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    Donnelly Fine Chocolates

    4.6 (242 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 6:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Order Donnelly Fine Chocolates Takeout or Delivery

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    Recommended Reviews - Donnelly Fine Chocolates

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    Travis N.

    Small shop with no tables for enjoying your sweets after purchase, but that part didn't bug me too much since I got mine to go. A bit on the pricey side for sure, but holy cow was it delicious! My wife and I both had to be careful not to eat it all in one go. We wanted to spread out the joy of eating it. Incredible chocolate, local business, somewhat pricey. Definitely worth checking out!

    Inside
    Sai G.

    This place is amazing, which is a family owned business and amazing different chocolate experience. Freshly made chocolates. Very down to earth family. They also started selling Dubai Chocolate, which I felt amazing because they are all out. Have to comeback again to try that. The brownie and Milk chocolate ice-creams are must try (#9 and #10). Dark Chocolate must try are #1 and #2. Parking is behind the chocolate store and is easy to park. The service is quick and very helpful with the suggestions.

    ice cream bars
    Norases V.

    Donnelly was super nice and friendly. He opened the store in 1988! The ice cream bars are truly the best like the sign says. Marriane's vanilla ice cream pairs so well with the dark chocolate hazelnut toffee. The cacao nibs dark chocolate bar was good as well. The shop also offers brownies, truffles, toffees, and fruit jellies are coming back next month in Feb!

    Coconut chocolate

    Chocolate was good but... while I was munching I found a hair embedded in the chocolate. So sad

    Inside
    Keyona D.

    Highly recommend, buy a few things when you visit. Found this store randomly on vacation, omggg it was soooooo good. I was given some samples to try. The chocolates had an amazing balanced taste. Got a brownie and definitely regret only buying one. Lordd, that brownie w/ caramel and marshmallow on top was so delicious. The staff was very nice telling me other businesses to visit as well.

    #12: milk chocolate Carmel marshmallow ice cream sandwich

    The ice cream sandwiches are AMAZING. The milk chocolate is so rich and the ice cream just tastes fresh. Everything in the store looked handmade and the people were so kind.

    Stuffed brownie with fudge, caramel and marshmallow

    Must try if you want a local tasty and authentic treat!! (And good customer service) We went to Donnelly's for their loaded brownie, and shortly after coming in we were offered a very tasty sample of their homemade chocolate after being asked our preference between milk or dark chocolate! After waiting a short while, our brownie came out and I was thrilled to see homemade marshmallow fluff with vanilla beans inside--not to mention the other delicious house made additions of salted caramel and fudge inside. Overall, it was a very nice place to go to try something new!

    Dark Chocolate Almond Ice Cream Bar. If you want any sweetness/flavor get the add ons.
    Tammy N.

    Service: When I peeked into the shop on my way to dinner the seller looked enthusiastic and nice with the people they were helping, so I decided I would try it on my way back. I did not receive that same service when I visited. My friend described it as "intense" as it was aggressively straightforward. Inconsistent service sucks. Food: I tried the ice cream bar because the advertising. It was good - rich and smooth. The almonds did not taste salted though, so I wish I tried the other add-ons for some sweetness and flavor. The shop is along a very busy street with somewhat chaotic, but available parking areas nearby.

    Caramel stuffed brownie
    Mira M.

    I found Donnelly's to be just fine, nothing exceptional, nothing terrible. I got a caramel stuffed brownie and I was kindly offered a sample of their marshmallow filled dark chocolate. What worked: -- I appreciate that they have fun fillings for their brownies! -- the caramel in the brownie was very smooth and the browned butter flavor was nice and strong -- I appreciate being offered a sample or chocolate! -- good variety in terms of the type of chocolate and treats they have What didn't work: -- the brownie wasn't all that impressive. It was on the dry side and overly sweet. I wish it had been more fudgey, had a stronger chocolate flavor, and had a little more salt to balance out the sugar -- it's a little on the pricey side. The brownie was $7.50 which I feel is a bit much Overall, I wasn't blown away by any of their products but if all you need is chocolate, this is definitely the place to go.

    Sea salt caramel with caramel on top
    Vincent W.

    If you are looking for a nice treat while down in Santa Cruz and like chocolate and ice cream this is the spot. We went into the shop and was met by the owner who offered a sample of his chocolate then told us which versions of ice cream were available. Ended up getting one for each of the kids and one for the adults to share. This is like a high end ice cream bar with really good chocolate on the outside. If you think something like godiva or magunum is good this is like 10x better. The chocolate is like high end eating chocolate and has good texture and flavor. Highly recommended stopping by if in the area and you like chocolate. While there I noticed signs about the store being world famous and top 10 in the world and low and behold it shows up on a National Geographic list. Also found plenty of other articles talking about the shop and how the owner started making chocolates. While the ice cream bars aren't famous since they are made in house and only sold in the shop, the chocolate is and it's worth the trip.

