Canada has some of the best chocolatiers in the world. Whether you are in the mood for craft chocolate bars or delicious handmade truffles the following shops are a must-visit for you to satisfy your sweet tooth.
AVANAA- Montreal, QC.
Avanaa, started after Cath a geologist visited Mexico and thought, why not make chocolate in Montreal? She soon left her job to pursue Latin America for the best cacao. She brought back the cacao she found to Montreal and started crafting chocolate bean-to-bar.
When visiting AVANAA's chocolate shop in Montreal, you will have an opportunity to try their bean-to-bar craft chocolate, Cacao Husk Tea, drinking chocolate, or freshly baked cookies!
The Chocolate Lab- Calgary, AB
The Chocolate Lab in Calgary, crafts some of the most vibrant and delicious truffles and bonbons. Their creations start with their passion for chocolate. Every chocolate creation is created by hand using fresh ingredients and old chocolatier tradition.
The Chocolate Lab offers a different chocolate experience. Their lab brings an adventurous and youthful experience to luxury chocolate. Their approach is to explore and invent by taking chocolate to new heights and by pushing beyond ordinary experiences. They have been rewarded for their culinary skills winning multiple prizes at the Canadian Chocolate Awards.
Alicja Confections- Ottawa, ON
Alicja Confections started in 2015 as a creative outlet for Alicja Buchowicz. As a child, she wasn't really a chocoholic, she could never find a flavor suited for her. With the help of her father who was a chocolatier, she started making her own chocolate creations.
Alicja uses classic chocolate-making techniques with a twist. Every chocolate she makes is a new, weird, interesting, funky delicious flavor, unique to Alicja Confections.
A couple of examples of her funky flavors include Cereal & Milk (white chocolate with cereal and marshmallow) & Ramen Bowl (milk chocolate with dried ramen).
Alicja's creativity doesn't end there, she also designs all of the packaging and they are a sight to see.
Sweet Lollapalooza- Edmonton, AB
For more than a decade now, Sweet Lollapalooza has hand-crafted premium chocolates with the highest quality cacao. It was founded by Brett Roy a chef turned chocolatier.
The concept behind the chocolate shop is to produce fresh chocolates made by hand, using only the best ingredients, including some of the rarest chocolate on earth. Everything at the chocolate shop is made fresh daily and none of the chocolates include added preservatives, extra sugars, or other additives.
The quality Sweet Lollapalooza dedicates every day has awarded them with a multitude of chocolate awards internationally. They have been named one of the top 10 chocolatiers in North America.
Chocosol Traders- Toronto, ON
ChocoSol is a craft chocolate maker, which is on the mission to craft revolutionary foods that are good for the mind, body, and soil. ChocoSol was founded in 2004, in Oaxacan, Mexico, and has been making craft chocolate at its Toronto facility since 2006.
If you visit their chocolate shop in Toronto, you will have an opportunity to learn while you eat as they offer hands-on chocolate-making workshops, perfect for any foodie or chocoholic.
Nadège- Toronto, ON
If you ask a local Torontonian for a dessert recommendation, there is a high chance they will recommend Nadège. With good reason. Nadège selects the highest quality of chocolate from around the world to create sophisticated artisan chocolate desserts such as their dark chocolate bars and bonbons.
You don't have to be a chocolate lover to visit Nadège. They offer everything dessert, from luxurious cake creations to French pastries, something for everyone's sweet tooth.
SOMA Chocolates- Toronto, ON
In 2003 David Castellan and Cynthia Leung had the idea of creating a small, funky chocolate factory, with the idea came to SOMA. Fast forward to today, they have grown to two stores, a small chocolate factory, a network of wholesalers, and a small team of wonderful and talented people. The love and curiosity of chocolate motivate SOMA to continue making exceptional chocolate.
Most famous for their chocolate bars, SOMA makes a variety of chocolate goodies at their Toronto shop. From decadent hot chocolate shot glass to their extensive collection of truffles and cookies, SOMA's chocolate shop is a stop for delicious chocolate.
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Those Girls at the Market-Saskatoon, SK
Two sisters Julianna and Ying Tan, are not your normal chocolatiers. Their background is in health and fitness and not chocolate. Weird? It makes sense.
Their chocolates are focused on the bean cacao, the main ingredient of chocolate. An ingredient that contains a host of deeply nourishing and medical compounds. Using their first passion for health and fitness they create a relationship that focuses on thriving health. This combined with their passion for chocolate creates something delicious and nutritious.
Their chocolate uses simple core ingredients of organic cacao paste, and maple syrup. All of their chocolate is made with innovative flavors, such as sea-salted avocado, pineapple basil, and pomegranate coconut.
Chocolat De Kat- Toronto, ON
What started as Kata's passion project in the back kitchen of a coffee shop is now a small team of individuals who each bring something unique to their role.
Each Chocolat de Kat bon bon is a tiny piece of edible art and a journey to flavourtown. Kata and her team, led by sous chef Hannah, dream up, hand paint, shell, fill and cap each one with meticulous care and attention to detail.
Each Bon Bon is made in small batches and crafted to perfect deliciousness.
To get started with craft chocolate, start with our Kekao Box. We search the world for the finest chocolate bars and bring them right to your doorstep monthly. From rich dark Peruvian chocolate bars to new start-up chocolate bars on the come-up, you never know what you'll get inside the box! Each month we will curate 4 to 5 premium specialty crafted chocolate bars.
If you want to just try a couple of bars, check out our online chocolate store.
If you have any questions regarding this blog, our Kekao Box, or premium specialty crafted chocolate bars, feel free to contact us! Keep up with us by subscribing to our newsletter or following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
