If someone in your family has a sweet tooth (and who doesn’t?), these five Chicago area candy shops are a must-visit. Each of these sugar shacks has its own unique charm that makes it special beyond the candy it carries.
1 Sweet Buddha, Lincoln Park, Chicago
Certainly the candy is center stage, but this Zen venue offers so much more.
Yoga for parents and dance classes for kids help work up a sweat, while the birthday parties are like a real-life trip to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.
The hip jewelry and accessories are almost as tantalizing as the colorful jars of candy. thesweetbuddha.com
2 Morkes Chocolate, Palatine and Algonquin
You haven’t seen creative until you see what Morkes can make out of chocolate. (Bloody chocolate brains for Halloween, anyone?) So enthralled with making candy, Morkes wants to share that skill with kids via their chocolate-making parties and candy camps. morkeschocolates.com
3 Bartlett’s Candy House, Bartlett
Sure, you can find pretty much any type of candy here, but there are also 24 flavors of soft ice cream, a cute party space and inflatables to rent.
Retro candy lovers will be in heaven with nostalgic throw-backs. Don’t miss the Annie B’s caramels that come in flavors like apple, chocolate and sea salt.
This shop is as classic as some of the candy it sells, having been part of the Bartlett community for more than 80 years. bartlettscandyhouse.com
4 Dulcelandia, Logan Square and other Chicago area locations
What better place to find piñatas and candy to fill them than the largest distributor of Mexican candy in the Midwest? Meaning “Candy Land” in English, Dulcelandia carries more than 500 varieties of Mexican candy and piñatas of all kinds.
Mexican candy is is deliciously unique, coming in flavors both sweet and spicy.
The sheer volume of candy here can be a bit overwhelming, so enlist the help of a worker who will gladly provide a tutorial on Mexican confections. dulcelandia.com
5 candyality, downtown and Lakeview, Chicago
Candyality really wants to get to know its customers—or at least what their “CandyScope” is. Whether your candy personality is sweet, sour, crunchy or one of about a dozen categories,
Candyality has a candy fix for you.
While there, check out the artwork and other items made out of candy and wrappers, including dresses that would impress Lady Gaga. candyality.com
