Venchi Opens in Boston's Back Bay

A chocolate company that got its start in Italy nearly 150 years ago has opened its first shop in Boston.

According to a press release, Venchi is now open in the city's Back Bay neighborhood, moving into a space on Newbury Street beneath Diptyque. The new store offers such items as Italian chocolates, hot chocolate, gelato, and crepes, and it is the 20th location to open in the United States (and its first in Massachusetts). Venchi, which started out in Turin in 1878, today features more than 350 chocolate recipes and 90 gelato flavors.

The address for Venchi in the Back Bay is 123 Newbury Street, Boston, MA, 02116. The website for the company is at https://us.venchi.com/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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Hilliards Chocolates to Expand, Opening a New Shop in West Newton

A local group of candy shops that dates back more than 100 years and currently has three stores south of Boston is opening a new location west of the city.

According to an article in The Newton Beacon, Hilliards Chocolates is going to be opening in West Newton, moving into a space on Chestnut Street that had been home to a location of Bank of America. Once the new outlet opens, it will join others in North Easton, Norwell, and Mansfield, and based on those stores, expect to see a variety of chocolate items along with other types of candies.

Hilliards got its start back in 1924 in the southern suburbs of Boston, with Perley and Jessie Hilliard establishing the business.

The address for the new location of Hilliards Chocolates is 1 Chestnut Street, West Newton, MA, 02465. The website for the company is at https://www.hilliardscandy.com/

Thanks to Adam Gaffin of Universal Hub for initially bringing this to our attention.

[November 21 update: According to a press release, Hilliards Chocolates plans to open its new store in West Newton at 3:00 PM today.]

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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Au Chocolat in Downtown Boston Is Closing

A chocolate shop in the heart of Boston is shutting down.

According to a Bluesky post from Adam of @conciergeboston.bsky.social, Au Chocolat is planning to close its doors today, with an email sent from Adam indicating that the owner is retiring. The High Street shop is known for its Belgian chocolates (including Neuhaus chocolates) along with a variety of candies and other sweet treats and desserts. 

The address for Au Chocolat is 35 High Street, Boston, MA, 02110. Its website can be found at https://treats.net/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Petrova Chocolates Plans to Open Shop in Boston's North End

The person behind a chocolate shop in East Boston will be opening a new store in the North End.

According to a source, Petrova Chocolates is planning to open on Salem Street this spring, with an Instagram post from owner Betty Petrova saying the following:

This moment feels like closing a full circle for me as a small business owner. Some of you might remember those pandemic pick-ups from my tiny spot in the North End. Back then, I was working out of a small brick apartment, crafting just 3-4 molds of chocolate at a time in my kitchen. Now, we're returning to where it all started, but with a little more space—and quite a bit more than 3 molds per round!...Our new boutique will be a space filled with handcrafted chocolates and we're excited to introduce a carefully curated selection of Eastern European natural wines to pair with them.

Betty Petrova, who first established Petrova Chocolates in the summer of 2020, opened her store on Border Street in the fall of 2023.

It appears that the address for the North End location of Petrova Chocolates is 61 Salem Street; the website for business can be found at https://www.petrovachocolates.com/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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L.A. Burdick Is Opening in Brookline's Coolidge Corner

A New Hampshire-based retailer of handmade chocolate products that also operates several chocolate shops and cafes is bringing a third location to the Boston area.

According to a source (Gary Goldblatt), L.A. Burdick is planning to open an outlet in Brookline, with a Google search indicating that it will apparently take over the former Allium Market space on Beacon Street in Coolidge Corner, and that it is slated to debut in December. Once it opens, the new location will join shops in Boston's Back Bay and Cambridge's Harvard Square, along with others in New York City, Chicago, Washington, DC, and Walpole, NH (where the business is headquartered).

The address for the new L.A. Burdick in Coolidge Corner is 1330 Beacon Street, Brookline, MA, 02446. The website for the company is at https://www.burdickchocolate.com/

[December 19 update: According to a source, the Brookline location of L.A. Burdick is now open.]

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Cacao Is Opening in Boston's Financial District

A pair of chocolate shops will soon be joined by a third location, with this one being in the heart of Boston.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Cacao is getting ready to open a location in city's Financial District, moving into a space on Broad Street near where it intersects Milk Street. Once it opens, the new shop will join others in the South End and Newton Highlands, with the former debuting a couple of months ago. (Another location of Cacao had been in Jamaica Plain until it closed at the end of 2022.)

