With Passover and Easter right around the corner, it's time to revisit where to buy the world's best treat -- chocolate. Even though I profiled the sweetest of treats during this season last year, the number and quality of new entrants means it's time for an update.
Whether you love your chocolate light and sweet, or dark and bitter, there are plenty of places old and new to indulge. Among my favorites:
DELICIOUS DELIGHTS
Cocoa V Chocolate - 174 Ninth Avenue
Don't eat animal products? Come on down to this Chelsea chocolate shop and wine bar, which is 100% vegan, organic, fair trade and kosher-certified. It also offers baked goods and dairy-free hot chocolate.
FIKA espresso bar - 66 Pearl Street
One of the great combinations of the world is chocolate and coffee -- and this shop in the heart of the Financial District is the ultimate proof, offering chocolates and pastries made on site and fabulous java.
Bond Street Chocolate - 63 East 4th Street
Handmade truffles, gold-dusted candies and even chocolate statues of religious icons including Buddha and Ganesh make this a must-see -- and must-taste.
Burdick Chocolate - 5 East 20th Street
This Flatiron café also boasts pastries and beverages, but it's the hot chocolate and candies (featuring liquor if you wish) that will bring you back again and again.
Kee's - 80 Thompson Street - 452 Fifth Avenue
Kee Ling Tong quit her corporate job in 2002 to make chocolate, and we're all enjoying the benefits: candies made daily depending on the freshest ingredients, including some innovative flavors such as balsamic vinegar, fennel and Earl Grey tea leaves (not together!).
THE RELIABLE
Jacques Torres - 30 Rockefeller Plaza - 350 Hudson Street - 66 Water Street, Brooklyn -75 Ninth Avenue (Chelsea Market) - 285 Amsterdam
Chocolate-covered Rice Krispies and Cheerios, bunnies, and even an apron -- leave it to Torres, who's become a New York institution just 10 years after his Dumbo debut. And now selling ice cream!
La Maison du Chocolat - 1018 Madison Avenue - 30 Rockefeller Center - 63 Wall Street
Still one of the great experiences -- from ganache to hot chocolate to extraordinarily creative gifts. Just enjoy.
THE CLASSICS
Li-Lac - 40 Eighth Avenue - Grand Central Terminal
Still making fine chocolates the old-fashioned way after 84 years, with many of the original recipes from original owner George Demetrious.
Max Brenner - 841 Broadway
Max Brenner doesn't just sell chocolate and food -- it claims to create an entire chocolate culture. Just enjoy the decadent flavors.
Godiva - Too many to list
Probably the definition of luxury chocolate. From truffles to dipped strawberries to baskets, you can find your sweet treat here.
Teuscher - 620 Fifth Avenue - 25 East 61st Street
Champagne truffles. What more is there to say? Actually, lots -- pralines, orange truffles, caramel truffles, buttercrunch truffles...
MarieBelle - 484 Broome Street - 656 Avenue of the Americas (Limelight Marketplace)
As lovely to look at as they are to taste -- these artisanal chocolates look like semiprecious jewels. Only 72% cacao beans are used, giving these candies an exceptional flavor.
And many, many, many more. I'm hungry already!
Happy Passover, Happy Easter, and Happy Shopping!