12 California Chocolate Shops Making Their Own Truffles And Filled Chocolates

One shop on this list has been selling bonbons and truffles since 1942. Another has won four Good Food Awards and lets you see its confection-making in action.

I love that so many California chocolate makers still do the fussy work themselves.

They roll truffles, fill bonbons with ganache, and play with flavors like passion fruit and amarena cherry. A few go fully vegan, skipping dairy without skipping the fun.

One stop is a small-batch candy kitchen on the coast. Another pairs its truffles with macarons, ice cream, and hot chocolate.

I can’t decide whether I’d chase the oldest recipes or the wildest flavors first.

Maybe the smartest plan is to try a little of both, one tiny box at a time. So which filling is calling your name?

1. Socola Chocolatier, San Francisco

Corn syrup gets politely shown the door at this downtown San Francisco shop. Socola Chocolatier makes its caramels and chocolates without it, which is a fun detail for label readers.

The shop is small and chic, with truffles leading the show. Other candy, pastries, and coffee fill out the menu, so a quick stop can turn into a full snack break.

Creativity runs high in the filled chocolates. One example is a strawberry white chocolate treat with popping candy, which sounds like a dessert that throws its own party.

Gluten-free shoppers get plenty of choices here too. Many items skip gluten, making it easier to share a box with friends who have to read every ingredient list.

Need to know when to go? Socola opens Monday through Friday from noon to 6 PM, and it stays closed on weekends.

That schedule fits nicely into an afternoon around Folsom Street. Grab coffee and a truffle, and suddenly a gray workday feels a lot sweeter.

There’s a restroom on-site, which counts for something in a busy part of the city. Takeout and in-store pickup are both options if you’re in a hurry.

Here’s a smart move for gift shopping. Mix a few classic truffles with one wild flavor, and let the person you’re treating pick a favorite.

Address: 535 Folsom St, San Francisco, CA 94105

2. Feve Artisan Chocolatier, San Francisco

Four Good Food Awards is a lot of shiny hardware for candy small enough to vanish in one bite. Feve Artisan Chocolatier earns that attention from a factory storefront in San Francisco’s Bayview area.

The big draw here is the view into the kitchen. You can see confection-making in action, which beats staring at a glass case and guessing how the magic happens.

Bold flavors and striking looks are the house signature. Expect truffles and bonbons with combinations like sesame praline, matcha, cardamom, ginger, and wild honey.

Single-origin dark chocolate truffles give purists something serious to savor. Plant-based collections mean your dairy-free friends don’t have to sit this one out.

Timing matters, because the doors open only on weekdays from 10 AM to 5 PM. Weekends are closed, so plan a Friday treat run instead of a lazy Sunday one.

The setup is takeout only, with no seating and no restroom. Free street parking nearby makes a quick grab-and-go stop easy.

Founded in San Francisco more than a decade ago, Feve isn’t some trendy pop-up chasing attention. It’s a working chocolate kitchen that lets you shop right where the action happens.

Short on gift ideas for someone picky? A box of these looks like you planned ahead for weeks, even if you grabbed it on your lunch break.

Address: 2222 Palou Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124

3. Woodhouse Chocolate, St Helena

Chocolate molds might be the most underrated tools in candy making. At Woodhouse Chocolate in St. Helena, you can actually see the raw materials and molds behind the handmade pieces.

That peek behind the scenes makes this stop feel like a mini lesson. You leave knowing a little more about how a smooth, shiny chocolate gets its shape.

The shop itself is quaint and focused. It sells artisanal chocolates and homemade sweets, so you won’t wander through aisles of random souvenirs.

Chatting with the chocolatier is part of the appeal. Questions about fillings, shells, or favorite pairings are fair game, and passion for the craft comes through.

Main Street location? Check. This spot sits right in the heart of town, so it’s easy to work into a stroll through St. Helena.

Hours are friendly to travelers, too. The shop opens daily from 10 AM to 5 PM, including weekends, which isn’t true for many places on this list.

There’s no dine-in, and delivery isn’t offered. Think of it as a quick visit, with your chocolates boxed up and ready for the road.

Planning a day out with kids or friends who skip the grown-up tasting rooms? This shop gives the whole group a sweet stop everyone can enjoy.

Pro tip: pick a few pieces to eat now and a few to save. Willpower is optional, but it’s nice to have backup later.

Address: 1367 Main St, St Helena, CA 94574

4. Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates, Sacramento

Pastel walls and serious chocolate make a surprisingly good team. Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates in Sacramento looks soft and pretty, but the truffle case means business.

Truffles share the spotlight with macarons, ice cream, and hot chocolate. It’s the kind of menu that makes choosing just one thing feel like a math problem.

