When you’re in New York City and you want a bar of high quality chocolate, where do you go?  Forget exclusive addresses; nowadays, you can buy Valrhona in just about any corner deli, and the same goes for Lindt and Green & Black’s organic chocolate.  The high end food stores, like Citarella and Eli’s, certainly stock an impressive variety, while Garden of Eden and Whole Foods are right up there with them.  But other than doing as I did – ordering online at superstar chocolate website chocosphere and shlepping back suitcases full of chocolate from France, Belgium and Switzerland, what’s one to do for other international brands, prestigious names and lesser known chocolate makers?  

How about Food Emporium?!  Cue radio jingle, “Someone made a store just for me,” as I apologize to those who will now have that stuck their heads; and zoom in on lowered incredulous eyebrows.  Not the most upscale supermarket in the city, Food Emporium definitely has two addresses to take note of.  Their enormous store on 1st Avenue at 59th Street is worth a visit just for the architecture alone, as you walk in and gape at the vaulted tiled ceilings, directly beneath the Queensboro Bridge.  You’ll then gape at their large chocolate selection too.  The new address on my NYC list is, however, the Food Emporium on 3rd Avenue at 68th Street.  This place is a chocolate lover’s dream!  Who knew?!

You’ll find a fully stocked and impeccable display of the most sought after names in the chocolate world.  France is well represented with Pralus’ entire rainbow of single origin bars, Valrhona, Michel Cluizel and even a few pink packages from Fauchon.  On my last visit, a full vertical display was dedicated to Amedei from Italy, as well as another to Coppeneur from Germany, and yet another to my personal favorite, Felchlin, from Switzerland.  Christopher Elbow had his entire collection from 1 to 12, as well as other stateside chocolate makers, including Fritz Knipschildt, Scharffen Berger, Berkshire Bark, Vosges Haut Chocolat and Fran’s Chocolates.  You might even leave with a handful of bars or individual chocolates by names you have never heard of.  That’s the fun of finding such places as these, and discovering new chocolates along the way.  

Oh, and if I seem to have forgotten to mention, they also have Läderach chocolate bark from Switzerland, a certain item that traveled from Zürich to Manhattan with me as something unique from here.  Well, Food Emporium has thrown down the gauntlet.  On my next trip to New York, I’ll be sure to bring something back that’s a bit more difficult to find on the other side of the Atlantic.  Challenge accepted.

Tags: Chocolate, New York