A sweet tradition in ABQ since 1956, this Buffett's Candies is a newly opened location. Buffett's…read morehas lots to offer for your sweet tooth (even some frosted treats for your pup!) as well as some sweet & savory selections from the Popcorn Cannery. The facility is nice and bright, with a red-and-white theme and pops of starbursts painted on the walls. Displays are not overly crowded, allowing the items to be showcased. I was greeted immediately by an employee and offered a sample of dark chocolate salted caramel. Yum! I was very happy with my purchase (as was my pup). The white chocolate coconut pattie was full of toasted coconut flavor, and the Christmas Mix popcorn with green and red chile cheese flavors never disappoints. I did have to break the frosted dog bone into smaller parts since it was so big, but my dog ate it up. You can order ahead for pickup as well.

Buffets Candies is a great place to stop in while in Albuquerque. I am very familiar with Buffets…read moreas the popcorn I absolutely adore is shipped by Buffets. While I usually go to Buffet's Cannery off of 7th, I was hoping to find my popcorn here. They did have a few selections of popcorn, but not the exact flavor I wanted. This store did have a ton of chocolates, including the noted Red Chili brittle. This is delicious and a must have! Buffets has very friendly staff and even offers you a free sample when you enter. Buffets reminds me of what I have seen Candy stores looking like from the 1950s - very retro! It was a blast from the past.

The butter toffee krack korn puffs is truly cracking good. It's so fluffy and crispy and has a…read morenice subtle sweetness. It's hard to not eat the whole bag in one sitting. I would love to try their other products. Please come and create your own adventure.

All of the staff were super friendly and sweet. They know their products and are obviously proud of…read morewhat they do. Cashier was very patient with me and answered all my questions. I built my own box of truffles. The chocolates are delicious and beautiful, especially the dark chocolate sea salt caramel pecan clusters. Next time we'll try the Timmy Krack Korn.

I have loved Buffet's Candies for a long time. Their chocolate is always delicious and there is a…read morehuge variety of different candies to choose from. My husband's favorite has always been their peanut brittle. I gave him a monthly delivery of his favorite treat and he has enjoyed it tremendously this year! It's easy to schedule a subscription or to get one of your favorites sent to you. You don't have to live in Albuquerque to enjoy a true hometown treat!

Wonderful. The BEST. I've gone there since I was about 9-I'm 67 now. Very disappointed that they no…read morelonger sell the divinity though! Thus, 4 stars. Pretty sure Mr. Buffet would be too.

Back in late November 2025, I was in Albuquerque, NM, fulfilling my loved ones' Christmas shopping…read morelist wishes. Before leaving town, I headed to the Eastside for Chocolate Cartel. The name certainly intrigued me, but their slogan did too: no fluff . no flair . the best cacao . I was in! While I didn't experience any "fluff," I thought that their chocolates actually did have some flair. They do have items for those bougie friends. Lol. I ordered a sample 6-pack truffle box ($19) that my daughters and I split together: Bee Pollen, Lavender Vanilla, Flowers of Italy, Green Chile & Salt, Pistachio in White, and Peppermint. I really should have gotten a bigger box after seeing how excited my girls were about this. Next time... I also enjoyed a discounted (due to it being broken) green chile and salt chocolate bar. They outsource other niceties: air fresheners, candles, and gelato. I wish I had stomach space for the gelato, but next time! Very nice, helpful service on the 26th. Overall, it is chocolate done maybe a bit simple yet exceedingly well.

I think the Cartel needs a more current review, so I am adding mine…read more I have been buying my specialty chocolate here since they opened the Albuquerque store in 2009. I have tried almost all the other local chocolatiers, and while they are all good, I keep coming back to the Cartel. Nuff said.

Fabulous pralines! These are completely authentic, made by a true Cajun. It's a must try dessert…read morefor any event or even for your after dinner dessert. The flavors are sublime and the multiple textures are delightful, fro the pecan piece to the fine texture of the base caramel. The owner is absolutely delightful, helpful and supportive (I'm not a praline expert so I had a ton of questions, he answered them all patiently and fully). This was such a tasty changeup for us that we kept going back for more thought at the day, yes they are that good. Go check him out now!

The Candy Lady is definitely one of my must stop places when visiting New Mexico!!! They created…read morethe "blue meth" aka blue rock candy for the TV show Breaking Bad and it's actually super tasty!!! It's a small little shop but they have a good assortment of things besides the rock candy. They have fudge and the day I went, they were passing out free samples of it. They also have a section with "naughty" themed chocolates and another section where you can purchase Breaking Bad and New Mexico themed souvenirs. I bought a Los Pollos Hermanos shirt on a previous visit. The staff has been very kind on both my visits and they even let you use their single bathroom which is nice of them to do. The Candy Lady will undoubtedly satisfy your sweet tooth so be sure to come here!

When in Old Town this is a must stop…read more The maple fudge is some of the best you will find, this stuff is smooth and addictive And the chocolate turtles are a cant miss Rocky Road fudge, also smooth and creamy And a solid selection of fresh licorice if that's your thing. Parking in this area requires some patience Traffic police do patrol so don't just throw out the anchor and leave your car

This was my first time visiting this business. It is located in the El Vado food court at the El…read moreVado Motel on Central. Just know that the parking here is limited. And I don't know what other parking lot there is other than the one that is located Thankfully, I was able to find parking at the time that I visited. I tried a Chocolate Chip cookie and a Keto Samoa cookie. They were both pretty good. The chocolate chip had a sprinkling of sea salt on top, which for some reason brought out the flavor more. I enjoyed it very much. As for the keto cookie, that was amazing! Had chocolate and caramel swirled into the cookie. I should have bought another one. I think I'll have to get it again the next time I visit. I received good customer service, which is hard to come by these days. Especially during this pandemic! This place is definitely a must try kind of place! I appreciate that there is a place like this to go to and visit especially during these hard times. Thank you! I'll be back.

I'm so excited to see Rude Boy El Vado open again! I've been wanting to come here for a long time…read morenow. On a sunny Saturday, there were a lot of people taking in the smells and sights of El Vado. RBC had a collection of cookie dough pops, ice cream, ice cream sandwiches, and several different kinds of cookies and bars. I got the red velvet ($2), oatmeal toffee ($2), and 2 of the keto samoa bars for $4 each. The samoa bar, although messy, had the right amount of chocolate (I love plenty) and the red velvet was soft, cakey, and big. It was the kind of cookie you have dreams about My dad loved his oatmeal cookie. Glad to help support a small business. Will be back soon to enjoy a cookie in the sunshine! 2021 #4

I love Celina's biscochitos! To me they're the best in the city and I often ship them to friends…read moreand family for Christmas. They do other holiday cookies too! They have other items on store, mostly local or state goodies and crafts. They will let you taste test too, just ask! I go at least every year and I'm always completely satisfied, friendly staff , great product!

Excellent! We stopped by for cookies to bring back to Texas and everyone has loved them! Very…read morehospitable people there .. he explained the different flavors to us and it smelled amazing inside!