For some time, the Chocolate Bar in Manhattan (48 8th Avenue) has been getting a lot of press, and reviews of it on NY CitySearch (ny.citysearch.com) and similar sites are generally very favorable. Although I live only 30 minutes by train from Grand Central Station and get into Manhattan weekly, I rarely have a reason to go down to the West Village. So when a lunch meeting was in the offing I picked a spot nearby so afterwards I could stop by and see what all the fuss was about.

Originally posted January 2003.

Chocolate Bar’s space is small and spare, amost spartan in its design. There is a small display case fronting the entrance, a couple of chairs at a counter in the window, a coffee bar, and some display shelving in the back.

The chocolate selection is just as spare as the design, with offerings from only two chocolatiers: Jacques Torres and Garrison Confections (Andrew Shotts). There are some private labeled items on display in the back ... such as Jacques’ Wicked Hot Chocolate in Chocolate Bar tins, regular hot chocolate, and some bars.

I had to see it for myself—because the reviews I’d read omitted any mention of what was available. With all the chocolate that there is in the world, here in NY, this was the selection on sale at such a highly rated location?

That got me to wondering what a real chocolate store might offer, even one that did not specialize in chocolate. So when my afternoon meeting cancelled I headed out in the cold in search of a good chocolate shopping experience.

My first destination was Dean & Deluca, on Broadway at Spring Street. There I had my choice from among the following companies (in no particular order):

• Blanxart
• Christopher Norman (box and bulk)
• Michel Cluziel (box and bulk)
• Enric Rovira
• Caffarel
• Lindt
• Michael Recchiuti
• Richard Donnelly
• Larry (LA) Burdick
• Dolfin
• Payard
• Knipschildt
• Scharffenberger
• Antica Dolceria Bonajuta
• Valrhona
• Bernard Castelain
• D&D private label
• others I am sure I missed

Now this is the kind of selection I can go for in a chocolate store, representing many different styles with literally hundreds of different selections to choose from. Now having said that, I realize that the selection may be intimidating to some, so maybe the idea of just having a limited numbers of options may not be so bad.

Following that line of thought, further east along Prince Street, I wandered into Lunettes et Chocolat, a fun store where you can buy chocolate and eyeglasses. The display case is filled with MarieBelle chocolates which are every bit as visually interesting as those for sale at Richart et Design, and in the same league in terms of quality (but not nearly on the same plane in terms of price). Their packaging is gorgeous too, and their monthly pin-up calendar chocolate bars qualify as one of the great chocolate objects (one that I covet ... I would never actually eat the chocolate).

Lunettes et Chocolat also sells:

• Dolfin
• Cuba Venchi
• El Rey

The atmosphere is funky informal, a lot of fun, and a lot less pretentious than the SoHo fashion store-spare environment of Chocolate Bar.

In the same vein, head uptown to Chocolat Bla Bla Bla on 50th Street off First Ave. Charming space, good service, and a selection that includes Dolfin, Cluizel, DeBas, Cafe Tasse, among others. Whatever you do, don’t leave Chocolat Bla Bla Bla without the chocolate covered sunflower seeds or the chocolate covered organic pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

UPDATE(S):

Update: June 2004. The Chocolate Bar now sells a wider variety of products from several more manufacturers and the selection at Dean and Deluca has probably changed.