I got to visit all five chocolate shops in Richmond, Virginia during an unplanned vacation last weekend. I did uncover proof of a store named Chocolate Cravingz, however their website was down and their hours on Google Maps indicated that they were only open on weekdays, so go at your own risk. The remaining chocolateries listed below are easily accessible to anybody staying in Richmond, although each is best known for its specific speciality. Scroll down for a more comprehensive map!
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Chocolate, for the Love of Chocolate
This is the place to go if you want the most variety of chocolates in Richmond. For the Love of Chocolate is smack in the heart of downtown, a few doors down from several wonderful eateries. They offer fudge, chocolate truffles, and an amazing array of bulk candies, the latter of which appears to get the most attention.
Apart from that, they offer a good assortment of handmade chocolates, numerous international sweets, and every seasonal chocolate item imaginable, from marshmallow eggs to caramel pumpkins and cookie Christmas trees. They are a certified distributor for Leonidas Belgian chocolates for those wishing to assemble a box of bonbons, but their range of truffles and bonbons in general has never impressed me.
3136 West Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23221
Mon-Sat: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sun: 12 p.m.-5 p.m.
RVA JC Desserts
Pre-ordering is necessary. JCs has become my favorite place in Richmond for bonbons. While they are only available for pickup three days a week, their tiny variety of chocolates and desserts is worth arranging around. To make an order, you must call or email ahead of time; however, we phoned upon arriving within their collection hours and were able to assemble a box over the phone. When we went, there were seven kinds available, and I’m very pleased we went since their bonbons are fantastic.
Our favorites were the Hazelnut Cappuccino and the Caramel Cream, but each of the ones we sampled was packed with a beautiful smooth ganache that was neither excessively sweet nor flat in flavor. In addition to bonbons, they now provide filled chocolate bars in three varieties and custom-made cakes. I’d want to see the pastry chef make more stacked bonbons, but I suppose it’s just my way of expressing that I need a better reason to go back to Richmond and taste more of their masterpieces!
2601 Maury St, Unit 2, Richmond, VA 23224 (Hatch Kitchen RVA)
Hours: 1pm-6pm, Thursday-Saturday; preorders necessary.
Miss Maude’s Chocolate Bar
This is an unusual notion for a chocolate business, whether in Richmond or elsewhere. Every $15 bar of chocolate has 8 different squares that have been pre-selected to match the theme of that collection. Theater Bar and Hidden Single Conduct are only two examples. According to the staffer who assisted us, they utilize both milk and dark chocolate from Italy to construct their bonbon sets, which are available in either milk or a combination of both kinds of chocolate.
Butter Popcorn, Red Wine, and Chewy Caramel are among the tastes available in the different collections, as are other peanut-based varieties. We bought two different sets and were blown away by how effectively the flavors are kept distinct, as well as how tasty each square is (the Saltine flavor was the group standout). Although I usually like to choose my own tastes, in this situation I’d gladly defer to such a discriminating chocolatier.
Richmond, VA 23229, 8801 Three Chopt Rd Suite I
Mon-Fri: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat: 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Fine Chocolates by Gearharts
Gearharts is a Charlottesville-based confectionary that specializes in flavored chocolate bars in a range of dark and milk flavors. They also manufacture pistachio and pecan toffees, as well as a modest range of seasonal caramels and confections. In addition to the longer-lasting items on display throughout the store, this branch of the main site sells roughly 16 types of bonbons and truffles (note that there are no tables inside).
After sampling ten bonbons, I discovered that the ganaches and buttercreams were all extremely well-made, but that some of the flavors we tasted were either much too strong or far too light. The chocolates were overall superb, with the Tequila Lime and Maya being standouts.
306 Libbie Avenue B, Richmond, VA 23226
Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Fridays and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturdays.
Kilwins Chocolate Company
There is a popular Kilwins in Richmond, serving their famed fudge, truffles, and other miniature chocolates, as well as a range of single origin chocolate bars (albeit not made on-site). Visitors often do not come in for the chocolates, but rather for their caramel apples and, in the summer, their ice cream and fudge.
3115 West Cary Street, Richmond, VA 23221
Mon-Thu: 12pm-9pm; Fri-Sat: 12pm-10pm; Sun: 12pm-8:30pm.
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