The address for the new location of Cacao in the Financial District is 64 Broad Street, Boston, MA, 02109. The website for the business is at https://cacaonuts.com/

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Cacao Is Opening in Boston's South End

A chocolate shop in Newton Highlands will soon be joined by another outlet, with this one being in Boston.

According to an article from Universal Hub, Cacao is planning to open a location in the South End, moving into a space on Columbus Avenue just east of the Mass. Ave. intersection. The post mentions that the upcoming store plans to be open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM and will have both indoor and outdoor seating.

Another location of Cacao had been in Jamaica Plain until it closed at the end of 2022.

The address for the new location of Cacao in the South End is 570 Columbus Avenue, Boston, MA, 02118. The website for the business is at https://cacaonuts.com/

[May 29 update: According to its website, the South End location of Cacao is now open.]

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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ChocAllure Opens Brick-and-Mortar Shop in Wellesley

A high-end chocolate company now has its very own store, and it is located in the western suburbs of Boston.

A message sent to us indicates that ChocAllure is now open in Wellesley, moving into a space on Central Avenue in Wellesley Square. The shop offers a variety of handmade items including chocolate hearts, chocolate jewels, chocolate bars, and gift sets, and it also offers a Chocolate-of-the-Month Club Collection as well.

The address for the brick-and-mortar location of ChocAllure is 87 Central Street, Wellesley, MA, 02482. Its website can be found at https://choc-allure.com/

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Gâté Comme Des Filles at Somerville's Bow Market to Move to Cambridge's Inman Square, Becoming Part of Zuzu's Petals

A chocolate shop in Somerville is moving to Cambridge, becoming part of a wine and dessert bar that has an ownership connection.

According to a Bluesky post from @troysch1, Gâté Comme Des Filles at Bow Market is moving into the Zuzu's Petals space on Hampshire Street in Inman Square, with a note on the shop's website confirming this, saying "we're moving! opening soon at: Zuzu's Petals." Alexandra Whisnant, who is behind Gâté Comme Des Filles, is also one of the owners of Zuzu's Petals along with Robert MacLean, Jr., who was behind the now-closed Picnic & Pantry food market at Bow Market.

The website for Gâté Comme Des Filles is at https://www.gatecommedesfilles.fr/ while the website for Zuzu's Petals is at https://www.zuzuspetalscambridge.com/

NOTE: We need your help, as Leslie Hurwitz, who is the father of Marc (the founder of this site) is dealing with health issues and some major related expenses. Please donate at https://gofund.me/76d8ba28, thanks!

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[More restaurant openings/closings from the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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EHChocolatier in Cambridge's Huron Village Is Closing

An award-winning chocolate shop in Cambridge is shutting down.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, EHChocolatier in Huron Village is getting ready to close its doors, with a Cambridge Day article saying that it will shutter on April 28. The article mentions that founders Catharine Sweeney and Elaine Hsieh will be "pursuing different paths," with Sweeney "retiring to spend more time with her family as well as traveling, gardening and whatever else life brings" while Hsieh will be "exploring new opportunities and collaborations."

EHChocolatier has received accolades for their chocolate treats since opening in 2009, including "best ofs" from Boston Magazine, Food and Wine, Fodor's Travel, and the New York Times according to their website.

The address for EHChocolatier is 145 Huron Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138. Their website can be found at https://www.ehchocolatier.com/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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NOTE: Leslie Hurwitz, who is the father of Marc (the founder of this site) is currently dealing with health issues and needs your help. Please donate if you can at https://gofund.me/76d8ba28, thanks!

Harbor Sweets Is Opening at the Burlington Mall

A company on the North Shore that is known for its chocolate treats is opening a third retail shop, and this one will also be north of Boston.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page (Leah Klein of City Living Boston), Harbor Sweets is planning to open at the Burlington Mall, with the website for the business confirming this, saying that the new outlet is coming soon. Once it opens, the Burlington location will join others in Salem (where its factory resides) and at the Northshore Mall in Peabody, and based on the offerings at those locations, expect to see a wide variety of chocolates available.

