Most out-of-this-world chocolate comes from outside the country, but someone with a sweet tooth in the U.S. has plenty of options as well. Everyone likely has their favorite bakery or spot to buy delectable sweets where they live, but some places stand out more than others. Here are a few:

 

 

Asheville, North Carolina

As home of The Chocolate Fetish, this town has to be on any sweet tooth lover’s list. The bakery’s products are made in small batches to assure maximum freshness, and no chemical preservatives or vegetable oils are used. Truffles can be purchased individually, by the box or in exotic collections that include such items as a crispy hazelnut wafer topped with a creamy caramel ganache and enrobed in dark chocolate; a rich milk chocolate ganache accented with a sweet Indian curry and coconut; and a white chocolate ganache infused with lavender, honey and lemon dipped in dark chocolate.

 

 

 

 

 

Hershey, Pennsylvania

Dubbed the Sweetest Place on Earth and Chocolatetown USA, the city is home to The Hershey Company and H. B. Reese Candy Company. Branding itself as America’s chocolate center, some of the town’s attractions include Chocolate World, The Hershey Story Museum and the Chocolate Spa. Chocolate World offers a Chocolate Tasting Adventure, and other places to get your chocolate fix include Café Zooka and the Cocoa Beanery. You can also stop by the Iberian Lounge for chocolate cocktails in case you hadn’t quite indulged your sweet tooth enough already.

 

New York

Scrumptious chocolate shops dot all corners of America’s largest city, with tours available for visitors and residents. While a chocolate lover could spend years sampling all of the metropolitan area’s finest shops, some of the best and most frequented include Chocolate Bar, MarieBelle, Li-Lac and Richart Design et Chocolate and Jacques Torres Chocolate. The latter spot is famous for its champagne truffles, chocolate-covered almonds and pain au chocolat.

 

 

San Francisco

As with New York, chocolate tours are a great way to take in San Francisco’s best chocolate shops, which include Ghirardelli, a signature brand of premium chocolate with a history dating to the California Gold Rush. The Bay Area also is home to smaller chocolate manufacturers that specialize in handmade delights. Among the many are Scherffen Berger, the first company in the U.S. to create its chocolate from bean to bar, Michael Recchiuti, XOX Truffle, Richart San Francisco, Cocoa Bella, TCHO, Coco-Luxe and Christopher Elbow Artisinal Chocolates.

 

 

 

 

 

Chicago 

Year-round walking tours show off the sweet side of the Second City with visits to its many chocolate shops, patisseries, bakeries and lounges in the downtown area. The Chicago Chocolate Tours are so popular, in fact, that a cupcake route also has been organized. And if you want to learn how to create your own confections, the city’s Chocolate Academy offers courses for chocolate artisans, pastry chefs, confectioners, bakers and caterers.

 

 

Honolulu

One of the sweetest spots on the Hawaiian Islands is the Honolulu Chocolate Company. With a product line that includes almonds, pecans, cashews, macadamia nuts, caramels, coffee beans, tropical fruits and toffee, there’s virtually no end to the dark, milk and white chocolate delicacies available. A few of the items the chefs dip in chocolate are pears, pineapples, apricots, mangos, ginger, oranges and cherries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Las Vegas

With a nickname like Sin City, there has to be spots to indulge your sweet tooth, right? M&M World next to the MGM Hotel and Casino has 28,000 square feet dedicated to America’s favorite chocolate candies. For something a little more upscale, a visit to. Ethel M Chocolates in nearby Henderson should do the trick. A tour lets you peer into the factory and learn about the chocolate-making process. It ends with an opportunity to sample the company’s many white, dark, milk and seasonal chocolates.

 

Philadelphia 

Cheese steaks, sure, but did you know Philadelphia also has delectable sweets? One of the city’s most popular spots is Philly Cupcake, with there’s a chocolate cupcake with chocolate butter cream that keeps people coming back. Other varieties include lemon cupcakes with lemon or strawberry butter cream, apple streusel, black velvet, cinnamon swirl, banana split and something called The Massacre. All cupcakes are displayed in a vintage pink cabinet ala Victoria’s Secret to add some playfulness to the proceedings.

 

 

 

 

 

Los Angeles 

There are 10 Sprinkles Cupcakes locations in the U.S., but the original in Beverly Hills still takes the cake. The bakery’s handcrafted treats are made from an ingredient list that includes sweet cream butter, bittersweet Belgian chocolate, Madagascar bourbon vanilla, natural citrus zests and, of course, the company’s trademark Sprinkles. Among the many cupcake flavors are chai latte, cinnamon, coconut, ginger lemon, mocha, chocolate marshmallow, pumpkin and orange.

 

Seattle 

If you need something to go along with all that coffee, a treat from Cupcake Royale should hit the spot. Some of the many flavors are pistachio lemon cake, toasted coconut lime, tiramisu, whiskey maple bacon and peppermint. The bakery also is launching its own brand of ice cream, including several cupcakes and cream flavors, with pieces of cupcake hand-swirled in. As a nod to its community popularity, Cupcake Royale also donates 50,000 cupcakes each year to charity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Providence, Rhode Island

Garrison Confections in the state’s capital city is a hot spot for chocolate connoisseurs of all ages. The company’s line of artisan chocolates has intense flavors and an attention to detail. A rotating Seasonal Collection also keeps people coming back, with offerings ranging from Raspberry Hibiscus and Earl Grey to Mandarin and Dark Marzipan. Another popular item is chocolate nougat with toasted hazelnuts, pistachios and almonds topped with caramel and bittersweet chocolate. It’s called the Ultimate Candy Bar.

 

Fargo, North Dakota

If you think chocolate goes with anything and everything, Carol Widman’s Candy Company agrees with you. Besides basic confectionary items, some of the things the store sells dipped in chocolate are olives, jalapeños and potato chips, which are affectionately referred to as Chippers.

 

 

 

 

Leawood, Kansas

 Substitute peppermint for pepperoni and you get an idea of what you’re in for at the Amore Chocolate Pizza Company in this heartland town. Some of the pies you can get include Coffeelicious Chocolate, Peppermint Chocolate, Peanut Butter Dreams, Smore Amore Chocolate and Toffeelicious Chocolate. You can also get chocolate pretzels, chocolate sunflower seeds and chocolate spoons dipped in raspberry, mint, peppermint or butterscotch that can be used to stir your favorite hot beverage.