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Head to these four Westchester spots for bonbons, barks, and bars for that special someone (like yourself) just in time for Valentine’s Day.
Anyone under the age of 12 probably thinks chocolate was invented at an amusement park out in PA, but diehard devotees know it dates back to the Mayans, who brewed chocolate into a rich, bitter drink. Then there are the Aztecs, who believed chocolate was a gift from the god of wisdom and the secret to strength. It’s said they used cacao seeds as currency, not unlike Revolutionary War leaders who sometimes tossed a couple of chocolate nuggets to soldiers in lieu of a paycheck.
No matter how you slice it, chocolate continues to be hailed as a meal-ending must, an antioxidant-rich “health food,” a subtle aphrodisiac, and a daily indulgence for self-professed chocoholics (medical evidence suggests the struggle is real). Good thing Westchester has a number of chocolate shops poised to quench a craving when one hits.
Chocolations
607 E Boston Post Rd, Mamaroneck; 914.777.3600
Enter this expansive establishment on an empty stomach entirely at your own risk. Here, lawyer-turned-chocolatier extraordinaire Maria Valente offers a head-spinning bounty of chocolate treats, from bon bons, truffles, barks, nut clusters, caramels, and malted milk balls to chocolate-enrobed pretzels, nuts, and even crackers, along with brownies and hot (or frozen) cocoa.
Every last morsel is made onsite with all-natural, premium chocolate from the good ol’ USA. “American chocolate is fresher and brighter because it hasn’t traveled so far,” says Valente.
For Your Valentine: Chocolations has a wide variety of chocolates ready for your Valentine. Choose between the marshmallows, pretzels, bark, Oreos, artisan heart truffles, and much more.
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Cocoa Chocolate Shop
2107A Boston Post Rd, Larchmont; 914.834.6464
In this petite space reminiscent of a darling Parisian sweet shop, blissful Belgian bark is the pièce de résistance. Within the shop’s candy pink walls, Angela Ingrao is the sweetest chocolatier serving up milk, dark, and white chocolate bark delicately dotted with sea salt, toasted coconut, crushed candy canes, dried strawberries, marshmallows, gummy bears, and the list goes on.
Two dozen varieties are on hand daily, each bearing names of special people and places in Ingrao’s life. Bark not calling yours? It’s safe to settle for cocoa-dusted truffles, bon bons, brownies, and a to-die-for, game-changing cup of velvety hot chocolate.
For Your Valentine: Oversized, solid chocolate hearts bearing pulse-pausing declarations like “I Love You” and “Be Mine,” or any other customizable, deeply held sentiment Romeo might care to reveal.
Lil’ Chocolate Shoppe
15 Washington Ave, Pleasantville; 914.769.0771
On this offshoot of Pleasantville’s main drag, businesses come and go, but Annette Colasuonno’s little corner of chocolate heaven remains after 35 years. Perhaps it’s because locals never tire of her imaginative Belgian chocolate novelties for every occasion (tiny tennis racquets, baby feet, saxophones, cake candles, and opera glasses, to name just a few).
Or, maybe it’s because each day when the bell rings, she’s overrun by school kids in search of their next sugar high. “They buy everything,” she says. “I have to tell them when they’ve had enough!”
For Your Valentine: Chocolate, heart-shaped boxes packed with sweet treats from the shop, or filled DIY with mousse, ice cream, diamonds (hint, hint), or whatever your loved one’s heart desires.
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Chocolate Works Scarsdale
450 Central Park Ave, Scarsdale; 914.713.8879
This chocolate shop is all about celebrating love. And what better way to celebrate than with a box of chocolates? The specialty is everything custom, from a custom mold of a game controller to a custom platter of chocolate-covered goodies. The shop has an assortment of romantic treats available for pickup or delivery. If you choose the latter, orders must be in by Wednesday, February 8.
For Your Valentine: A bouquet of chocolate roses is the perfect two-for-one gift. While chocolate covered strawberries are a classic alongside a grander choice of a pretzel and berry platter. The store also offers a Be Mine Package which includes a breakable chocolate heart revealing dark and white chocolate hearts with a personalized note, along with chocolate-dipped berries and pretzels on the side.
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Related: The Official Valentine’s Day Dining Guide for Westchester County
