Artisan Confections

I had the most pleasant experience today while on my walk. I saw a liloshop I hadn’t noticed before and decided to stop inside. I’m so glad that I did! It was cute and simple inside with beautifully and individually crafted chocolates. There was a young lady named Madeline who was extremely friendly and explained the process and materials that goes into making the products. I left with the cutest truffle that I can’t wait to try!!!

Delicious chocolates and make it fancy! Small, family-owned chocolatier with two locations (the other in McLean). The young woman who assisted me on Christmas Eve was very kind, cheerful, and helpful. Easy location to visit on a weekday. So glad to have found them!

Absolutely love their chocolates. The salted caramel is to die for. They have really yummy and unique flavors. Always my favorite gift for others (and for myself)!!!!

these chocolates are amazingly delicious!! i love it. a lot of different variety of chocolate flavors. the customers services there are great also. everyone is super sweet and very friendly and super helpful too! i definitely will come back soon if I want to more chocolate. 100% recommend

Just walked by with my husband and we decided to go in - such a good decision!! We ended up getting a large box of bonbons and some chocolate-covered orange slices, plus they let us try one of the special Valentine's Day bonbons before we finished picking our flavors. Such delicious chocolates!

I haven’t tried their chocolate yet. I got this box as a present for a friend. The staff are very friendly and helpful. They make their chocolate right there in their little factory behind the store. If you’re looking for gifts, I highly recommend Artisan Confections.

Delicious dark chocolate, finely and intricately made, we were gifted a box of different flavors, but the flavors didn’t quite come through strong enough and didn’t taste like what it said. It just tasted like chocolate. It was a little disappointing but we are fine with finishing the box.

Great assortment of flavors. We enjoyed the spectrum very dark chocolate to lighter varieties.

I dropped by Artisan Confections to get some sweets to gift for Valentine's Day. It is quite a small shop in Clarendon and you could easily peruse through the selection of chocolate products they have within minutes. The cashier was helpful and answered any questions I had. The chocolates were quite pricey at close to $2 a piece but it was definitely worth the purchase for a special occasion. I got the Valentine's day chocolate set for my mom and partner and they both absolutely loved it. I was able to try a couple pieces and they were extremely delicious, I especially loved the pomegranate caramel. Most of the chocolates have a crisp dark chocolate outer layer and a creamy flavored interior. Overall I found the chocolates to be quite sweet even though they mostly consisted of dark chocolate. I'd definitely recommend checking this place out if you'd like to splurge on some chocolate for yourself or would like to gift a friend.

Me and my boyfriend did a chocolate making class here. The owner was super nice and friendly and the chocolate was very yummy. Would highly recommend.

I used Artisan Confections to place a large order for our corporate holiday party! They did an excellent job communicating, answering questions, and had the order waiting for me when I picked it up! I loved the variety, bonus points for vegan options. The flavors were unique, and overall presentation was beautiful! They really do look just like the photos!

We attended a chocolate truffle making workshop at the McLean location in January, and had a wonderful time. Saif was a great instructor and his passion for his craft was evident in how he explained working with chocolate. We got to be hands-on in making the ganache and then forming them into truffles. The small class size meant we had time to ask our questions, receive some individualized instruction, and have fun in a convivial atmosphere. 10/10 would recommend!

Delicious chocolates lots of variety. Got an order delivered for Valentine's Day and they arrived on time!

Valentine's Day. Just another Great reason to have outstanding chocolates! My amazing fiancé knows I love artists and confections. He is friends with the owner & lets everyone know that if you truly want outstanding chocolate - quality chocolate- look no further. Bonus: of course my favorite one is the salted butter caramel and there are three of them in the Valentine's Day box! Nutella Crunch also top on my list. I just wonder how long I can ration these out! Buy local!!

This business was bought out from the original owners a little while ago. Sadly, the quality is no longer there. Their "turtles" are good, not great; at $3.00 a piece they need to be great. Their other chocolates are no longer pristine. Again, at the prices they charge, the decorations/decals on top should be uniform, and the shape, size, and weight of the pieces should the uniform as well--they are not. This is so disappointing as they are one of the only local "high quality" chocolate shops I can think of. I guess I will have to go downtown for my fancy chocolate fix from now on.

