It doesn’t happen very often, but life in New York has gotten a little sweeter lately. Three recent openings all within five blocks of each other — and longtime favorite Max Brenner Chocolate Bar with its famous Chocolate Pizza in the middle — have created an unofficial Chocolate District in the city.
Go on a different kind of crawl to satisfy your chocolate cravings around Union Square.
Nutella Cafe NYC
“An all-Nutella restaurant” is something you’ve probably dreams about, but now the Nutella Cafe NYC is real and probably exceeds your imagination. The Italian candy company Ferrero has turned its signature chocolate-hazelnut spread into Nutella whipped cream (the star addition to any of their coffee drinks), Nutella gelato (available sandwiched in a brioche bun), Nutella-infused hemp and chia seed pudding, Nutella crepes, Nutella fondue — you get the idea. 116 University Place, nutellacafenyc.com
Max Brenner Chocolate Bar
Since opening in 2007, this wacky cafe worth of its Willy Wonka reputation has been the destination for a party setting featuring over-the-top chocolate treats: chocolate pizza, Italian hot chocolate so thick you need a spoon to “drink” it, a DIY doughnut party, sweet fondues — if it’s made with chocolate, it’s made here. 841 Broadway, maxbrenner.com
Blue Stripes Cacao Shop
When Oded Brenner broke with the Max Brenner chocolate empire that bears half his name in 2012, he had to go into exile from the cocoa world for five years. But he’s returned with even more creative ideas with Blue Striped Cacao Shop that showcases a whole new side of chocolate, from chocolate mousse on tap meant for sipping to grinding his own flour from cocoa pods and superfood bowls made with healthy raw chocolate pulp. 28 E. 13th St., bluestripes.com
Venchi
This Italian import has been making chocolate treats since 1878. The Venchi NYC flagship store features a 10-foot tall and 45-foot-wide chocolate waterfall as well as a fountain of Suprema chocolate spread, a mix-and-match wall of over 200 chocolate products made with cocoa from around the world, and a gelato cart with 20 classic flavors, alongside coffees, crêpes and more. 861 Broadway, venchi.com