Locally sourced products show up in the flavors, giving the sweets a California personality. That local touch makes a box from here feel like a souvenir you can eat.

Beyond the truffles, the menu gets playful. Look for a snickerdoodle cookie, a California olive oil lemon cake slice, and an opera cake frozen macaron sandwich.

Hours run longer than at many chocolate shops. It’s open Tuesday through Thursday until 8 PM, Friday and Saturday until 9 PM, and Sunday until 6 PM.

Monday is the day off, so don’t plan your craving around it. Saturday tends to be the busiest time, while weekdays are usually calmer.

Address: 2413 J St #120, Sacramento, CA 95816

5. Compartes Chocolate, Los Angeles

Getting chocolate here takes a little planning, kind of like scoring a dinner reservation. Compartes Chocolate in Los Angeles runs as a curbside-only shop, and appointments are required.

That extra step pays off with handcrafted bars and truffles. The flavors lean creative, so expect combinations that feel more adventurous than your average candy aisle.

Packaging is a big part of the fun. The bars come wrapped in bold artwork, making them look almost too good to open.

Almost, anyway. Once you taste the inventive flavors, that pretty wrapper won’t stand much of a chance.

Gift shoppers will like the range of price points. You can grab a single treat or go big with a larger selection for someone special.

The schedule is weekdays only, from 10 AM to 4 PM. Weekends are closed, so set a reminder before you start craving.

A paid parking lot helps with curbside pickup on West Adams Boulevard. Delivery is also available if you’d rather let the chocolate come to you.

Customer service stands out as another strength. Questions about flavors or gift ideas tend to get friendly help, which makes ordering less stressful.

Address: 5735 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90016

6. Mendocino Chocolate Company, Mendocino

Sea air and small batches go together nicely on California’s northern coast. Mendocino Chocolate Company makes its truffles and fudge by hand in a coastal candy kitchen.

Small-batch work means the focus stays on careful, hands-on candy making. You’re not shopping from a giant factory line here, and that’s part of the charm.

The truffles get special praise for looking great and tasting even better. That’s a rare combo, since pretty chocolates sometimes care more about looks than flavor.

Fudge is the other star of the show. If you can’t pick between a truffle and a fudge square, the obvious answer is both.

The shop sits on Main Street in the village of Mendocino. It makes a sweet stop between coastal walks and browsing the small shops in town.

Weekdays run from 11 AM to 5:30 PM. On weekends, the doors open a bit earlier at 10 AM and close at 5:30 PM.

Road trippers, take note of that detail. Stocking up while you’re in town is the move, because the coastal drive back can feel long without a snack.

Address: 45050 Main St Suite B, Mendocino, CA 95460

7. Edelweiss Chocolates, Beverly Hills

Back in 1942, this shop opened its doors in Beverly Hills, and it’s still going strong. Edelweiss Chocolates has been handing out high-end treats for more than eight decades.

That kind of staying power is rare in any business. In a city known for constant change, a chocolate shop with this much history feels pretty special.

Bonbons and truffles are the main event here. Gift boxes make it easy to bring a bit of old Beverly Hills charm home with you.

Love a center that’s pure chocolate? The dark chocolate ganache-filled pieces deliver exactly that, rich and intense from shell to middle.

Canon Drive puts the shop right in the heart of Beverly Hills shopping. It’s a nice sweet break while you window-shop along the street.

Hours run Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM. On Sundays, it opens from 11 AM to 4 PM.

Curbside pickup is offered, which is handy in a busy area. Delivery and in-store pickup are also options for gift orders.

Plan on a quick visit rather than a long sit-down. Pick your favorites, get them boxed, and enjoy the walk afterward.

A bonbon from a shop that’s been around since the 1940s feels like tasting a little piece of history. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon.

Address: 444 N Canon Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210

8. John Kelly Chocolates, Los Angeles

Half French ganache and half American fudge sounds like a dessert peace treaty. That blend, called truffle fudge, is the signature at John Kelly Chocolates in Los Angeles.

The idea is simple and pretty brilliant. You get silky ganache texture mixed with the rich, dense feel of classic fudge.

Truffle fudge comes in a long list of flavors, around 17 of them. That gives you plenty of room to build a mix-and-match box.

Walnut-caramel clusters are another handmade favorite. Crunchy nuts and gooey caramel make them a solid pick for anyone who likes texture.

Dark chocolate fans should look for the dark chocolate truffle covered in dark chocolate. It’s basically chocolate wearing a chocolate jacket, and nobody’s complaining.

Chocolate-dipped fruits and hand-molded chocolates round out the case. So even if fudge isn’t your thing, you won’t leave empty-handed.

