Is rich, luscious Dubai chocolate here to stay?
Salted caramel isn’t going away. Neither is the hot honey trend.
Ditto for Dubai chocolate. At least that’s our unofficial prediction.
We’re basing that on the number of candy makers, bakers and national brands dabbling in crunchy pistachio and chocolate these days. And on the number of folks who are already pistachio lovers. And on the mainstream marketing efforts. We’ve seen the bars sold recently at a farm stand, a gas station counter and a big-box store checkout line.
Dubai chocolate has a rich reputation, one that was earned legitimately. It all started a few years ago when British-Egyptian entrepreneur Sarah Hamouda introduced the dessert bar at her Fix Dessert Chocolatier in the Emirates, according to The Guardian. The confection went viral and really took off when lip-smacking TikTok influencers like Maria Vehera recorded themselves eating the sweet, gooey bars.
Whether you are new to the craze or a devotee who can’t get enough, here are a number of Bay Area spots serving and making Dubai-style candy bars, pastries and beverages:
San Jose Candy Kitchen
The phone calls starting coming in sometime last year, “Do you make Dubai chocolate?” customer after customer would ask. Candy industry veterans Ajay and Falguni Patel, who make chocolate, brittle, fudge and more at their downtown San Jose shop, figured they had better look into what they were missing. They watched the TikTok video, researched recipes and got to work.
The couple made their first Dubai chocolate bars in August 2025, and sales of the rich, authentic confections exploded. Today, Dubai chocolate in its many forms — filled bars, truffles, sundaes, cheesecake and hearts for Valentine’s Day — makes up about half of their business. On many days they sell 30 to 40 of the $20 bars and truffle quartets for gifts, dinner party favors, corporate events — or just for decadent snacking.
“It started there in Dubai, and now it’s helping my small business here,” Ajay said.
Their high quality is the key. The Patels make their own pistachio cream from California-grown nuts and their cream is 80% pistachios, mixed with toasted kataifi (the shredded phyllo that adds the crunch) and just a little tahini, sesame oil and sugar. Many commercial brands, he said, are loaded with fillers and contain only 40% pistachios.
Customers can tell the difference by looking at ingredient labels and tasting their version, he said. “They tell me this is the best. They personally come to the store to say that.”
Between the Dubai chocolate and their longtime bestseller, chocolate-dipped strawberries, this Valentine’s Day season will be “crazy busy,” Falguni said proudly. “I’ll make a lot of chocolate.”
Details: Open daily from noon Tuesdays-Sundays or 1 p.m. Mondays, to 8 p.m. at 200 S. First St., San Jose, with the entrance on the paseo behind Scott’s Seafood. mycandykitchen.com
Hanna’s Chocolates, Pleasanton
At this East Bay shop, owner and chocolatier Hanna Jueng crafts light chocolate and dark chocolate Dubai bonbons, as well as mini bars ($8) and large, half-pound Dubai bars ($35). Details: Open noon-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays. 4825 Hopyard Road, Pleasanton. hannaschocolates.com
Fleur de Cocoa, Los Gatos
This popular patisserie makes a Dubai chocolate bar featuring dark chocolate, pistachios, kataifi and tahini. And keep an eye out for brioche or croissants with a Dubai filling — they show up when the pastry chef has extra time, owner Aline Davy said. Open from 8 a.m. Tuesday-Sunday until 4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, until 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday and 5:30 p.m. Sunday. 39 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos: www.fleurdecocoa.com
LeVant Lebanese Bakery and Cafe, Menlo Park
Pistachios play a starring role in many of the Middle Eastern pastries here. You’ll find a chocolate-pistachio cheesecake, a white chocolate-fudge-pistachio log and baklava pistachio shells. Details: Open at 10 a.m. Tuesdays-Sundays, to 9 or 10 p.m. most days and 6 p.m. Sundays. 842 Santa Cruz Ave.; levantdessert.com
Starter Bakery, Albany and Oakland
Baker Brian Wood, the Bay Area’s king of kouign amann, thinks “the trend seems to have mellowed,” so he’s tweaked Starter’s version of a Dubai pastry. It’s now called the chocolate pistachio kouign amann, and instead of phyllo dough, his bakery uses toasted shards of kouign amann. It’s available at both retail shops. Details: Open 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesdays-Sundays at 11183 Solano Ave., Albany, and 7 or 7:30 a.m. the same days at 5804 College Ave., Oakland. starterbakery.com
Starbucks, all locations
This month, Starbucks is rolling out Dubai chocolate confections and drinks. Look for Dubai chocolate “bites” and lattes and mochas with pistachio foam. Also, slices of pistachio-chocolate loaf should be joining the banana bread and lemon loaf in the display case.
Mainstream brands
Ghirardelli, Lindt and Russell Stover have jumped on the bandwagon with what they are calling “Dubai style” candies. You can also often find more affordable Turkish brands at grocery, drug and convenience stores.
Will these make a comeback?
Shake Shack was early to the party with a Dubai chocolate pistachio milkshake, which was available last spring and summer. More recently, Baskin Robbins put Dubai chocolate pistachio sundaes (with kadaifi) and shakes on its winter menu for a limited time.