Washington, DCChocolatiers and Candy Shops

The Georgetown shop of artisanal chocolatier L.A. Burdick pours a drinking chocolate made from its patented chocolate, melted straight into the milk, and guests choose among milk, white, dark and spicy dark. The white comes with a light dusting of nutmeg on top. Order a cup of the white, or the spicy dark.

A Capitol Hill candy shop whose chocolates run to champagne-flavored milk chocolate truffles, chocolate caramel clouds, giant peanut butter cups and chocolate-covered Oreos and pretzels, with popcorn and plenty of other candy besides, some of it decorated with patriotic or political motifs. Order the champagne truffles and a bag of chocolate-covered pretzels.

An Arlington chocolatier whose hand-crafted chocolates are filled with regional ingredients, from locally grown mint to Virginia-made spirits. The bonbons come in flavors like honey ginger and spiced apple cider caramel, and the shop's signature is a salted butter caramel. Order a box of bonbons with the salted butter caramel in it.

A Dupont Circle chocolate shop, formerly Cocova, that carries chocolates from around the world: truffles, rich bars and chocolates from places like Switzerland, Iceland and Vietnam. Order a few truffles and a bar from a country you have not tried yet.

One of the first independent chocolate shops in DC, on Connecticut Avenue downtown, stocking treats from a variety of chocolatiers and a range of packaged sweets, along with solid chocolate recreations of the Capitol, the White House and other landmarks. Order a chocolate Capitol as a gift, and a few treats for yourself.