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    5 months ago

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    11 months ago

    All I have to say is the hazelnut ice cream was hands-down the best. The owner was nice and explained a lot about the chocolate.

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    3 years ago

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    8 months ago

    Best hot chocolate - dark spicy and thick. The guy is so nice and friendly and listens to customize your order

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    1 year ago

    Delicious ice cream bars and chocolate. Very friendly and helpful. Definitely recommended.

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    5 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Excellent chocolates. I especially enjoyed the pistachio filled morsels, and the brandy filled dark C truffles.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    I love everything about this place to the ice cream to the people just amazing.... Will be back and soon

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    Ask the Community - Donnelly Fine Chocolates

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    Marini's Candies

    Marini's Candies

    3.8
    (218 reviews)
    1.3 mi
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    While revisiting the Santa Cruz Wharf and Pier, my daughter, our friend, and I decided we needed a…read morelittle sweet treat to keep us going, so we stopped at Marini's. My daughter and I both went with the cookie dough ice cream, and it was SO good. It wasn't just little pieces of cookie dough either--it had big chunks of chocolate mixed in, which made it even better. Our friend got the almond mocha and loved it as well. We both got the fun cones that were dipped in different chocolates, which looked as good as they tasted. I went with the basic plain cone, and honestly, it was perfect too. It was such a nice little treat to sit in the sunshine, enjoy our ice cream, and watch the sea lions barking and playing in the water. The shop is cute and has plenty of other things you can purchase, but we were mainly there for the ice cream. One thing I will mention is that there wasn't anywhere inside to wash your hands. After walking around the pier and touching everything, we definitely could have used a sink! There is a bathroom nearby, but we didn't think about using it until after we'd already ordered. The staff was kind enough to give us a cup of water, so we went outside and did our best to clean our hands that way. The service was great, the ice cream was delicious, and we were told that everything is made locally, which I always love supporting. Overall, it was the perfect little sweet stop while enjoying the wharf and watching the sea lions. Definitely worth grabbing a scoop if you're in the area!

    Towards the end of the Santa Cruz pier is Marini's. They offer a candy shop, ice cream, smoothies…read moreand a host of other treats. My friend indulged in a milk shake and I tried the chocolate cinnamon ice cream. They hand dip their cones so of course I had to get a waffle cone, which is one of my favorite things. The pier is a fun place to walk. Please come and create your own adventure.

    Photos
    Dirty Paws + Vanilla Bean on a waffle cone
    Dirty Paws + Vanilla Bean on a waffle cone
    Saltwater Taffy
    Saltwater Taffy
    Interior

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    Interior
    Far West Fungi

    Far West Fungi

    4.8
    (98 reviews)
    0.8 mi
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    I stopped by just to take a quick look, and somehow found one of my new favorite spots in Santa…read moreCruz. Far West Fungi is small, clean, and genuinely charming. Don't let the size fool you though, because the food is doing a lot. I ordered three things: Nashville portobello sandwich - meaty, bold, and tangy. Every bite delivered. 8.5/10 Grilled cheese - buttery and herbaceous, with a tomato jam that ties the whole thing together perfectly. Honestly flawless. 10/10 Empanada - flaky, rich, and deeply umami. The kind of thing you keep thinking about after. 9/10 And I have been thinking about all of it since I left. Reasonably priced, friendly staff, and food that genuinely surprises you. My only note is that seating is limited, so just be prepared for that, but it's a small gripe for a spot this good. Will absolutely be back.

    On Thursdays 2-5 they have happy hour: Cafe items are 25% off. Oddly enough, the best thing was the…read moremushroom ice cream. Here's the run-down: 5/5: Candycap mushroom ice cream: awesome. It's made by Mission Hill Ice Cream. $10 for a half-pint. Tastes like a complex maply syrup flavor. 5/5: Candycap caramel. $1.50 each. Great sweet mushroom flavor. 3/5: Maitake flatbread $14. The flavor is jumbled from all the ingredients. 3/5: Mushroom grilled cheese $16; overhyped. 1/5: Candycap cookies. $3. Almost no flavor. Terrible.

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    I wanted one of these so bad!
    I wanted one of these so bad!
    Super cool selection
    Super cool selection
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    Donnelly Fine Chocolates - candy - Updated August 2026

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