When we heard Bailey & Saif bought Artisan Confections, we couldn't wait to be at the small reopening party. We got to taste the existing flavors and sample some of their new ones. Not only were the chocolates tasty, (interesting flavors too!) they were beautiful. I like that they kept the original recipes and look and have added new options. I like them so much that I send them to my clients to say congrats! Recently I sent a box of 8 (because I couldn't just pick out four favorites) to each of my committee member volunteers to say thanks. I got more responses from the gift than I do from my emails :) People loved the flavors and the classy brown box. I am going to have my business logo put on the chocolates come February to send out to clients, I've been told this is possible! I was sad to read the last review, change isn't always bad, it's just different. Go visit the shop or order online for delivery to someone special, you or they will not be disappointed.

The lady preparing the chocolates -- hunched over them, painting them, is not wearing a mask. Unbelievable. I pointed this out to the counter girl-- that it was unsettling during a pandemic to see that on display through their glass window into the chocolate making room-- and literally her response was "okay." Not "I'm sorry," or "I understand and I'll have her put a mask on," but just "okay." Really disappointing. Also gotta love a man-splaining owner who basically leaves me a voicemail highlighting his willingness to "explain" because I had feelings. Seriously who has the time. And what is there possibly to explain about what I saw plain as day.

This is chocolatier is Arlington's best kept treasure! I've been receiving and gifting a box of chocolate so many times and it has always brought me joy. They are able to pack unique unthinkable flavors in their beautifully hand drawn chocolate. Banana-walnut, green tea, you name it! They are really beautiful and delicious that it's the perfect gift for any occasion (housewarming, Christmas parties) or people you love!

This is a great chocolate shop to buy someone a box of chocolates for a special occasion. My work got me one and have it delivered to my house and it came in a nice chilled box so the chocolates would not melt! Usually I am not a huge fan of boxes of chocolates because not all the flavors are good. For Artisan Confections the variety pack is great! I'm glad that I got to try it. Their chocolates are always fresh!

Do you want to get someone a nice gift and impress them beyond belief? Artisan Confections makes beautiful and delectable chocolates and caramels that will make anyone smile. I am not a crazy for chocolate person, and I enjoyed these immensely when I received them as a gift. The Raspberry, Chile, and 83% Bittersweet chocolates were my absolute favorites, but the whole box of 15 chocolates and caramels ($27) was delicious. I love that the chocolates have decorations that describe the flavor, and the box of chocolate comes with a list of the flavors. The box is beautiful along with the inserts. Each chocolate and caramel are a different flavor, and each different flavor just melts in your mouth. I love that they do seasonal flavors as well. You will feel so spoiled eating them. I make less money than your average Washingtonian so I count my pennies carefully. Artisan Chocolates is worth every penny, even if it can only be a treat for me.

Such good chocolates! I love giving and receiving these as gifts. They always "wow" my visitors. Great salted caramel and unique flavors like Thai tea and bourbon caramel

So perhaps I am that awkward person that likes to observe before I make my decisions.lucky for me the person at the counter was patient and friendly.I'm always on the search for seasonal things so the first visit I had to artisans was actually at mosaic however I didn't actually make a purchase. Now on this visit I decide that two flavors stuck out and infelt a bit goofy just purchasing one piece of chocolate so..i decided ed on the lemon espresso and the Arnold palmer. The lemon espresso was interesting the chocolate had nice snap as you bit into it. Which is usually what happens with good tempered chocolate. When tasking I did notice 2 distinct layers possibly jelly like layer and a possible espresso ganache. Separately each layer had a nice bold flavor. The lemon was refreshing and the espresso really brought out the cocoa flavor. Arnold Palmer tasted. Interesting it was a ganache filling... but I there was a hint of tea and lemonade. A very delicate flavor but not bad. Overall... pricey chocolates with great quality and handcrafted. I will be returning to try more.

