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A Short List of Chocolatiers
How does a chocolatier get on this list?
Either they have been singled out by a published reviewer,
recommendation, or they are
one of my two favorite chocolatiers.
Obviously then, this list is only a tiny sampling of chocolatiers,
and many superior chocolatiers are not listed here.
The Taster Opinions section lists
all chocolatiers I (or friends of mine) have sampled and/or reviewed,
as well as a few that I haven't gotten to yet but have heard good
things about.
Eric's Chocolate Store Reviews lists and reviews
many more chocolatiers.
A number of the books in the
References section also include
much more comprehensive lists.
Because I'm interested in chocolates that someone in the
U.S. can actually buy without too much trouble, I've generally
included only the producers that will do worldwide mail order,
or brands that have a reasonable number of outlets in the U.S.
To give a small taste of what else is out there, however, I've
included a few of the smaller chocolatiers that have won high praise
from a reviewer.
This list is divided into North American and European chocolatiers.
A few of the European shops have U.S. offices, some of which are noted.
Conflict-of-interest disclosure:
No chocolatier or distributor has provided compensation to me to
be included on this short list. However, as time has passed
some chocolatiers/distributors have sent unsolicited free samples
in appreciation of being included.
When this has been the case, I have made a note of it in the
entry below.
North America
-
Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut —
web
page:
Bernard Callebaut emigrated from Belgium to Canada in the 1980's, and
the chocolatier is based in Calgary. The web site provides a
list of retail locations in the U.S. and Canada, as well as
recipes. Mail order from the Calgary parent office
here,
or from their Portland, OR office
here.
Phone: (800) 661-8367, (888) 829-6800.
- Chocolats Le Français:
A small producer Chantal Coady rates as having
"the very best quality available."
Has mail order.
Address: 269 South Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling, IL 60090.
Phone: (847) 541-1317.
- Delysia Chocolatier — web page:
Address: 2000 Windy Terrace Suite 2C, Austin, TX 78613.
Phone: (512) 413-4701.
-
Fran's Chocolates —
web page |
taster opinions:
Nathalie Bailleux et al. call Fran Bigelow "probably the best
overall chocolatier in the United States," and praise
her dark chocolate truffles. Bailleux et al.
also note that Fran's prefers "mellower" blends of beans.
Chantal Coady rates Fran's as having "good to excellent quality."
Products can be ordered
online.
Address: 2805 East Madison, Seattle, WA 98122-4020.
Phone: (206) 322-0233, (800) 422-FRAN.
-
Godiva —
web page:
This may be the only one of the listed chocolatiers you've heard of;
it has great brand-name equity in the U.S.
But, I'm afraid to say, some consider Godiva to be the lowest
end of acceptable chocolatiers. On the plus side, they're one of
the easiest to find of the upper-end makers; you should be able to
find Godiva chocolates at a store near you (their web site has a
store locator,
and you can also order
online).
-
Joseph Schmidt Confections —
web page |
taster opinions:
One of the two "commercial" brands Chantal Coady rates as
having "the very best quality available."
You can buy their chocolates via mail order,
online,
as well as various stores thoughout the U.S. (their website has
a store locator).
Address: 3489 16th St., San Francisco, CA 94114.
Phone: (415) 861-8682, (415) 861-3923 (fax).
- L.A. Burdick Chocolates:
web page.
Stores are located mostly in the Eastern U.S., with a store in Chicago.
-
Richard Donnelly Fine Chocolates —
web page:
A small producer Chantal Coady rates as having
"the very best quality available."
Specialties mentioned by Nathalie Bailleux et al. include
the mousse (available during Christmas) and the bite-sized
bars of solid chocolate.
Has mail order, which can also be done
online.
Address: 1509 Mission St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060.
Phone: (408) 458-4214.
Europe
-
Bernachon —
taster opinions:
A small producer Chantal Coady rates as having
"the very best quality available."
Coady found the "truffles, pralines,
giandujas, and marzipans" to be "exceptionally good."
Nathalie Bailleux et al. compliment
their specialty, the palets d'or.
Has worldwide mail order.
Address: 42 Cours Franklin Roosevelt, 69006 Lyon, France.
Phone: (33) 78 24 37 98, (33) 78 52 67 77 (fax).
- Bernard Dufoux:
A small producer Chantal Coady rates as having
"the very best quality available."
Nathalie Bailleux et al. recommends the Green and Badiane ganaches,
the Caprice de Caroline, and the Palais Bourbon.
Has mail order, but I'm not sure if they do worldwide delivery.
