If you are looking for the ultimate spot to satisfy your sweet tooth, look no further. This epic list of candy shops all around town will have your vintage favorites and all the gummies you desire.
LessAt Dulcelandia, you'll find every Mexican candy and chocolate treat under the sun. Be adventuresome and give some of the more interesting sweets a try; we like Rollos de Cocco (jumbo milk coconut rolls) and chili-covered mango lollipops. Every kid (and adult!) will love the Obleas, wafers covered with a creamy caramel.
See if you can squeeze into this teeny-tiny penny candy shop—actually, a storefront squeezed into the small space between two larger buildings. Then, fill your little paper bag to the brim. Choose from old-fashioned (bullseyes and flying saucers) to new-fangled (pop rocks and sour patch worms) and be sure to take a giant bag of the freshly hand-popped popcorn to go.
Go gourmet and pop into Katherine Anne Confections, a Chicago sweets shop that has an eye for delicious, locally and seasonally inspired sweets. The rotating selection of hand-dipped truffles, soft honey caramels and pillowy marshmallows are made with the best of the best ingredients, and the seasonal flavors (salted peanut caramel, peanut butter banana truffles, brown butter and sage marshmallow) are to die for.
Forgo the ordinary and take your kids on a tour of Asia via candy. At Aji Ichiban, you can take your pick from thousands of candies and sweet and salty snacks from Asia. The shrimp and squid flavored treats are especially interesting, while the wide range of sweet gummies are sure to be gobbled up in a flash. Customers are encouraged to sample before buying, making shopping for treats here especially sweet.
Located in the heart of Chicago in the Historic Stockyard Industrial Park, Superior Nut & Candy is Chicago's go-to spot for bulk candy. The individual bags of trail mix and chocolate-covered peanuts are especially sought-after goodies, while the mini bags of yogurt pretzels and dried fruits offer a healthier option. While many people count on Superior for large, bulk order, you can also call and ask for the Small Orders department.
Ferrara Pan has been cranking out candy classics since 1908, and at the Ferrara Pan Outlet, you can buy his sweet candies fresh from the factory, with awesome prices to boot. You'll find all your childhood favorites - Lemonhead, Nerds, Sour Jack, Atomic FireBall, Laffy Taffy and more—packaged in their sweet retro boxes, perfectly sized for little ones.
Family owned and operated, Graham's Fine Chocolates in charming downtown Geneva is a must-visit. Their fine, hand-dipped chocolates and housemade ice cream are a draw year-round, but in the fall, this delightfully sweet shop truly shines. Count on an assortment of unique caramel apples, rich hot cocoas, chocolates shaped in every festive mascot under the sun, and pretzels dipped in chocolate and decorated in their best fall colors.
Founded by Larry Burdick in 1987, and now continued by Chocolatier Michael Klug, L.A. Burdick Chocolates opened their first Chicago location in 2017. Each bonbon here is hand-piped, hand-cut, hand-garnished and hand-packed. You'll find all of the signature L.A. Burdick’s chocolates you adore, including their Signature Chocolate Mice, bonbons, seasonal offerings and vegan selections. In the fall and winter, L.A. Burdick will warm the hearts of many with its beloved Drinking Chocolate.
Go overboard this year and order personalized chocolate lollipops featuring your family's favorite characters at the Fudge Pot, a family-run shop in Old Town that has made families drool over handcrafted chocolates, made fresh daily, since 1963. Take some of the delicious caramel apples, toffee and truffles for your own at-home celebrations.