Ordered a staff holiday gift to be delivered in the Southern Maryland. Rave reviews on the quality of the chocolate and I really appreciate the ease of ordering/shipping via their site.

I will be going back often. This shop was small and smelled heavenly. You can smell the caramels and chocolate in the air since everything was made fresh. The crispy peanut butter bar was delicious and the cheapest thing in the store ($4 for a small pack). The malted milk chocolate was so creamy and buttery. Everything here is carefully crafted by hands. They had some chocolates with minor imperfections on sale for $4 for a pack of 6. I scored two packs and couldn't be happier. All they have are a few barely noticeable chips or uneven color on the surface, but the taste was just as delicious, which is the only thing that matters if you are getting these for yourself. The address is a bit confusing since several businesses and a high rise condo all share the address 1025 Filmore.

Recently, I found a woman's credit card that she had forgotten in a Capital Bikeshare station. One phone call to Capital Bikeshare later, I was able to meet her the next day by my office to return her card to her -- and in return, she gave me the *most* incredible box of fleur de sel caramels from Artisan Confections. I almost texted her later about how much I liked them, but I did not want to overwhelm her, as I was still a mere stranger. Anyway, OH MY GOD, they are IN-credible. I love the thick lumps of salt, the gooey caramel inside, the slightly bitter dark chocolate. I like to eat three at a time, then stuff them into my drawer to keep myself from eating more. Who knew such wonderful things existed in Virginia?! When I looked up the price online, I was touched and baffled that this woman had spent $15 on a box of caramels for me! Praise! I would never spend that much money on chocolates for myself, as much as I try to practice self-love, but I hope to send a box to a friend for a birthday present in the near future!

I first heard about Artisan Confections, a micro-chocolatier, at a small chocolate boutique in DC. Owned by Chef Jason Andelman, the chocolates are made with Valrhona chocolate, locally-sourced ingredients, and with no preservatives. The Arlington location is their original spot/main kitchen, but they recently opened up another location in the Mosaic District. Flavors such as Spiced Orange, Irish Coffee, Cherry-Lemon Caramel, Apple Caramel, and Lemon Almond are some that are featured; not all flavors are available, as they make small batches. The 'gift' boxes come in either 4-, 9-, 15-, or 30-count. I had the 9-piece, in which I chose the Lavender Caramel (caramel with lavender flower; definitely more on the flowery lavender end, which could be slightly overwhelming), Peanut Butter and Jelly (milk chocolate, peanut butter, and strawberry; I liked the crunchy/chunky peanut butter), Lemon Almond (blond chocolate, almond praline, and lemon zest; my favorite of the bunch!), Malted Milk (milk chocolate, barley malt syrup, and malted milk powder; creamy, with a subtle taste of butterscotch), Apricot-Cardamom (dark chocolate, apricot, and green cardamom; contained an apricot jelly), Fresh Mint (dark chocolate and local fresh mint; slightly 'grassy'), Earl Grey Tea (dark chocolate and organic Earl Grey tea; more dark chocolate with extremely subtle Earl Grey tones), Yuzu (dark chocolate and fresh yuzu; this was also refreshing), and an Easter special, the Peanut-Butter Marshmallow. Each flavor has a different design so it's easy to distinct one from the other - the box comes with a little foldable pamphlet of most of their regular chocolates' names and description (most, as some new flavors aren't listed), as well as a hand-written 'expiration' date in which you should consume your treats by (as they are made without any preservatives) - quite convenient! They also have packaged bars, bark, almonds, and hot chocolate powder. Anna was the chocolatier on-site, and she was very sweet! On a side note: You can also sign-up for their 'Afternoon in a Chocolate Shop,' where you can see Chef Andelman do a 2-hour, behind-the-scene tour of the chocolate-making and the process, do samplings, make your own chocolates, and even get discounts on additional purchases. Parking is extremely limited and metered. +Lemon Almond (!!!) +Yuzu +micro-chocolatier +no preservatives! +comes with a handwritten 'expiration' date +ask for Anna, the chocolatier :D +'Afternoon in a Chocolate Shop' with Chef Andelman himself (RSVP required; fee) +extremely limited metered parking

Best chocolates ever. I moved my office from DC to Arlington over 10 years ago, quickly found Artisan Confections and have been a fan ever since. Their chocolates are always perfection, the staff is always pleasant and helpful. This is my go-to gift for any and all occasions! I was shocked to read the unkind review by Maria from California. We have been in the "pandemic" for over a year now, and her review had no merit at all. Being a native Californian, I was embarrassed by her mean-spirited review. Try the chocolates - you'll become a life-long fan!