The boutique sits on Sierra Bonita Avenue near Hollywood. It’s open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM, with Sundays off.

Want an easy gift that feels thoughtful? A box of truffle fudge comes with a built-in story about two styles meeting in one bite.

Address: 1508 N Sierra Bonita Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046

9. Nibble Chocolate Old Town, San Diego

Champurrado at a chocolate shop is the kind of twist that makes Old Town San Diego even more fun. Nibble Chocolate Old Town is fully vegan and full of surprises.

The shop serves handcrafted chocolates alongside specialty coffee. It also offers Mexican traditional hot chocolate, which fits right in with the neighborhood’s history.

Truffles sit next to chocolate bars and hot chocolate powder. The products are displayed neatly, so browsing feels easy and relaxed.

Don’t skip the pistachio creations, which get plenty of love. The truffles pair nicely with a cup of the vegan dark hot chocolate.

Nibble has been making chocolate in San Diego since 2013. The company is family-owned and works bean-to-bar, using no dairy, gluten, or soy.

Baked goods add another layer to the menu. Vegan and gluten-free options include marbled chocolate chip cookies, and there’s ice cream too.

Free samples are a nice perk for indecisive shoppers. Try a little before you commit to a whole box.

Hours are generous, running until 9 PM daily. Weekdays start at 11 AM, while weekends open at 10 AM.

Address: 2754 Calhoun St, San Diego, CA 92110

10. Rayluca Chocolate, San Diego

Amarena cherry truffles that happen to be vegan? Rayluca Chocolate in San Diego makes that sound completely normal.

This artisan chocolatier crafts handmade truffles that are vegan and gluten-free. The style leans European, with a refined approach to plant-based sweets.

The flavor list is a lot of fun. Look for pistachio, hazelnut, chocolate date, passion fruit, and even a snickers-style truffle.

Ingredients stay clean and simple. The chocolates use organic ingredients and skip refined sugar, which is great news for careful eaters.

Hot chocolate deserves its own mention here. The gourmet vegan version is made with organic ingredients and no refined sugar.

Allergy-friendly shoppers will appreciate the effort. It’s nice when a treat feels special without forcing you to give anything up.

Hours run Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 6 PM. Saturday is shorter, from 10 AM to 3 PM, and Sunday is closed.

Bringing chocolate to a party with mixed diets is usually tricky. A box from here offers handmade vegan and gluten-free chocolates that people with different dietary preferences can enjoy.

Address: 10054 Mesa Ridge Ct Ste 110, San Diego, CA 92121

11. Menchaca Chocolates, Santa Barbara

Cacao beans come in one door and bonbons go out the other at this Santa Barbara workshop. Menchaca Chocolates makes its chocolate bean to bar.

That means the team handles the process from the start. It’s a big commitment, and it shows how seriously the shop takes its craft.

The lineup is all non-dairy, which surprises plenty of people. Bars, truffles, bonbons, clusters, and barks all fill the shelves.

Hot chocolate is on the menu as well. On a cool coastal evening, that might be the best reason of all to stop by.

Curious about how chocolate gets made? Menchaca offers chocolate-making experiences, so you can learn more than you’d ever get from a wrapper.

That’s a great idea for a family outing or a fun date. You’ll leave with new knowledge and probably a full bag.

Hours are limited, so plan ahead. The shop opens Thursday and Saturday from noon to 6 PM, and Friday from noon to 8 PM.

Monday through Wednesday and Sunday are closed. Delivery is available if your craving lands on an off day.

Parking is easy, with an on-site lot plus free street parking. That’s welcome news along busy State Street in Santa Barbara.

Address: 4141 State St E-1, Santa Barbara, CA 93110

12. Lula’s Chocolates, Monterey

Sea salt caramels taste right at home near the Monterey coastline. Lula’s Chocolates specializes in those caramels, plus a lineup of truffles.

Freshness is a big part of the appeal here. The confections taste fresh, offering a different kind of chocolate experience than packaged candy.

The focus stays tight, and that’s a good thing. Truffles and caramels get the spotlight instead of a giant menu of random sweets.

A little salt on caramel does something magical. It sharpens the sweetness and makes you reach for just one more.

Plan your visit for a weekday. Lula’s opens Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM and closes on weekends.

That early start is handy for morning errands. Grabbing chocolate before lunch counts as planning ahead, right?

There’s no dine-in, so think of it as a quick stop. Grab a box and enjoy it while you explore the Monterey area.

Gift givers will find this an easy win. A mix of truffles and sea salt caramels is a California coast souvenir nobody will want to regift.

Address: 2 Harris Ct Ste B6, Monterey, CA 93940