The end of March and the beginning of April marks the beginning of the marvelous Spring season, where fallen leaves transform into beautiful vibrant flowers. Not only is this festival deeply religious, but it is also the most lucrative time for candy stores to sell their goods – even more than during Halloween! With Easter just around the corner, check out these suggestions for where to buy the best chocolate eggs, bunnies, and decorative baskets.
1. Jacques Torres Chocolate
Jacques Torres, better known as “Mr. Chocolate”, is the expert in all chocolate related goodness. Coming from France directly to Brooklyn, Torres has worked his way up to the top with his pastries and has created unique tasting chocolate with his own hand-crafted cocoa beans. Torres and his team work to create chocolate specifically for the special Easter holiday, with their speciality being the “Tuxedo Chick Peeps” in Dark and Milk chocolate – a chocolate dipped twist on the confectionary bird shaped marshmallows that can be found at local supermarkets. With locations in DUMBO, Soho, Upper West Side, Rockefeller Center, Midtown, NoHo, and two stores in Grand Central, you won’t want to miss out on trying or gifting their deluxe treats.
2. Sockerbit
Sockerbit’s “sweet and Swedish” candy store brings a variation to the standard Easter candies by adding in a Scandinavian twist. Their Easter eggs come with vintage Swedish design patterns and are filled with a variety of authentic Scandinavian treats. Sockerbit is known for “bags” of candy which come from rich historical traditions. On Saturdays, it is Swedish tradition to allow children to buy their goodies for the week, and on this day they run into stores to fill up their bags with treats. In order to emulate this custom for Easter, Sockerbit offers a variety of “Easter Bags”, filled with marzipan, chocolate almonds, bunnies, chocolate easter eggs, and a fruity toffee mix. Grab your bag today at the Greenwich Village location on Christopher Street.
3. L.A. Burdick Handmade Chocolates
Located in the heart of Soho on Prince Street, L.A. Burdick Handmade Chocolates are an easily accessible and delicious brand of chocolates that are created with cocoa beans from the nation of Grenada. Because these chocolates are from Grenada, the cocoa has after-tastes of nutmeg, banana, and molasses, which are specialities of the region.Their handmade chocolates are made even more impressive because the decor in which they are packaged in features colorful Easter baskets in the renowned “Spring Crate”: a wooden box filled with deluxe handcrafted confections, perfect and ready for gifting.
4. Li-Lac Chocolates
Li-Lac Chocolates, often referred to as “Manhattan’s Oldest Chocolate House” has been in the hearts and minds of chocolate lovers around the tri-state area since 1923. Li-Lac Chocolates is extremely dependent on its heritage. As of until today, the company is still using its chocolate making techniques from the 1920’s. Their Easter chocolates are always a popular option for customers, with their vast array of Easter Bunny options. Li-Lac Chocolates offer chocolate bunnies in a wide range of sizes, from “Jumbo-Easter Bunnies” to adorable, “Place-Setter Bunnies” and “Easter Bunny Pops” for a quick treat. Head on down to the store on Jane Street in the West Village for your chocolate fix.
5. Vosges Chocolate
Vosges Chocolate is a chocolatier brand that comes straight from the heart of Paris. The owner of the brand was inspired by Place des Vosges in Paris, where she tasted the most exquisite truffles. Their speciality in the New York based store is the decadent truffle, which is a key ingredient in their Easter Special. Their Easter chocolate consists of Smoked Salt Caramel Eggs, Organic Peanut Butter Eggs, Petit Nest of Chocolates and a box of Les Fleurs du Chocolate, to name a few. Visit their store in Soho on Spring Street for your own exotic experience.