I would not recommend ordering online from here. I'm currently abroad and I had to give a chocolate assortment to a friend as a congratulations as a surprise gift from me. I had emailed the shop to make sure they could deliver on a certain day and all they said was that I had to write in the notes & they'd make sure it was delivered on the right day. However, they were not. The chocolates arrived a day earlier than I requested, and it ruined the whole surprise I had set up. When I emailed back about the issue to the same woman who promised it would work, I got a "these things happen" type email response. I don't plan on reordering from here, and I recommend that if you wish to have them on a certain day, be cautious.

Beautiful handcrafted chocolates with an array of options to choose from. Single chocolates cost $1.75 a piece versus buying them in a 15 assortment pack is $27. Either way, they're tasty with wonderful deliciousness. Enjoy and happy eating!

The bitter sweet is my favorite! The chocolate tastes really like by hand, homemade style! It's really really yummy! they have the v-day customized version, the fruit stuff chocolate is really delicious! Soft, cute-looking, bitter, and sweet! A little expensive though, but worth a try

I may regret doing this, but I am about to give away one of Arlington's best little well kept secrets. Ready? Jason Andelman (former pastry chef at TenPenh and an honor graduate of the pastry program at the Culinary Institute of America). Well okay, he's not really the secret, but the artistic handmade chocolates he produces definitely are! 3 words: salted butter caramel. Yes, I know. I first sampled these melt-in-your-mouth confections at Tallula's for a wine tasting. I had written down information about where to find them and then misplaced it. I was devastated. I recently found them again at the Curious Grape and was once again in delight. If you've read other reviews of mine, you know what a purist I am. These handcrafted chocolates follow suit using only the finest French chocolate, fresh butter, cream, fruit purees, and local herbs. You will not find a single artificial ingredient or preservative in the bunch. Additionally, a portion of the proceeds from every sold box benefits art programs through Arlington Cultural Affairs. In fact, 6 Arlington artists design all the chocolates. These are not Russell Stover, okay? Even if you are not a chocolate fan, keep these little gems in mind. A large or small box (depending on how fabulous of a guest you are) is a brilliant host/hostess gift. What about Valentine's Day (smart men will take my recommendation under advisement) and "I'm sorry I was a jerk" gifts. Personally, I'd like a box for just about any occasion. Now if only he could come up with a fig preserve and port wine filled chocolate. Hello, Jason, are you listening? **OPINION PRINCESS HOT TIP** Seeking out his website I learned that Jason has opened up a shop that is now also selling milk and dark chocolate rochers, almond dragees and bittersweet chocolate bark. Uh oh. I'm in trouble.

That I have been a pile of sick since returning home from a work trip to San Francisco on Saturday night did not deter my lovely Valentine. Not only was he able to overlook my incessant coughing, runny nose, messed up hair and ratty pajamas, he chose to shower me with gifts this Valentine's Day knowing full well the only action he'd (maybe) get was a hug before I passed out on Multi-Symptom Nighttime Cold/Flu Relief from CVS. While I love my yellow tulips, it's the fleur de sel caramels that really, really pushed me over the edge. He remembered! And brought me a tin containing one dozen of these gorgeous sweets. Best of all, they're LOCAL. You KNOW how I feel about local! While the bulk of my adoration goes to my Valentine, you should know that these tasty gems came from Arlington's own Artisan Confections. On the off-chance your Valentine didn't hook you up this year, I hear the V-Day stuff at Artisan Confections gets marked down tremendously starting TODAY. . .

