The Sweetest Road Trip in Hawaii Takes You To 8 Charming Chocolate Shops
Chocolate can either cheer you up after a bad day or help you celebrate life’s happiest moments. Either way, I’d like to think that chocolate is an entirely necessary part of life. Luckily for us, Hawaii is the only state in America to grow cacao, and as a result, our beautiful islands are home to some of the country’s greatest chocolatiers. Many of these chocolate shops are found right here on Oahu, and today, we’re visiting eight of our favorites on one of the sweetest road trips ever created.
With less than two hours of drive time, consider your sweet tooth satisfied. Our 44-mile journey begins in Honolulu before heading further into Waikiki, trekking across the island to Kailua on the Pali Highway, and looping back to Aiea via the H3. There’s simply no sweeter way to spend your next day off.
What better way to start your chocolate road trip than with a visit to an establishment known for their chocolate and their coffee? This quaint café that draws you in with an aroma of chocolate, keeps you there with an impressive selection of chocolate, pastries, and coffees, and leaves you wanting more after you taste their delicious made-in-Hawaii chocolate.
Winner of six Hawaiian, United States, and International chocolate awards, Madre Chocolate produces a variety of organic, fair trade chocolate bars that are as delicious as they are ethical. Everyone raves about the Coffee & Cardamom bar, and they hold awesome weekly classes that revolve around chocolate. Today, we’re checking out their Chinatown store, but they also have a shop in Kailua.
Planting their first cacao trees in 2009, the chocolate company now farms 14 acres of cacao by hand on Oahu’s north shore. They manufacture their chocolate in small batches every eight weeks, with no two batches ever the same. In addition to pure chocolate bars, you will find an ever-changing array of bars with organic, Hawaiian-grown inclusions, from coffee and macadamia nuts to sea salts, fruits, and spices. Talk about unique!
What began as a café in 1987 has become the largest — and perhaps finest — gourmet chocolate retailer in the state of Hawaii. Small-batches of Hawaiian, French, and Belgian chocolates are the name of the game at this high-end confectionery.
Hawaiian-grown, single origin chocolate from Malie Kai is truly Hawaiian all around — their cacao is exclusively grown on Oahu’s North Shore and they have a lovely little shop in Waikiki’s Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. Oh, and they have some pretty cool flavors — like Kona Coffee Cappucino, and White Chocolate with Tangerine.
If you’re on the search for the perfect artisan dark chocolate truffle, look no further than this small, family-owned shop in Manoa. From uniquely Hawaiian flavors like Kona coffee, lilikoi, lychee, and ginger to strawberries and cream, peanut butter and mint chocolate chip, there’s a truffle for everyone at Choco Le’a.
Offering daily tours, tastings and some excellent chocolate pairings, this lovely little operation located in Kailua sources quality beans from around the world — and their own backyard. The bean-to-bar company produces some of the most amazing chocolate you’ve ever tasted. The craft chocolate is a little on the expensive side, but really, can you put a price tag on an amazing chocolate bar? Technically, yes. But you get my point.
Our day ends at this spectacular sweet shop in Aiea. While Baldwin’s is well-known for their acai sorbet and diabetic-friendly shave ice, you’ll find plenty of chocolate covered goodies to satisfy any chocolate cravings you might still have after a day full of sweets. Their chocolate covered gummy bears are especially popular.
98-040 Kamehameha Hwy., Aiea, HI 96701
Click here to access the editable Google Map of this road trip. What are you waiting for? This sweet road trip is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth, as will this mouthwatering shave ice trail.
Megan is a freelance journalist residing near Honolulu, Hawaii. She is obsessed with hiking, beach trips, locally-grown coffee, and finding the best acai bowl on Oahu.
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