I’m an avowed supporter of Valentine’s Day — not as a result of I’ve a very rosy-eyed view of affection and friendships, though I’m additionally professional these issues. However I’m actually right here for the chocolate, which on Valentine’s Day, deservedly takes pleasure of place, dialog hearts and luxurious vegetable bouquets however. That is the time to request and provides actually fancy chocolate, the type of chocolate that instantly telegraphs luxurious and decadence. There’s nothing that matches that invoice fairly like a ravishing field of bonbons or truffles.
Historically, bonbons are made with molds and comprise all kinds of fillings, from fruits and nuts to caramel and marzipans, in contrast to truffles which usually comprise ganache. Each generally is a canvas for a chocolatier’s creativity, typically painted to resemble glistening gems. And in contrast to the bar you decide up at grocery retailer checkout, these bins of goodies are at all times a celebration. Right here, an inventory of confectioners from throughout the nation with appropriately festive choices (all of them ship nationwide).
Stick With Me Sweets
That is the place that satisfied me there’s completely nothing extra pleasant than sitting round and consuming bonbons all day. On the New York Metropolis store, Susanna Yoon manages to pack all of the flavors of different elaborate desserts — like calamansi meringue pie or black forest cake — into a ravishing package deal. You possibly can’t choose particular person flavors whenever you order to ship on-line, however belief, they gained’t disappoint.
Vesta Chocolate
New Jersey-based Vesta Chocolate is a bean-to-bonbon chocolate manufacturing unit, that means chocolatiers Roger Rodriguez and Julia Choi Rodriguez begin the chocolate-making course of with entire cacao beans which they then course of to type the idea of confections starting from sizzling chocolate to bars to bonbons. These bonbons can be found to ship in bins of six or 12 shock flavors, and the Valentine’s Day assortment contains flavors similar to vanilla orchid and keenness fruit.
Exquisito Candies
In Miami, bean-to-bonbon Exquisito Candies prides itself on moral sourcing (you may see precisely how chocolate maker Carolina Quijano turns cacao into chocolate on this episode of Eater’s “Handmade.”) For Valentine’s Day, you may order a 19-piece, heart-shaped field of its ingenious confections that can arrive wrapped in a purple bow.
Piety and Want Chocolate
New Orleans bean-to-bar store Piety and Want sells bins of its fairly bonbons in units of 4 to 24, and whereas the flavors are a thriller (they’re a mixture of Piety and Want’s seasonal and signature bonbons), there’s the choice to decide on nut-free units. A vegan field can be obtainable.
Topogato
Eater SF as soon as referred to as Topotgato San Francisco’s “most audacious on-line chocolate store.” These hand-painted confections comprise taste mixtures like brandied eggnog, blood orange amaretto, and spiced sizzling chocolate.
Sugoi Sweets
Sugoi’s Elle Lei makes bonbons in small batches out of Chicago. You possibly can select from the newer collections (with flavors like beer pretzel, Chicago corn, and milk tea) or the unique assortment (flavors right here embrace blueberry lavender, coconut almond, and cotton sweet pop rock). Or go for a candy stack of six flavors (take your decide of peanut butter and jelly, Mexican sizzling chocolate, and others).
Cacao and Cardamom
Houston-based Cacao and Cardamom acknowledges the jewel-like attraction of the bonbon, which right here are available in a wide range of shapes, packaged in festive bins. Because the store’s title implies, spices take a starring function in chocolatier Annie Rupani’s flavors: there’s strawberry Szechuan peppercorn, garam masala pistachio, 5 spice praline, and cardamom rose, simply to call a couple of.
Kate Weiser
The Valentine’s Day choices at Dallas-based chocolatier Kate Weiser mix my want for high quality, fancy chocolate with the gaudy Valentine’s Day imagery I unironically love. Simply have a look at these pink hearts!
Monsoon Chocolate
In Tucson, Monsoon Chocolate places collectively bins of bonbons that showcase a wide range of aesthetic types with flavors that replicate the southwestern setting, similar to chiltepín pepper, prickly pear caramel, and Sonoran sea salt darkish chocolate. This assortment of Whiskey Del Bac Dorado-infused goodies brings out a barely smokey, sultry campfire taste.
Jardí Candies
Atlanta-based Jardí Candies is especially properly suited to the fruit lover with flavors similar to salted blueberry vanilla and mango with mezcal. Nevertheless it’s the large, darkish chocolate and brown sugar marshmallow hearts by chef Jocelyn Gragg which are the actual Valentine’s Day stand-out.
andSons
At andSons in Los Angeles, second-generation chocolate makers keep it up the household custom with elegant bonbons and different chocolate confections. The 2025 Valentine’s Day assortment is available in a limited-edition floral field designed by artist Hilary Pecis, and contains chef-inspired highlights similar to Strawberry Rosé, German Chocolate Cake, and extra.
Bon Bon Bon
Bon Bon Bon’s bonbons may not have the everyday domed form, however the flavors take full benefit of the anything-goes spirit of the bonbon. The Detroit store’s Valentine’s Day assortment is reside (though V-Day arrival is not 100% assured), and options flavors like Pet Love (pet chow and milk chocolate) and Can’t Get Un Oeuf (sprinkles and meringue in custard).
Vosges Haut-Chocolat
Vosges is a luxurious chocolatier from Chicago, Illinois, and it actually delivers on not solely style however presentation with its choices and collaborations; in the future, I’ll deliver residence its elaborate wreathe of bonbons for the vacations. The confectioner’s extravagant Valentine’s Day store is worthy of a Baz Luhrmann set, and whereas its intricate heart-shaped bins are full of all types of treats, there’s one thing comforting but elevated about its tackle caramel toffee, which is made with Ancho chiles.
Compartés
Compartés has been making luxurious goodies from its Los Angeles, California hub for almost 75 years, and its tackle the standard heart-shaped Valentine’s Day chocolate field is pleasant; as an alternative of the traditional fake satin-lined field, Compartés provides a inexperienced crocodile-print coronary heart containing chocolate-dipped fruits, chocolate lined nuts, cookies, and extra.
Twenty-4 Blackbirds
This Santa Barbara, California-based confectionary sources its cocoa beans from single origin estates and co-ops, and it’s possible you’ll acknowledge it from collaborations with the likes of Flamingo Property. Founder Mike Orlando began Twenty-4 Blackbirds with a DIY mindset — even making a few of the gear himself — and the ethos that deciding on top quality, bean-to-bar goodies ought to really feel enjoyable and accessible. This present field will spherical up a dozen truffles chosen by employees similar to lavender blossom caramel and a seasonal pâté de fruits bonbon.
Positive & Uncooked
For many who need to forgo the frills of conventional Valentine’s Day chocolate bins, attain for Positive & Uncooked. The Brooklyn, New York-based chocolatier focuses on uncooked, natural bean-to-bar chocolate that’s all dairy-free and packaged in low-key graphic bins.
Etsy
Etsy is residence to many small-scale chocolate slingers, however additionally it is a purveyor of edible bouquets that lean into the kitsch joys of the vacation with preparations of Ferrero Rocher, Butterfinger bars, and extra Huge Sweet classics.
