Because Valentine’s Day is coming up, and you want to get good chocolate. And maybe you can’t get to a store, or you want to see what’s out there. Have I got the list for you.
I’m going to focus here on chocolate shops, not chocolate makers. If you know you like a particular brand, I would highly recommend getting on that brand’s mailing list, since a lot of the smaller makers announce their sales that way. (Especially Askinosie and their awesome flash sales.)
Let’s get on with the list!
Where I think Chocolopolis shines online is with their curated chocolate kits. My favorite is the Baseline, which is a really good deal for beginners at $40 with five bars meant to introduce you to what good craft chocolate should taste like. If you’re not sure what to get anywhere, get that and maybe a tasting kit. (The Baseline comes with tasting notes, more you might want more direction.)
What I want is the Calibrator, which is the same thing but for chocolate geeks and professionals. (It’s a bit more pricey at $99, but it looks so fun.)
Probably the most infamous chocolate store you’ve never heard of. It’s the best place to get bulk chocolate online from the bigger makers, like Valrhona and Michel Cluizel. And you will save so much money ordering from them – if you’re willing to pay for bulk quantities. Because sometimes the best option is a fifty pound bag.
Also, their single origin craft chocolate lineup is pretty spiffy, including brands like Creo. Give it a scan before you buy half your weight in chocolate.
If you want unique bars you literally can’t get anywhere else, you’re going here. That’s basically what they specialize in: curated collections of craft chocolate, in limited edition runs of 200 bars.
If you’re going all in, the limited edition boxes can be totally worth it – you can check out my review of their first box for more info – but these are definitely for the chocolate geek.
Formerly Choco Rush. I haven’t used this site personally, but they’re one of the better options for getting craft white chocolate, including Dormouse and Pump Street. I didn’t even know Pump Street had a white chocolate until I went on their site!
Basically the best source for New Zealand craft chocolate. I also really like their subscription services, which range from a tasting kit for beginners to a deluxe subscription, with a few options in between.
Up and coming sites (not as big a selection per se, totally worth checking out):
Free shipping at $50 is a super good price for a small chocolate shop. And we won’t get her selling more stuff online unless we buy it. And Charla has some neat projects coming up in 2019, so it’s worth a look.
Honeycreeper has one of the best selections of confections and not-chocolate bar items from craft chocolate makers I’ve seen. From Marou’s cacao powder to Fruition’s snacking treats, it’s a nice selection of stuff. (And most are hard to get unless you find a specialty shop like DeLaurenti or go straight to the maker.)