The chocolates here are such pretty little works of art, it's hard to want to eat them. The retail store has the cutest little storefront and the space itself is tiny but well merchandised. The smell when you first walk in is heavenly. I sampled chocolate-covered marshmallows and the brownies. I bought a package of 9 hazelnut bonbons and they were scrumptious. Artisan Confections hosts classes twice a month, usually during the week at 7pm for 2 hours. For $65, you will learn how to make ganache and molded chocolates, enjoy samples and make your own original bonbons to take home. The class is taught by owner-chocolatier Jason Andelman. I'm definitely signing up for one of the spring classes.

Artisan Confections specializes in truffles that are carefully painted to become edible masterpieces. The truffles are absolutely beautiful with a burst of flavor (or a combination of flavors) to boot. After trying each of the 15 flavors available in my gift box (no, not in one day), I would say my favorites are the PB&J and Passionfruit Caramel. Imagine a layer of grape jelly above a layer of peanut butter inside a semi-crunchy chocolate shell. Genius. The Passionfruit Caramel truffle is painted silver and oozes a semi-tart, but mostly sweet caramel that is absolutely refreshing. Very good customer service. The shop offers 15 flavors total on any given day, but there are more flavors to get you to visit frequently. Each truffle is $1.75, but it's worth it to buy a set of nine or 15 as a gift (boxed with ribbon bow); the recipient will be very happy. Maybe even more so than receiving cliche birthday cupcakes. You want to be thoughtful, don't you?

Oolala! What a wonderful place for a chocolate fix! I stopped by here after dinner at The Boulevard Woodgrill just looking for something small and sweet. I ended up with a pretty sizable bag, an empty wallet, and a few new cravings. Salted Butter Caramel: 5 stars. My best advice is to eat this in one bite. If you don't you'll end up with caramel all over the front of your clothing (yes, I learned this the hard way). Other than the mess hazard, this is the best piece I've had at Artisan Confections. Malted Milk: 3 stars. Although the quality of the chocolate used for this is very tasty, I was disappointed that I couldn't detect even a slight bit of malted milk flavor or texture. The piece definitely isn't bad, just doesn't live up to its name. Tahitian Vanilla Bean: 4 stars. Just like the malted milk, I felt this piece just didn't provide enough vanilla flavor to be labelled as such. The chocolate itself is great, but I really feel A. C. needs to stop be so shy with the added flavors. Strawberry Basil: 4 stars. I did enjoy the oddity of this piece. I had never had a chocolate and basil combination before this, so I was really surprised by it; pleasantly so at that. The flavor combination was bold and unmistakable. For some it might not be very suiting, but I really enjoyed the daring mix. Fleur De Sel Caramels: 2 stars. I was really looking forward to these when I bought the 6 piece box of them. One of my favorite flavor combinations is salty and sweet. These just 70% Cocoa Baking Chocolate: 5 stars. If Artisan Confections did nothing else other than provide home cooks and restaurants with baking chocolate, I believe they could still be lucrative. I know I will be going back to their store in the future just for this chocolate. It's perfect for brownies!

ALWAYS stop by here and see what they have. Malted Milk quickly became my favorite. I always check for Raspberry and Mint though, and they usually have samples of my favorites at the counter. It is pricey, but you will be hard pressed to find a nicer gift when it comes to chocolates.

I love their chocolates and they are beautiful too! Great gifts and as a gift to yourself :)

The fleur de sel caramels are great. The caramel is just a smidge past caramel, giving a little bit of a burnt sugar taste along with the rush of chewy, salty, and chocolately. There's not a huge selection: hot chocolate, the caramels, peanut butter, almonds, bark with ginger, and an assortment of about a dozen truffles. I bought a few things and have not found anything that was not of very high quality. Odd location in an apartment/condo building in Clarendon, but very clean.

