Love coming here before and after sex! The exquisite C'est si bon look of these magnificent morsels makes you feel as if you are standing on Fifth Avenue staring into the grand windows of Cartier. When you see these chocolates you want to wear them, not eat them. They are so pleasing to the eye, very much like seeing Colton Haynes in the shower! They taste as good as he probably does! The combinations inside the chocolates are as creative as the outside, things like pepper and honey, or Dulce de Leche, lavender and boy juice! The folks here are very nice and soft spoken and they have all kinds of goodies like ice cream and hot spicy chocolate during the Winter. The place is in a weird location which confuses everyone, but the more Raleigh grows, the less the woes. So, come to E and romance the bone! They aren't cheap but come one now, neither are the emerald earrings at Cartier! read more

This is probably my favorite chocolate place in the triangle area. I love that they grind their own cacao beans and make the chocolate at the location. The shop itself is pretty small, so a lot of people just come and get their chocolates to go. One of my favorite parts of coming here is trying their different flavors and seeing their new designs on the truffles. The chocolates and the flavors are good, but I love it more for their beautiful colors and designs. Can't wait to go back on a special occasion with my husband to get more truffles. read more

Escazú Chocolates - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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Ok... So let's just start by saying this... I LOVE Escazu's chocolate bars. So why the two stars you might ask? Two words: Customer Service. We previously enjoyed a couple of their chocolate bars and were really looking forward to visiting this establish. Upon walking into Escazu after several weeks of planning a trip to the Raleigh area, we were immediately disappointed. After looking at the several different truffles we were finally recognized by the young lady behind the counter saying "Which ones do you want", no hello or how are you doing at all. After we picked out a good selection (about 15 different kinds) we proceeded to a friends house where we tried the chocolates out. Most of the truffles were decent, however they lacked balance with the stronger flavors, almost drowning out the chocolate flavor. Even though Escazu produces their chocolate from beans to the finished product, I was very turned off by their lack of friendliness in the form of customer service, and let down by the lack of balance in their truffles. If your looking for a good chocolate bar, this is definitely the place. If you are looking for a truffle, you might want to keep looking. read more

Want to know Raleigh's best kept secret? Escazu! You have to go there. Amazing craft made chocolates that are created from beans that they roast on the premises. Also they have vegan chocies as well! It doesn't get any better. read more

Beautiful and yummy chocolates with a friendly staff. I usually buy them as gifts since I'm not a huge fan of extra-rich food but they do have a few things that I love. In particular the passion fruit and the cherry blossom caramels. They also have different hot chocolate selections, ice cream push pops, and cute gifts. All of the chocolates are beautifully decorated and given to you in a lovely box with a ribbon. read more

The high Art of hot chocolate lives here and it's available to the whole world; not just a privileged few.

This is without a doubt some of the best chocolate on the planet. I try to visit here on my trips to Raleigh. As Christina said, it is very down to earth in apperance but the chocolates are heavenly. Too many to describe, but each one is a special moment in time. This is as good as it gets... read more

If someone has a birthday, it is so fun to get them a box of Escazu chocolates! Especially if that someone is 5 and might still believe in magic. When the lid comes off of the box, behold a little wonderland! Everything about this shop is a pleasure. read more

Skidding in dead last, I give this place my wholehearted stamp of approval. I may have missed the hype, but it would just be wrong not to make public my love for this place. I hesitate to say this, but Escazu might make the best chocolates I've ever had. Yeah, no, they definitely are the best I've ever had, and that's including the stuff that comes at ten bucks a piece from France. They also make great gifts for folks from out of town; it's a fun way to share some local awesomeness, and absolutely everyone loves them. read more

For local artisan chocolates Escazu is the spot. We are indeed lucky to have this little chocolate heaven. Favourites include the green tea, chocolate mint and the coconut limeade. The drinks are excellent too. read more

I walked into this little place and was greeted with the most delectable aroma of chocolate. The store is small and very busy so be prepared to wait for a few before being able to make your choices. All the chocolates are on display and feature a dark chocolate base with interesting additions. I picked up chocolate ganache and raspberry filled as well as several others and the woman helping me was very patient and explained the flavors and notes of each candy. This is definitely a store for adults and priced accordingly. That said my 13 year old love the chocolate ganache but given the price has to remind her that one was enough. Definitely a special treat and bonus that it is locally owned. read more

Try the goat milk. Fabulous. The chili/vanilla? Not so much, but okay.