Harbor Sweets was first established back in 1973.

The website for the company can be found at https://www.harborsweets.com/

[September 17 update: A Facebook post from the place indicates that Harbor Sweets is now open at the Burlington Mall.]

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Goodnow Farms Chocolate to Open Retail Shop at Boston Public Market

by Marc Hurwitz

An award-winning chocolate maker that is based in the western suburbs of Boston will be opening a retail shop in the heart of downtown Boston.

According to an article from Boston Magazine, Goodnow Farms Chocolate is planning to open a retail counter at Boston Public Market, moving into a space across from Inna's Kitchen. The post says that the storefront will offer a variety of chocolate bars as well as hot cocoa and cocoa nibs, and that three of the chocolate bars sold recently won Specialty Food Association's Sofi awards (the company actually won six Sofi awards in total for 2019).

If all goes as planned, the Sudbury-based Goodnow Farms Chocolate should be opening its retail counter by June 1.

The website for Goodnow Farms Chocolate can be found at https://goodnowfarms.com/

[May 17 update: An Instagram post from the place confirms that Goodnow Farms Chocolate will be having its grand opening on June 1 and it will be offering two new Special Reserve bars.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Tick Tock Chocolates Is Opening in Belmont

by Marc Hurwitz

A small-batch chocolate shop is getting ready to open in the western suburbs of Boston.

According to an article in the Waltham News Tribune, Tick Tock Chocolates is opening in the Cushing Square section of Belmont, with the Trapelo Road store featuring such items as chocolate truffles, chocolate bars, pate de fruit, and chocolate-covered pretzels. Up until now, the business has been selling its products at farmers markets and various events, using a commercial kitchen in Somerville to make its chocolates.

If all goes as planned, Tick Tock Chocolates could be opening around April 1.

The address for this new chocolate shop in Cushing Square is: Tick Tock Chocolates, 111 Trapelo Road, Belmont, MA, 02478. Its website can be found at https://www.ticktockchocolates.com/

[April 11 update: A Facebook post from last week indicates that Tick Tock Chocolates is now looking to open in late April or early May.]

[May 7 update: A new Facebook post from the place indicates that Tick Tock Chocolates is now open in Belmont.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Purefections Chocolate in Quincy Is Moving to a New Location

by Marc Hurwitz

A gourmet chocolate shop is getting ready to move to a new space.

According to a Facebook post from the place, Purefections Chocolate is moving from Franklin Street in South Quincy to Hancock Street in Quincy Center, with the note saying that the Franklin Street location will shut down as of February 24. If all goes as planned, the shop will reopen in its new space by the first week of March, though no specific date has been given as of yet.

Purefections offers a variety of items using Belgian chocolate, with a few options including almond clusters, caramel cups, dipped sandwich cookies, sea salt discs, and tartarugas.

The address for the current location of Purefections Chocolate is 102 Franklin Street while the address for the new location will be 1348 Hancock Street. Its website can be found at https://purefectionschocolate.com/

[March 7 update: Based on a Facebook comment, it appears that Purefections Chocolate could be opening in its new home in the next few days, though an official opening date has not yet been given.]

[March 10 update: A Facebook post from the place indicates that Purefections Chocolate soft-opened in its new home on Hancock Street over the weekend.]

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Taza Chocolate Bar Is Leaving Boston Public Market

by Marc Hurwitz

A shop in the heart of Boston that features hot chocolate, chocolate bars, and more is saying farewell.

According to a source (Stephanie Wong), Taza Chocolate Bar is leaving Boston Public Market, with the website for the business saying that "...with lots of exciting new plans [on] our horizon, the time has come for us to focus our activities at our main location in Somerville, which means we will be transitioning out of the Boston Public Market location on 10/13." The note goes on to say that George Howell Coffee will be taking over its stall, though George Howell already has a location across from Taza at Boston Public Market so it is not known if this will be a move or whether they will reside in both spaces (stay tuned for updates).

Taza Chocolate Bar first opened at Boston Public Market in the fall of 2015; the headquarters for the company is located on Windsor Street in Somerville.

The website for Taza can be found at https://www.tazachocolate.com/

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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EHChocolatier Opening Shop in Cambridge's Huron Village

by Marc Hurwitz

A chocolate company that is hidden in an industrial building in Somerville is moving to a storefront in Cambridge.

