Best Candy Stores in New York City
People ask all the time for a list of our New York City favorites… favorite candy store in New York, best ice cream shop in New York, best cupcakes in the city and so on. So, we thought we’d kick off our “Best of New York” list with our top 5 candy stores. And we’re pretty excited about these lists too, because now we have a very good reason to roam the city eating some fantastic treats!
As you try out these amazing candy stores, do yourself a favor and try something new! Don’t reach for the same candy you can find at your local CVS!
Of course, we’d love to hear your thoughts on how we did. Did we miss your favorite or a hidden gem? Share your favorite candy store with us and the TINYevents community!
1. Economy Candy.
(108 Rivington Street, Lower East Side. www.economycandy.com) For a while, we thought we were the only ones who knew about this place… until we realized we might have been one of the last to find it! Hands down, Economy Candy is our favorite candy store in New York. It is unglamorous, packed from floor to ceiling and hasn’t been renovated since it opened in 1937 — and this is why we love it! It has all your kid’s favorites, plus the candy you loved when you were their age. Plus hand-dipped chocolate and treats from around the globe and all at very reasonable prices.
2. Dylan’s Candy Bar.
(3rd Ave & 60th Street, Upper East Side. www.dylanscandybar.com) Truth be told, even though this place is amazing, a kids dream come true, and a kaleidoscope of colors, it’s not our favorite. It’s a bit too much like Disneyland for us. But it comes at number 2 because it really is a must-see and worth a trip across from Bloomingdale’s to check it out. Expect to pay a lot for your candy because those little bags fill up fast (although the top-notch homemade candy is worth it!).
3. FAO Schweetz.
(5th Avenue at 58th Street, Midtown East. www.fao.com) OK, so we just said we didn’t love Dylan’s because it was a bit too over-the-top, so how could we pick FAO Schweetz as number 3? Well, it’s what we expect when we go to FAO Schwarz, and the candy shop is surrounded by one of the most well known and greatest toy stores in the world. We think it is a fun day to roam around the store and finish up with some excellent candy.
4. Papabubble.
(380 Broome Street, Lower East Side/Soho. www.papabubble.com) We took a break from celebrating the Lunar New year to visit Papabubble, where we got to watch the candy crafters make delicious hard candies right in front of us. The stretched, rolled, cut them and gave the kids a taste. You won’t spend too long in this tiny store, but if you can work it into other activities for the day, it will certainly be one of the highlights.
5. Jacques Torres Chocolates.
(9th Ave between 15th & 16th in Chelsea Market, Chelsea. www.mrchocolate.com) Jacques Torres makes some of the best hand made chocolates around, and while there are several other equally yummy locations (We also love the Hudson Street location, and you can also find Jacques Torres in the Upper West Side, Rockefeller Center, and DUMBO) the Chelsea Market is a fun place to take a stroll with the kids.
