offering their famous SF Icons collection with SF attractions printed on the bonbons, in addition to stylish packages of candied orange peels, peppermint thins, and even pates de fruit, a rare find in the US.

Dipped caramelized nuts and dried caramel apples complete their offerings, which are all notably wine friendly. They even have a Red Wine Pairing set and a Whiskey Pairing set, both populated with bonbons formulated to match with a variety of popular alcohols.

Their Black Box Sampler is an affordable way to taste a bit of all their chocolate offerings, in addition to their dragee sampler, which would make for an appreciated addition to any chocolate charcuterie or hot chocolate board.

Just note that you cannot choose individual bonbons or confections to be in your assortment; you must buy a premade box. The bonbon box was still an incredibly satisfying purchase, however, and I'd happily buy it again or receive it as a gift.

XOX Truffle

This San Francisco chocolate shop offers truffles by the container size, with a certain number of chocolates per box rather than a specific weight. This is the perfect chocolate gift for gatherings, or the ideal hostess gift.

All the truffles are done in the same style, with a thick ganache filling coated in cocoa powder and the thinnest of chocolate shells. Each flavor is very present but not overwhelming, balancing beautifully with the mild bitterness of the cocoa powder on the outside. They're outstanding French-style truffles, and nothing else.

The caramel flavor is particularly impressive, with a soft, chewy caramel balancing with the bittersweet coat. Noisette and the Creme de Menthe are other favorites, though I tried about half of the 15 or so flavors available at the time - and I certainly wouldn't turn any down, if offered.

Map of San Francisco Chocolate Shops