Address: 32 Et 40 Rue Centrale, 71800 La Clayette, Lyon, France.
Phone: (33) 85 28 08 10, (33) 85 26 83 56 (fax).
-
Christian Constant —
web page |
taster opinions:
A small producer Chantal Coady rates as having
"the very best quality available."
Nathalie Bailleux et al. recommends the Orpheo Negro and the Soleil Noir.
Has worldwide mail order.
Address: 26 Rue du Bac, 75007 Paris, France.
Phone: (33-1) 47 03 30 00.
The web page link above is to the U.S. reseller;
phone: (617) 216-2660.
[Free sample received.]
- Fauchon:
Fauchon is one of the two "medium-sized" companies Chantal Coady
lists as rating "the very best quality available."
Nathalie Bailleux et al. recommends the pralines by Delsart.
They do have stores elsewhere in the world,
and they do accept mail order.
Address: 26-28-30 Place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris, France.
Phone: (33-1) 47 42 60 11.
- Jean-Paul Hévin:
A small producer Chantal Coady rates as having
"the very best quality available." Has mail order, although I
don't know if they deliver worldwide.
Address: 3 Rue Vavin, 75006 Paris, France.
Phone: (33-1) 43 54 09 85.
- Jeff de Bruges:
web page.
Stores are located in France.
-
La Maison du Chocolat —
web page |
taster opinions:
One of the the two "medium-sized"
companies Chantal Coady lists as rating
"the very best quality available," La Maison du Chocolat
is available in New York and Neiman-Marcus in Dallas and Houston.
Nathalie Bailleux et al. recommends the ganaches, "perfected
by the grand master chocolatier Robert Linxe."
Address: 225 Rue Faubourg St Honoré, Paris 75008, France.
Phone: (33-1) 42 27 39 44, (33-1) 47 64 03 75 (fax).
Address (U.S.): 1018 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10021;
30 Rockefeller Center, New York, NY 10020.
Phone (U.S.): (800) 988-5632; (212) 265-9404 (at the
Rockefeller Center).
- Le Roux:
A small producer Chantal Coady rates as having
"the very best quality available." Has worldwide mail order.
Address: 18 Rue du Port-Maria, 56170 Quiberon, France.
Phone: (33) 97 50 06 83, (33) 97 30 57 94 (fax).
- Mary —
web page:
Depending on who you talk to, you're not going to get much
more elite than this chocolatier.
Gregg Easterbrook
calls it the "Cartier" of chocolatiers.
Chantal Coady finds their wares just "average to good quality."
Want to try some? Then you'll have to make a trip to
Brussels; that's the only store, and they don't do mail order.
Address: 73 Rue Royal, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
Phone: (32-2) 217 45 00.
-
Neuhaus —
web page |
taster opinions:
Gregg Easterbrook
feels Neuhaus is a good combination of availability
and quality. Chantal Coady rates Neuhaus as
"average to good quality." Some particular Neuhaus
pralines recommended by
Lesly Berger: the "Pharaoh," the "125," and
the "Automne."
With an office in the U.S., Neuhaus is accessible
to Americans by mail order,
online,
as well as through their Madison Ave. (New York City) boutique.
Neuhaus also sells its pralines in
selected Macy's, Neiman-Marcus, and other such stores. The lady I
talked to at Neuhaus to get a catalog was very kind and polite.
Address (U.S.): 2 Secatoag Ave., Port Washington, NY 11050.
Phone (U.S.): (888) 666-7088, (516) 883-7429 (fax).
Note: U.S. mail order is
through their New York boutique, (212) 861-2800. Orders
are shipped 2nd Day Air.
-
Sprüngli:
One of the the two "commercial" brands Chantal Coady rates as
having "the very best quality available." Coady tasted chocolates
from their Top Ten selection.
Nathalie Bailleux et al. enjoyed the Truffles du Jour and their bonbons.
Sprüngli has a number
of stores in Zurich, and also do worldwide mail order via FedEx.
Address: Bahnhofstrasse 21, 8022 Zurich, Switzerland.
Phone: (41-1) 211 5777, (41-1) 211 3435 (fax).
- Wittamer:
A small producer Chantal Coady rates as having
"the very best quality available" and "Without a doubt the
finest chocolate-makers in Belgium...."
Nathalie Bailleux et al. praises the Trianon and the Bouchon.
Has worldwide mail order.
Address: 12 Place du Grand Sablon, Grote Zavel 12, 1000 Brussels, Belgium.
Phone: (32-2) 512 84 51, (32-2) 512 37 42 (fax).
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