5 places in LA County to get locally made chocolate for Valentine’s Day
As Valentine’s Day approaches, couples will be shopping for gifts like flowers, jewelry and other things to show their love for one another. And on the list of popular Valentine’s Day gift is, of course, chocolates.
But here in Los Angeles couples don’t have to settle for the plain heart-shaped chocolate boxes because there is a small but growing chocolatier scene in the city where chocolate makers are sourcing ingredients from farmer’s markets as well as other countries to create craft chocolates that go beyond your regular flavors and quality.
“Beyond the fact that it tases better, craft chocolate is a movement much like craft beer, specialty coffee, the farm-to-table movement. It’s just behind by a few years,” said Kala Maxym, a chocolate expert who recently opened The Chocolate Dispensary, which carries craft chocolates from local and international makers.
“People love that we know the stories of where the bars are coming from, where the cacao is from, who the farmers are, the ingredients they’re using, the stories of the makers,” she said.
So for those looking for an elevated sweet treat as a gift for Valentine’s Day, here are five Los Angeles spots to buy locally made craft chocolates.
ALSO SEE: Valentine’s Day 2026: Three shops in the I.E. that make chocolate by hand
Butter Love & Hardwork
Kimpton La Peer hotel, 627 N. La Peer Drive, West Hollywood; Butterloveandhardwork.com
Well-known pastry chef Chris Ford recently opened his new shop in West Hollywood where he creates his chocolate sculptures that look as good as they taste. The shop is like a chocolate museum adorned with flower-shaped chocolates, hearts and even a big red edible Teddy Bear made especially for Valentine’s Day.
AndSons Chocolatiers
9548 Brighton Way Beverly Hills; and-sons.com
This shop is run by brothers Phil and Marc Covitz. They took over the business from their mother, who started selling chocolates in 1983. When they took over, the brothers hired respected pastry chef Sandy Tran, who had previously held the position of executive pastry chef at The French Laundry in Napa Valley, to create their chocolates. The brothers sell gourmet chocolate boxes with ganaches, pralines, and caramels as well as bonbons, champagne truffles and dark chocolates made with ingredients from local farmers markets. The shop also partners with local artists to design the packaging for its chocolates and it’s doing a limited edition box for this Valentine’s Day.
ALSO SEE: The high art of bean-to-bar chocolates in Huntington Beach
Car Artisan Chocolates
1009 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; carartisanchocolate.com
This shop was launched by chocolatier Haris Car. His crew of chocolatiers make their chocolate out of a kitchen in the Arts District and sell it online and from their Pasadena shop. The shop is known for its chocolate croissants as well as salted maple dark chocolate bars and almond and sea salt bars.
Chocolate Dispensary
1605 Grafton St., Los Angeles; chocolatedispensary.com
While chocolate isn’t made here, this is your one-stop shop for chocolatiers from all over the world including several locals. The shop carries more than 850 chocolates from about 100 makers and offers daily tastings as well as all sorts of chocolates, from the popular Dubai Bar to artisanal truffles to vegan and dark chocolates to spicy bars to unique options like chocolates flavored with caramelized onions.
Milla Chocolates
9414 Venice Blvd., Culver City; millachocolates.com
Chocolatier Christine Sarioz is known for her visually striking chocolates made with ingredients from places like the Dominican Republic, Peru and Madagascar. “I love making these chocolates because of all the detail that can go into one piece of chocolate and trying to source all the best quality ingredients is really important to me as well,” said Sarloz, who makes her chocolates at her Culver City shop. The shop is particularly known for using minimal ingredients to create things like passion fruit bon bons, hazelnut bars and candied blood orange bars.