Escazu chocolates is my favorite specialty chocolate shop in the triangle (and I've done my best to try all of them). They have everything from white chocolate to 84% cocoa chocolate and it is all wonderful. They make the best truffles, some of which even have mixed drinks in the center. They also have a very good straight up chocolate bars and absolutely delicious hot chocolate drinks. I'm partial to their historical hot chocolate drinks, which are made from recipes from the 1600s, and made with water instead of milk. I took away a star for the lack of parking and the confusing store layout. It's easy to get in the line for truffles when all you want is a chocolate bar or some hot chocolate. I think they are just outgrowing their space and need to either work on a better flow through the shop or move to someplace bigger. read more

Great place to stop after a meal for dessert or hot chocolate. The dark chocolate bar with sea salt is a family favorite!

Looking back I don't know how I ever gave this place fewer than 5 stars. Having worked in a chocolate store I know how rare it is to find a place that makes its chocolate straight from the bean. I would still love to see some milk chocolate offered however :) We are lucky to have such a gem in Raleigh!! read more

A-MA-ZING! Is this stuff legal?!? If you're a Raleigh resident or you're just visiting The City of Oaks, you would be remiss if you don't visit Escazu. It's simply the best chocolate in the triangle. read more

Amazing place! When you walk in you smell the chocolate and the smell lingers for a while on your clothing...as a chocolate lover, this is fantastic! The hot cocos are great! Many flavors! The handmade chocolates are great! The ice cream is great! I have been a few times and each time I am impressed! read more

BEST CHOCOLATE SHOP IN THE TRIANGLE!!! Hands down... from their amazing candies, to the piping hot spicy hot cocoa, to their summer Popsicle! You can't go wrong with any selection from this Raleigh gem!!! read more

I'm not a chocolate person, but Escazu is definitely a great place to get a treat. I stop in at least a few times a year to get gifts, and everyone agrees that the chocolate is just fantastic. I love the little shop, even though I hate navigating downtown Raleigh to find it, and I think that we definitely need more small businesses like this in the area if we're going to keep our communities supported. By all means, go out and treat yourself to some chocolate! You'll be happy you did. read more

This place has the best chocolate that I have ever tasted. We tried the strawberry and balsamic, the chile lime and the dark choclate ganache and they were all so flavorful. Each bite had a different level of taste that was amazing. What was even more amazing was talking with one of the owners. She showed us the process that goes into making the chocolates. Each piece of chocolate is hand made and and each bar is hand made and hand wrapped. It was so nice to hear how she would travel to Venezuela and Costa Rica to pick out the beans used to make the chocolate. You could tell that she pours her heart and soul into the chocolate. The cappaccino was excellent too. read more

Just ate the best ice cream and chocolates in a long time. Customer service was great and the treats are even better! Don't forget to tip your cashier! #SupportGreatLocalBusinesses read more

Great people and great chocolate! They helped my find dairy free chocolates and ice cream. My favorite on this trip was the Yuzu Marmalade. What a treat in taste and texture! I will definitely be back soon. read more

I ventured into Escazu on a rainy friday afternoon. I'm always looking for less than ordinary experiences and this place delivered. I mean, where else can you get dark chocolate with bacon and rosemary? I was too difficult to pick only certain pieces to try, so I bought one of each. This was the best thing to do because there were some I didn't think I would like that I ended up loving. Great to see such an imaginative place in Raleigh. The mocha was a highlight of my trip. read more

Simply put: there is no better chocolate anywhere! (I'm not "just sayin'" -- it's true!!) Apple moonshine, marscapone, coffee, sour cream vanilla, lime chili are just a few of my favorite artisan pieces. The candy bars are fabulous -- they even have one made from goat's milk. The hot chocolate is superlative and there's a wide choice including historical, milk-free versions from different countries/time periods. I've tried them all -- France is my favorite. The shop is adorabole and hip, and the owners/staff are so friendly. This is the place that I go to for gifts that I want people to remember and, more often than not, simply to indulge my gourmet chocolate sweet tooth. read more

Brstt chocolate place ever. The truffles are amazing and the Xochiaya is very good! It has a very good atmosphere. The truffles are a bit pricey, but they are worth every penny. read more

The chocolate is so unique that you will have to go a few times just to try them all! A little pricey but that is to be expected at a custom chocolatier. If you have never been, be sure to ask about the Cocoa pods sitting on the counter and how they grind the chocolate with the antique grinder! read more

Tasty but expensive confections. Really liked the raspberry and chipotle caramel. Nice atmosphere and friendly employees who really know their products. read more

Expensive but worth it. I stock up whenever I'm downtown, but often go back just for chocolate. I'm waiting for the temperature to drop so I can get a hot chocolate. There is none better. Anywhere. read more

The chocolate is amazing! They actually roast the beans here.

