Varsano's Chocolate in New York City

Chocolate is something of a family vice. When I recently traveled with family to see yet more family in San Francisco, all our tourism stops were related to the chocolate my mother insisted I just had to try. As such, I'm always on the look out for great, high quality, non-chain chocolate shops to alert people too, and I've just discovered one in New York City that is an absolute must.

After the sad demise of The Elk Candy Company, a staple of candy in New York for over 50 years, I hadn't found anything that satisfied my crazing for fresh marzipan, chocolate and other sweets created on store premises. Then I discovered Varsano's in New York City's West Village.

Varsano's looks unassuming and in many ways that carries over to their chocolates. This is no place for those of you searching for exotically designed truffles with ornate designs that have you paying more for packaging than the candy itself. However, if you want the experience of homemade chocolate crafted for taste and texture, this should be your number one New York City chocolate destination.

Varsano's sells hand dipped cherries in milk, dark and white chocolate, their own fresh made peanut butter cups, as well as a range of truffles and creams in both dark and white chocolate. Their raspberry creams are particularly good ���â'¬Å¡ï¿½" both tangy and sweet with a dark, black raspberry coloring to the filling. The chocolate is thick and well balanced with the center.

Particularly spectacular though is the chocolate covered marzipan at Varsano's. This is the green marzipan covered in dark chocolate that is fairly ubiquitous at most nut and candy shops, however, Varsano's takes this to a new level with some of the freshest, moistest marzipan I've ever had. This candy is always fresh and delectable, and to be frank, if you haven't had this marzipan, there's a good chance you don't actually know what marzipan should be like.

Also great fun is the Varsano's staff. Actually, the fellow I'm thinking of may be the owner, I haven't asked, but he's friendly and clearly loves what he does, and I've had several great conversations with him about the history of candy flavors as well as the history of candy shops in New York (including my long lost Elk Candy Co.).

Varsano's has a website, that while admittedly ugly, does mean you can get their candy shipped to you wherever you are. They are absolutely, positively work a try.