I stopped in after reading reviews online to get my father-in-law a gift for his birthday. He is well versed in exquisite desserts on a worldly scale, so for him I needed to find a high caliber tasty gift. He thoroughly enjoyed the chocolate, and caramels. I also like how you can watch the chocolatier at work where the chocolates are made as you purchase them! Thumbs up

This could easily be the best most loved item in a DC gift basket. These chocolates are phenomenal. Over the years I've given them as gifts. I've given away more than I've eaten them. (curses) I needed to rectify that!!!!!! Picked up an assortment from the Arlington store.....AND KEPT THEM. They are mine. And they are extraordinary. So far I'm most nuts for the chocolate with vanilla....but why compare they are all marvelous. As a gift box it comes in a beautiful box and wrapping. These chocolates as a gift or for yourself are simply divine!!!!

Expensive but worth the price for a treat, special occasion, or gift. Very high quality chocolates with some really interesting flavors. They change the flavors seasonally. The blood orange caramel, which is not currently available, is one of my favorites. I bought two new caramel flavors today to try instead and know they will both be wonderful. The quality of their ingredients is obvious with every bite. Treat yourself or a friend!

Maybe they were having an off-day, but the chocolates did not impress in terms of taste for the price. Don't get me wrong, they look great presentation-wise, but were disappointing otherwise. On top of that, spent over $60 in chocolate and they couldn't throw in a box. Seriously, they put my chocolates into a plastic bag...what kind of customer service is that?

I called the owner to ask why they do not offer veterans discount on Veterans Day. He was extremely rude to me for asking the question. One of his responses was " what. Does every store you go to give you a discount on Veterans Day?" I do not boycott stores that do not offer a discount for veterans on Veterans Day but I usually ask why. A cordial response is all that is expected but since this guy was so rude I do not recommend this place for any that has served or knows someone that has.

Asian guilt is an amazing thing. Not only are we able to feel guilty over the smallest thing (there is a reason why we're always apologizing for *everything*), but once we get that writhing sense of shame, the only thing that can absolve our feelings of discomfort of wrongness - is to buy presents. For example, upon completing college, I opted to not "walk". Mostly because I didn't want to shell out a couple hundred dollars for a cheap black polyester gown that I would only wear for an hour. In the hot summer sun. In black. In polyester. In the summer. However, I didn't expect my parents' complete disappointment at missing this "milestone", and I become overwhelmed with guilt. So with my very first paycheck (well, first couple paychecks), I sent them on an all expense paid trip to Jamaica. Yet still, to this day, when my parents' friends show pictures of their kids' graduation photos, and I see that look in my parents' eyes...a box containing something expensive will be at their door within a week. That, my friends, is Asian guilt at it's finest. So imagine how low I felt when I had to bail on a long planned girls' weekend of crazed fun due to a semi-dramatic family illness (everyone is doing fine now, thanks!). My BFF had spend 2 months planning this weekend, 6 friends were coming in from out of town, and I had to bail at the last minute. Guilt guilt guilt. But as I said, Asian guilt can be absolved by the purchase of gifts...and there is no better gift to say "I am *so* sorry" to a bunch of wonderful (and supportive) girlfriends, as a box of chocolate. Now, anyone can buy Godiva or Lindt - so to me, that doesn't really say "you mean a crapload to me, and I'm saying this while sober, so you know I *really* mean it this time". However, handcrafted, amazingly delicious and unique chocolates - like those from Artisan Confections say that and so much more! Artisan has a small but tantalizing selection of unique and sublime flavors that seem odd, yet tantalizing at the same time. Such as the Cinnamon Honey truffle or the Citrus Caramel. For a little bit of fun, there is the delicious Aged Bourbon (in a wild and crazy leopard print shell), or for a little spice there is the surprisingly tasty Ancho Chili truffle. Yes, that's right...CHILI. Besides the amazingly crazy and fun flavors, I totally love that I was allowed to create custom boxes of chocolates - so I can make up special boxes of delectable treats, tailored to each of my friends' tastes and personalities. The lady that helped me was super nice; when I asked her for advice on shipping the chocolates, she offered to pack the chocolates in ice and do the shipping for me - at cost! Plus, it saves me a harrowing visit to the post office! While it cost a wee bit more then Godiva, I feel that the beautiful quirkiness of the flavors and designs makes this actually a steal in comparison (plus, when obtaining absolution for Asian guilt, cost should never be a factor)! P.S. If you go in the month of August, there is a 10% discount on purchases over $10. P.P.S. They are planning on moving from the Lee Hwy address sometime in November to a larger space that will also be near a metro stop.