Greatest salted chocolate bar ever. I mean ever!! I have eaten chocolate around the world and have sent others here from around the world. This is simply a treasure. Should be part of any trip to Raleigh!! read more

Great place to dabble in a little choco late. I have to admit going on the food tour made me appreciate what all goes in to making this wonderful food. read more

This is obviously not your everyday chocolate, Escazu specializes in savoring chocolates. The hot chocolate is wonderful on a cold day, and the ice cream is amazing any day. read more

After hearing long debates and talks about the best chocolate shops or dark chocolates in Raleigh. I finally ventured downtown to satisfy my sweet tooth and my craving for dark chocolate. The inside of the store is small and has a cozy cabin feel minus the fireplace. The customer service here is very friendly and knowledgeable about all the types of chocolates in the store. Plus i received a great history lesson on hot coco past and present. The herradura tequila chocolate is out of this world and gives your taste buds a nice knock out punch you would never expect. I also purchased a dark chocolate bar with pumpkin seeds & guajillo chile which has a nice flavor pairing. read more

Chocolates: Bars, Pieces, Drinks. These are the trades of Escazú, this is their story and it had a lot to say.

Love love love this place:) Visually attractive chocolates, of course they taste good too. As you enter the store, the scent of cocoa is really nice. It's a new spot of me and husband to visit after dinner. read more

I'm very delighted that Escazu has that welcoming hand-made feel and smell! I love this place so much! They come up with the most interesting and delicious combinations. The goat cheese and basil are among my favorites. I gave out boxes of the dark chocolate from Christmas and my friends and family all loved it. If you're looking for a place that has delectable sweets, this is the place! read more

The Cocoa Nib Chocolate bar hooked me to Escazu. I have found some of their bars at N. Raleigh Whole Foods, but they have an assortment of chocolates at their shop near Peace College. I love how they have dairy free options and it is good chocolate (not sugared down or lacking flavor). It is pricey, but I don't mind paying for quality. They also have dairy free ice cream. I haven't tried it yet, but I plan to be back there when the weather gets warmer. read more

Literally the best chocolate in town (possibly the best in the country and I have been to many fancy chocolate places in big cities like San Franciso, NYC, etc.). their hot chocolate is to die for... and my favorite ice cream (dairy free) is the coconut chocolate pop... Mmmmm... so yummy to just think about it!!! (luckily it is not so close to me, otherwise, I will have to go there everyday...LOL) read more

Just went here for the first time last night!! I had an historic water-based hot chocolate and was blown away by the rich, creamy texture without any dairy. They offer lots of other non-dairy treats, all look fantastic! The chocolates are incredibly beautiful!! I will definitely be back! read more

I'm going to start this review out with saying I don't like chocolate. I don't like the smell, I don't like the taste, and I avoid it about 90% of the time. I'm one of those posers that like "white chocolate". Walking in, I was greeted with an overwhelming whiff of chocolate. It was so strong I think I could've left then and there. My girlfriend was insistent, though, and told me to order some hot chocolate because she knows I at least like a good cup of hot chocolate. On the cashier's recommendations, we ordered the France hot chocolate. We also got the spicy chocolate ice cream. At first, the ice cream was for my girlfriend and the hot chocolate was for me. Even though the hot chocolate was creamy, had just the right amount of sugar and a tasty foam on top, I just couldn't get into the rich chocolatey taste. However, the ice cream was a different story. I've never liked chocolate ice cream...and I loved this. I felt like light should've come down from the ceiling and harp music should've been playing behind me as I took in this revelation. I finished that ice cream while my girlfriend gladly downed my hot chocolate. We were both happy campers. With a place like this, why would you get desserts at a restaurant? read more