Chocolate Delight

“As long as there is chocolate, there will be happiness,” says writer Wayne Gerard Trotman. I see no fault in his statement! Check out our guide to all the sweet, chocolatey happiness you can ask for with these chocolate shops and chocolatiers across Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. 

Sunshine Coast

Located in Roberts Creek, Take A Fancy creates bean to bar chocolate that highlights the individuality of the cacao region—like the fruity, grape-like notes of a Ugandan 85% dark chocolate or the fudgy, toasted-oat profile of the Ghanian 72% bar. 

North Central Island

Jan Bonk opened Dark Side Chocolates in downtown Cumberland in 2008. She then trained her sister-in-law Allison in the business, who bought the business in 2012. Allison uses real ingredients and organic, fair-trade chocolate to create flavours like vanilla bourbon, pomegranate orange and crème fraiche. In Courtenay, you’ll find the popular Hot Chocolates, which has been using the same artisan handmade methods since 1986 to create their wide selection of truffles, barks, bars, caramel and fudge. They also frequently create signature chocolate bars used in fundraisers throughout the Valley.

North Island

Remember Jan, who started Dark Side Chocolates in Cumberland? She may have sold that chocolate business, but chocolate kept pulling at her heartstrings; her new family business, Coal Creek Roasters (based in Tahsis), produces chocolate bars using only two ingredients: freshly roasted organic cacao beans and organic cane sugar, allowing for an incredibly pure flavour. 

Central Island

Coombs Country Candy in Port Alberni has an actual claim to fame—hundreds of their candies, licorice, chocolates and other sweets were used in the candy store scene in the Disney movie Super Buddies. Also located in Port Alberni is The Sugar Shak. The owner is no stranger to chocolate—her father was Swiss, so she grew up well-acquainted with quality chocolate. This shop is known to recruit their customers to name some of their delicious chocolate and caramel treats. Over in Qualicum Beach, Robin Bruner bought the longstanding sweets shop with the vision of showcasing local products—and now Swell Sweets is known for featuring talented chocolatiers from across the province.

Cowichan

In Duncan, Cocoa Love produces unique chocolate flavours like pear cranberry white balsamic, tangerine pistachio caramel and strawberry lemonade. They also offer workshops where you can flavour, dip and decorate your own truffles. Hansel & Gretel’s Candy Kitchen in Chemainus is a “fairytale candy shop” filled with both old candy favourites and new sweet treats. In Cobble Hill, Organic Fair creates organic dark chocolate bars that are vegan and low in sugar—and if you’re looking to incorporate chocolate in different parts of your meal, try their Mythic Mole Organic Spice Rub, which enhances your proteins or vegetables with the savoury chocolate flavour of Mexico. Tucked away at Shawnigan Lake is Shawnigan House Coffee & Chocolate, where you’ll find locally roasted, fair-trade coffee to accompany your hand-crafted chocolate truffles. Finally, Rembrandt’s Chocolates has been a local delight in Duncan for 25 years, focussing on hand-made, small-batch chocolates made from top-quality Belgian ingredients and pure European fillings, and specializing in sugar-free options.

South Island

Rock Coast Confections is a small-batch, gourmet chocolatier and confectioner in Saanichton, which began as a hobby making English toffee during the holidays for owner Amber Isles. That hobby eventually grew  into a storefront with multiple employees, where their number one product is English-style toffee with smoked salt.

Victoria

Rogers’ Chocolates is an Island legend, having been around since 1885, when owners Charles and Leah Rogers began selling fruits, vegetables, and chocolates imported from San Francisco. The demand for chocolate was so high that Charles began to make his own, beginning his career as Canada’s first chocolatier. Then there’s Pure Lovin’ Chocolate, which is a mother-daughter dream team. Cyndy Blackburn instilled a love of cooking into her daughter Leah from a young age, teaching her to make sponge toffee, brittle, caramel and other treats. Leah pursued the passion, completing her Red Seal in cooking, and eventually ended up back in Victoria with Cyndy, where their chocolate business was born. And Sirene Chocolate, an international award-winning craft chocolate maker, prioritizes working in direct partnership with the farmers they source from to create their bean-to-bar products.

The ultimate destination for chocolate might be Chocolat & Co, because you’ll find three unique chocolatiers at home there, including Terrible Truffles. This venture began because word spread many years ago about the chocolate truffles David Booth was making for locals and guests at their family-run B&B. Next in the trio is The Chocolate Project, which was started in 1999 by chef and restaurateur David Mincey. They carry over 350 different bars from over 60 bean-to-bar artists from around the world. Rounding out the chocolate collective is Uncouth Chocolate, where attention to detail is paramount to the success of their “unpolished, unrefined, and unadulterated” chocolate.

Gulf Islands

Denman Island Chocolate, as Canada’s original organic chocolate company, donates 1% of its gross income to local environmental conservation groups. Eco sustainability was at the forefront of the design and build process for their chocolate factory nestled in the woods. Harlan’s Fine Chocolates on Salt Spring Island unites chocolate lovers with their chocolate and fudge clubs—that’s right, you can sign up for a club and receive specialty sweet treats every month. On Pender Island, you can find a unique honey truffle from Pender Chocolates, which uses honey from their very own bees. They also have a lavender truffle that features flowers from their garden. 

Pacific Rim

Alongside their other delicious, handcrafted chocolate treats, Chocolate Tofino sells hot chocolate “elixir orbs,” which will allow you to make arguably the best hot chocolate you’ll ever have. They also make fresh, naturally flavoured gelato and sorbet with vegan, non-dairy, nut-free and gluten-free options.