Raleigh–Durham, NCChocolatiers and Candy Shops

An award-winning bean-to-bar chocolate factory in Raleigh's Warehouse District that makes its chocolate from the bean, with time set aside on a factory tour to watch the process. Beyond the bars, the shop packs a classic box of bite-size chocolates. Order the box of bite-size sweets and leave time for the tour.

A bean-to-bar chocolate shop, open since 2008 and named for the region of Costa Rica where some of its beans are grown, that makes chocolate from scratch, hand-sorting the beans and roasting them in an antique ball roaster. The handmade micro-batch chocolate becomes bars, assorted truffles and ice cream, with a handful of hot chocolates beside them. Order a box of the assorted truffles and a peanut butter hot cocoa.

A Lafayette Village chocolate shop that Kesha and Maurice Dozier opened in 2011, after Kesha Dozier traveled to Belgium, Spain and Italy to taste chocolate. Its truffles follow a recipe she perfected. Order a box of the chocolate truffles.

A small chocolaterie on Churton Street in downtown Hillsborough, where chocolatier Matthew Shepherd makes the chocolates. He started with cocoa-rolled truffles in his late teens and turned to chocolate for good after his sister asked him to make the chocolates for her wedding. Order a box of his truffles.

An Angier Avenue confectionery that Stacy Ramos opened in December 2022 after a decade of running a confectionery business from home. The shop specializes in chocolate-dipped goodies, from apples and strawberries to pretzels, Oreos and Rice Krispies Treats. Order an assortment of the chocolate-dipped treats.