A new year, a new goal, a new yearning to travel.
2016 is the year of chocolate, and this list is the perfect start to your journey around America, chasing chocolate! Find out where some of the most unique, delicious, and downright fancy dessert shops in the U.S. are and what you can expect to find there. The inner kid in you will thank us later, and the chocolate-loving adult in you will thank us now!
Black Tap - New York, NY
This popular gourmet burgers and beer joint in NYC has always been known for their delicious shakes, but now they’ve taken it to a whole new level! Ice cream lovers beware, you may never want to leave after you’ve had one of Black Tap’s new $15 milkshakes taking the city by storm! Get any over the top (literally, these milkshakes are stacked!) and decadent flavor such as cotton candy, sweet and salty, cookie monster, and birthday cake.
Dandelion Chocolates - San Fran, CA
Located deep in the heart of Mission District you will find this premier bean to bar chocolate factory, Dandelion Chocolates. Here you can sample some of the most simple and delicious cocoa beans, brownies, and chocolate bars, or choose to take any of their excellent educational courses, Chocolate 101, 201, or 301 (301 involves a visit to an authentic bean farm, such as in Belize!).
Serendipity 3 - New York, NYStep inside this old-fashioned ice cream parlor type eatery in New York City and experience the absolute best frozen hot chocolate alongside some of the greatest dessert creations, such as the Can’t Say no Sundae and Creme de la Creme Cream Cheesecake. Serendipity 3 is most known, perhaps, for their Guinness World Record Most Expensive Ice Cream Sundae, the Golden Opulence Sundae sitting at a whopping $1000.
Bailey’s Chocolate Bar - St. Louis, MO
This casual restaurant off of Park Avenue in St. Louis provides some of the most excellent chocolate dessert infusions, from their highly popular Chocolate Martinis to their after-dinner Inebriation Cake. Try the delicious Chocolate Ganache or opt-in for the Lovers Plate, a nine dessert sampler from some of the most popular local eateries, an always delicious option regardless of your company!
Hot Licks - Fairbanks, AK
Who knew there was such a hot find in such a cold state? Oh right, we did, at Hot Licks in Fairbanks, Alaska. This small, local, and extremely fresh ice cream parlor specializes in truly fresh favorites, such as their Kahlua Bean Coffee ice cream and Alaskan Blueberry, each small batch handmade daily!
The Varsity - Atlanta, GA
Atlanta, Georgia’s popular eatery, Varsity, is known for its delicious chili-laden fast-food favorites, but we couldn’t resist putting them on our list for their after-dinner options, from handmade fried pies to new drink concoctions guests can’t seem to resist. Try the fried peach or apple pie with a Frosted Orange, a drink in between milkshake and slushie!
Madre Chocolates - Honolulu, HA
Get tropical in Honolulu at Madre Chocolates, the locally popular bean to bar shop that focuses on light processing of the raw product, bringing the customer closer to the product. Here you can make your own chocolate bar, see cacao pods up close and personal at an Oahu farm and factory, or sample some of the most delicious and unique Oaxacan Mole or lavender, goats milk, ghost pepper, or lava sea salt chocolate!
Askinosie - Springfield, MO
Focusing on small business and farmer profit sharing, this locally loved business in downtown Springfield, Missouri, allows guests to take an extensive tour of the factory to see how this chocolate is made every step of the way, as well as sample some of the greatest tasting freshly-made chocolate bars! Try the Ancho Chile and Pistachio Chocolate, Malted Milk and Hemp Seeds Chocolate, Black Licorice Dark Chocolate, or popular Chocolate Hazelnut Spread!
Honorable Mentions:
Flour Bakery and Cafe - Boston, MA
Make this trip for the Boston Creme Pie, you won’t regret it!
Hollywood Bar - Hollywood, CA
This is another milkshake glamour stop, with a $500 shake featuring Belgian chocolate, edible gold, and a blue crystal ring for you to keep afterward!
Doughboys - Los Angeles, CA
If you are a cake connoisseur you need to make this trip to L.A. and sample some of the best red velvet cake known to man.