According to an article from Eater Boston, EHChocolatier is planning to move from its current location on Windsor Street near the Cambridge border to a space on Huron Avenue in the Huron Village/Observatory Hill neighborhood of the city. As Eater says, this will be its first permanent public-facing brick-and-mortar location, as it has had pop-up shops while also being in its current home that, while open to the public, is inside a building in an industrial area and is very easy to miss. (Its building--which is located south of Union Square--is also home to Taza Chocolate.)

If all goes as planned, EHChocolatier will open in its new location in the late fall--and the space will also include its kitchen operations, according to EB.

The current address for EHChocolatier is 561 Windsor Street in Somerville, while the new address is at 145 Huron Avenue in Cambridge; its website can be found at https://www.ehchocolatier.com/

[January 23, 2019 update: Eater Boston states that EHChocolatier opens in Huron Village on February 1.]

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Gräem Roasted Nuts to Open in Concord

by Marc Hurwitz

A food shop featuring nuts, chocolate, and more is on its way to an historic space west of Boston.

According to a press release from Linear Retail Properties, Gräem Roasted Nuts is opening in the downtown area of Concord, moving into the Friend Block building at the corner of Main Street and Walden Street. The European-inspired store plans to offer an array of roasted nuts, dried fruits, chocolates, and other locally-sourced items, with the hope being that it will open sometime this summer.

The Friend Block building, which dates back to 1892, had been home to Friend Pharmacy, which eventually became Snow Pharmacy before closing approximately 20 years ago.

The address for this upcoming food shop in Concord is: Gräem Roasted Nuts, 49 Main Street, Concord, MA, 01742.

[September 6 update: A job post within the Craigslist site indicates that Gräem Roasted Nuts plans to open in Concord sometime this month.]

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[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Somerville on the Charles Pop-Up Chocolate Shop Comes to Lizzy's Space in Cambridge's Harvard Square

A pop-up chocolate shop is now open for the winter in the Harvard Square section of Cambridge, and it takes over the space where a seasonal ice cream shop resides.

Eater Boston is reporting that Gate Comme des Filles and Somerville Chocolate are partnering with Lizzy's Ice Cream on Church Street in the opening of a temporary chocolate shop called Somerville on the Charles that will operate out of the Lizzy's store in December, January, and February. The pop-up shop is open from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM seven days a week.

Lizzy's will return to its ice cream business in March.

The address for Lizzy's (and the Somerville on the Charles pop-up) is 29 Church Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138. The Instagram page for Somerville on the Charles can be found at https://www.instagram.com/somerville_on_the_charles/

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Royce' Chocolate Opening in Chatime Space in Boston's Back Bay

A Japanese chocolate manufacturing company is getting ready to come to Boston, eventually taking over the space where a bubble tea shop currently resides.

Eater Boston is reporting that Royce' Chocolate has popped up at Chatime in the Back Bay, with the Newbury Street store being turned exclusively into a Royce' shop at some point. The Sapporo-based chocolate company, which currently has three locations in New York City (its only three in the United States), offers a variety of treats, including wafers, cookies, marshmallows, popcorn, and more.

The other locations of Chatime in Chinatown and near Northeastern remain in operation.

The address for the upcoming Royce' (as well as Chatime) is 251 Newbury Street, Boston, MA, 02116. The website for Royce' can be found at http://royceconfectusa.com/

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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Neuhaus Chocolate Shop Opens at Boston's Faneuil Hall Marketplace

A Belgian chocolatier that first started out more than 150 years ago has opened a shop in the heart of downtown Boston.

Eater Boston is reporting that Neuhaus now has a chocolate shop at 1 South Market Street in the Faneuil Hall Marketplace, joining three others in New York City, one in Paramus, NJ, and another in Washington, DC. The article mentions that the company first started out in Brussels in 1857 as an apothecary and is considered the inventor of the praline along with the ballotin (a decorative cardboard box used to package chocolates).

Hours for Neuhaus in Faneuil Hall are 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM Monday through Saturday and 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sundays, according to EB.

The website for Neuhaus can be found at http://www.neuhauschocolate.com/

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

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[Related article from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): Slideshow--Twelve Chocolate-Based Items from Places in the Boston Area and Beyond]

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