Sweet Essentials

Five star review based on an assorted box of candy that wandered into the office. I've never been to the shop, never heard of this place until just the other day, but my goodness, if better chocolate exists I will spend the rest of my life in search of it. It was so good! I actually thought to myself, "What the hell have I been doing eating that mass produced GARBAGE?!" I don't know who bought the chocolate, I don't why, I just know that these people what the they are doing with chocolate.

Chocolate is good but the service is poor. It's a tradition for my wife's family to get chocolate bunnies from here for Easter. In the past we've accepted the high prices ($50 each bunny) for decent quality chocolate, the tradition, and supporting a local business. We'd easily drop $250 on candy! Over the past few years the service has been awful. The staff makes you feel like every question is a stupid one, and that our being there is an inconvenience to them. I'm ready to drop this tradition, and I advise others to look in another direction where your patronage is appreciated.

I'm in New Jersey and found out about this place through some friends. First of all, I'm into chocolate, and have sampled quite a range. In my book, there are two companies that I put at the very top of that food chain (see what I did there?). One is Royce Chocolates from Japan, which has shops in the United States (not cheap, but an amazing treat - get the matcha nama, keep it refrigerated, enjoy a few cubes of it here and there like you'd sip a fine whiskey). The other is this gourmet mom & pop shop that apparently also has just some of the nicest people you'll ever have the pleasure of talking with working there. And I have never had a single piece of chocolate from them that I didn't absolutely love. If you said to me, "Ok Jeff, you suggested the matcha nama from Royce's, what specifically should I get from Sweet Essentials?", I'm honestly stuck for a moment because of everything I've received from there, it's ALL so good! Maybe go with an order of their popcorn with the nuts and caramel, and a premium assortment box, as a good starter. Go into this understanding that you're in for a real treat, and if you like chocolate, this is a special gourmet experience. Meanwhile, you're supporting an award-winning gourmet mom & pop shop with extremely nice people working there. Amazing chocolate, friendly service, what more could you want?