Chocolate is my ALL-TIME favorite food item. Gift chocolate and everything in the world seems to get better immediately like magic.

MerciSF has put together a list of all our favorite chocolate makers in the Bay. And we are lucky – they cater to all tastes. 

In San Francisco

Dandelion Chocolate

SF homegrown and founded by Cameron Ring and Todd Masonis, two Stanford engineers-turned-tech-entrepreneurs-turned-chocolate-makers, Dandelion Chocolate needs no introduction. Using just two ingredients – cocoa and sugar – Dandelion Chocolate bars only come in dark.
Easter Special: Choose between the Signature Eggs and the Petite Easter Eggs:
Dandelion Chocolate, 4 locations in San Francisco

One65

Join Claude Le Tohic, “Meilleur Ouvrier de France” and James Beard recipient, and the whole One65 team to celebrate Easter. Easter Special: Bunnies or decorated eggs.
One 65 San Francisco, 165 O’Farrell St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Elbow Chocolate

Originally from Kansas City, Christopher Elbow is a trained chef-turned-chocolatier, who worked alongside famous American chefs, such as Emeril Lagasse. Elbow Chocolates offer chocolate bonbons, Single origin tablets, and chocolate covered nuts.
Easter Special: Inspired by outer space, Elbow Chocolate easter collection featuring colorful chocolate eggs, and funky cosmonauts, may literally take you to another galaxy.
Elbow Chocolate, 401 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Charles Chocolate

Founded in 2004 by Charles “Chuck” Siegel, Charles Chocolate range from regular chocolate bonbons with fleur de sel and caramel fillings to the very trendy “Dubai bars” – but “done better”- and Ruby chocolate tablets.
Easter & Passover Special: Tie-dye Easter bunny, Easter Box featuring chocolate bonbons and a chocolate bunny, Bunny-shaped sage honey bonbons or Chocolate covered Matzah for Passover. 
Charles Chocolate, online order only. 

Feve Artisan Chocolatier

Founded in SF in 2007, Feve is on a quest to make high-quality, locally sourced chocolate (note that cocoa beans grow in an area approximately 20 degrees north and south in latitude from the Equator, so there are NO cocoa beans in California, let alone continental US). Feve supplies milk and dark chocolate bars, traditional and modern truffles, chocolate-covered nuts, and handmade pralines.
Feve Artisan Chocolatier, 2222 Palou Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94124

Recchiuti

Founded in San Francisco in 1997 by Michael Recchiuti and his wife Jacky, Recchiuti offer hand crafted chocolate truffles, caramels and chocolate nuts and fruits. There signature piece is a dark chocolate burnt caramel truffle.
Easter Special: boxes of 6 Easter eggs, Pistachio Praline, Force Noir and Caramel.
Recchiuti, Ferry Building, 1 Ferry Building, Shop #30, San Francisco, CA 94111

Ghirardelli

Ghirardelli, named after its founder, chocolatier Domenico Ghirardelli, was founded in SF in 1852. Now owned by Swiss chocolate behemoth Lindt & Spüngli, I like to believe that Ghirardelli remains San-Franciscan at heart. You can find Ghirardelli chocolate virtually anywhere in San Francisco, including at the airport, but I would recommend visiting the original store, which boasts a beautiful view over the Pacific Ocean and the Golden Gate Bridge. My favorite: the Sea Salt Caramel Dark Chocolate squares.
Easter Special: Bunnies featuring your favorite flavors.
Ghirardelli, 900 North Point Street, San Francisco, CA 94109

Venturing South of San Francisco

Burlingame 

Guittard
Founded in 1868, Guittard caters mainly to professional chocolatiers and home cooks. Order some baking chips, pick your favorite chocolate cake recipe and celebrate Easter.
Guittard, 10 Guittard Rd, Burlingame, CA 94010. Only online orders.

Palo Alto

Sweet55
Started by Ursula Schnyder, a Swiss chocolatier, Sweet55 offers a wide variety of delicious and beautiful chocolate bonbons. 

Easter Special: Chocolate Bunny Lollipops, Airbrushed Chocolate eggs, Mommy Bunny Bar, Large Easter Basket – tasty, colorful and perfect for Easter.
Sweet 55, 855 El Camino Real Suite 123, Palo Alto, CA 94301

Los Gatos

Deux Cranes

French savoir-faire meets US-Japanese attention to details in Los Gatos. Chocolatier Michiko Marron-Kibbey, who trained at Ecole Ferrandi, blends the influences of her upbringing between Japan and the US. She uses unique Japanese flavors such as matcha, hōjicha, a roasted Japanese green tea, yuzu, kokutō black sugar pecans, or seto-uchi lemons. 

Easter Special:  Discover the Bunny Season collection, Strawberry Matcha Egg with a Chocolate cookie butter base or Honey Oh Egg with passionfruit jelly and a honey cereal cookie butter base.
Deux Cranes, Tuesday-Saturday 10AM-4PM, Downing Center, 15531 Union Ave, Los Gatos, CA 95032

San Jose

Mariette Chocolates

Plenty of chocolate truffles and bonbons to choose from at Mariette Chocolates. Online orders available.
Easter Special: Chocolate bunnies and Easter eggs – reliable traditions. We like this.
Mariette Chocolate, 1268 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, CA 95125

Venturing East of SF

Berkeley

The Xocolate Bar

Founded in 2006 by Malena Lopez-Maggi and Clive Brow, The Xocolate Bar is your go-to chocolate place in Berkeley: chocolate tablets with beautiful and colorful packaging, single origin chocolate bars and bonbons. Perfect for a gift or for yourself – or what about a gift to yourself? You deserved it.
Easter Special: Dubai Bunnies filled with pistachio cream and tahini or regular milk chocolate bunnies.
The Xocolate Bar, 1709 Solano Ave, Berkeley, CA 94707

Oakland

Casa de Chocolates
Rooted in the Latin American tradition of chocolate making, Casa de Chocolates has been delighted Oakland inhabitants since 2012. The new owners Jesus Chavez and Linda Sanchez have taken over from the original founders Amelia Garcia and Arcelia Gallardo, making sure that the vision and legacy sustain.
Small Mayan Easter Eggs, Peanut Bunny or Single Origin Easter Lollis – pick one or choose them all!
Casa de Chocolates, 2629 Ashby Ave, Berkeley, CA 94705 // 4228 Park Blvd, Oakland, CA 94602