If you're looking for some of the best candy shops in America that would dazzle even Willy Wonka, this guide is your golden ticket. From candies formed with Victorian molds to retro favorites, these establishments are bringing their A-game!
LessYou won’t find any oompa loompas in this circus-themed candy shop, but you may find a clown or two. Designed to look like an old-fashioned circus tent from a bygone era, the Big Top Candy Shop in Austin, Texas, is a candy lover’s dream. Browse the bins, barrels, jars, and shelves overflowing with salt water taffy, chocolate truffles, and gummy pink pigs! Dig into nostalgic bites like Abba-Zappas (a taffy candy bar with a gooey peanut butter center) and banana-flavored MoonPies.
Prepare for M&M’s overload at this popular spot located right off Times Square! Here, you’ll find a colorful world of every kind of M&M imaginable, from peanut and crunchy to caramel. Massive cylinders of these candies line the store, featuring colors you haven’t seen in stores, like black, silver, purple, and turquoise! You can even personalize your M&M’s with images and designs! And don’t miss out on the merchandise – they’ve got plushies, colorful tees, and even pajamas.
Home to thousands of sweet treats, from fluffy and sour to sugary and chewy, this one-stop candy shop is a must-visit next time you’re in the Windy City. Reminisce over retro favorites like 5th Avenue Bars, Charleston Chews and bubblegum cigarettes. Try the shop-made caramel and cheese corn – all packaged in bags that represent Chicago’s neighborhoods. And if you’re over 21, don’t skip the boozy treats like Amaretto almonds or the Southern Comfort dark chocolate bars with gooey caramel filling.
Established in 1863, Shane Confectionary is America’s oldest continuously operating confectionary shop! Stop in for one of their buttercreams, still made from the original 100-year-old recipe. Try the clear toy candies in shapes such as Christmas trees and cute animals (all made with antique Victorian candy molds). Behind-the-scenes tours are available for curious chocolate lovers. And if you love all things fruity and gummy – sample the brandied cherry cordials or vanilla bean marshmallows.
Tucked away in New Orleans’ French Quarter, you’ll find Southern Candymakers. This candy shop offers all sorts of New Orleans-inspired sweets, including their award-winning handmade pralines, toffees, and tortues (French for chocolate turtles). Try a divinity made from egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and pecans – it literally melts in your mouth. Don’t skip the pecan or cashew brittle, a sophisticated take on peanut brittle that’s made in an old-fashioned copper kettle!
You’ll find two stories of pure sweet treats magic at this mining town candy shop in Philipsburg. Featuring rows of jars, tins, and bins overflowing with candies of all sorts, The Sweet Palace is not concerned with the scale, that’s for sure! Here, you can nibble on chocolates, caramels, jelly beans and licorice (try the double salted). Indulge in decadent fudge like caramel and huckleberry. Or, if you’re brave enough, sample the funky salt water taffy flavors such as champagne and pina colada.
A staple on Main Street since the 1800s (just look for the vibrant pink and purple storefront), Chutters in Littleton, New Hampshire, is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Here, over 500 jars of different candies line the walls, from jelly beans to gummy bears and Swedish fish. You’ll also find the world’s largest candy counter at 112 feet, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Be sure to order the shop’s special, house-made fudge like the raspberry cheesecake or chocolate walnut!
Inside this old-fashioned candy store, you’ll find handcrafted fine chocolates and caramels made in large copper kettles from recipes passed down over the years. Even better, there’s a large viewing window inside the store, so you can watch the whole candy-making process. Grab a box of their assorted fine chocolates, indulge in a scoop of their 24 different flavors of ice cream (order the espresso chip), or sample the freshly-made caramel corn and caramel apples!