Hampton Roads, VAChocolatiers and Candy Shops

H.E. Williams Candy Co. has made its own hard candy in South Norfolk since 1919, a family-owned and family-run shop on Perry Street. It sells the Peach Bud, a candy with a peachy exterior and a soft coconut interior, and the house Fancy Mix recalls the Christmas candy assortment a grandmother kept around the house for the holidays. Order a bag of Peach Buds and a bag of the Fancy Mix.

Forbes Candies is a Virginia Beach community staple with shops on the Oceanfront. Its taffy has run to flavors such as molasses peanut butter, butterscotch and chai latte, plus a Pistachio Chocolate Bar taffy inspired by Dubai chocolate. The cashew brittle has a buttery sweetness without breaking teeth, and a few sugar-free chocolates are on hand too. Order the taffy and the cashew brittle.

The Royal Chocolate is a chocolate shop in the Town Center of Virginia Beach known for its gourmet apples: juicy apples coated in caramel and chocolate, then finished with toppings such as nuts, popcorn, cookie crumbles, peanut butter and toffee. The coatings run from a traditional caramel to milk chocolate with nuts to dark chocolate topped with crunchy candy bits. Order a gourmet apple.

Red Truck Candy is a Cape Charles candy business with a shop in Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach, and it makes about 20 flavors of fudge in-house. The counter also carries gourmet truffles, themed chocolates for Harry Potter fans and vintage favorites such as Necco Wafers, Pez and Beemans chewing gum. Order the caramel apple fudge or the carrot cake fudge.