I love Artisan Confections. Their chocolates are gorgeous and tasty. The small squares are full of delicious, creative flavors, such as ginger-hazelnut, apricot-cardamom, and my favorite, salted caramel. Definitely a great place for a gift or a treat.

Gorgeous, perfectly sweet, and far too irresistible to keep from your lips. ... a description befitting the perfect date, and the perfect bonbon. The treats from Artisan Confections are visually stunning; each little gem is hand-decorated with intricate, colorful patterns. And while you may be tempted to admire these precious works of art for days on end, the fact that they're made sans preservatives, using only the freshest, finest ingredients, means you can definitely justify eating a whole box in a day. You don't want to risk cutting it to close to the date on the package! Thanks to their website you can order and ship Artisan Confections from anywhere, to anywhere in the continental US, but they only ship on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays to ensure that your delicious morsels are as fresh when they arrive as when they were sent. But it's worth the effort to stop into the tiny jewel of a store. They usually have samples out, and in the store they have lovely items beyond the website's collection; their Chocolate-Covered Tahitian Vanilla Bean Marshmallows are a classy, homemade version of my favorite seasonal drugstore sweet. And in person, you can pick and choose and put together a box filled with the selections of your choice. If you're anything like me, you'll put at least three of the Salted Butter Caramels in your sampler, and while you might stress over which bonbons to pick, let me reassure you -- it's impossible to go wrong.

Absolutely delicious. And really hard to find them when they are open. I swear that that stoped by 5 times before I caught them open one day. They sell primarily through small specialty retailers. That having been said, they said that they will begin having Saturday hours soon (thank god!). I think that even in bulk (the 24 piece box) that they are about $2 per candy. But calling these masterpieces "candy" is really an abomination. They are really just demonic temptations forcing you to become jaba-the-hut.. Am I going back for more? I will try to .. hopefully they will try to keep the store open when they are supposed to be ;-)

If you spend your days making chocolate, shouldn't you be happy? Just a comment from the peanut gallery... So ignore the service and concentrate on the gems behind the safety glass (protecting chocolates from the plebians like me). I liked the one on the left, and the one on the right, and all their pretty friends in between! $1.50 for a piece of chocolate. More if you need a box. Not so sure I'd spend lots of money here but at least I know where I can get some suga!

I feel like an Alien for giving this place 3 stars, and now I feel like I have to go back to figure out what I was missing. I also feel like I have to come up with an excuse for why I didn't enjoy these chocolates as much as everyone else. Maybe I was too distracted by the beautiful and colorful decorations to fully comprehend all the amazing flavors that were exploding in my mouth? Maybe the chocolate croissant and banana bread topped with dulce de leche I had just consumed 20 minutes prior at Leonora Bakery had put me in such a sugar overload my taste buds could no longer tell the difference between one type of sugar and the next? Maybe I'm so obsessed with Reese's Peanut Butter Cups I'm incapable of appreciating any other type of chocolate? I will be back to figure out what exactly is wrong with me.

The image in my mind of a store that sells mouthwatering chocolate is one whose display cases are stocked with piles of truffles, slabs of almond-chocolate barks and the like. So when I saw colourful patterns on every piece of chocolate behind a glass panel, I was skeptical. Determined to be open minded, I decided to visit the store anyway and that. changed. EVERYTHING. I like how the non chocolate flavours don't overwhelm the chocolate itself. Too often, chocolate with flavoured creams are sickeningly sweet, even those from "better" confectioners. When I eat chocolate, I want to taste it. Thanks to Artisan Confections, I can appreciate flavoured creams in chocolate now. It feels like these chocolates are made with a great deal of thought and care. The choice of flavours in every type of chocolate combine very well together when they hit the taste buds. Initially I was miffed at the price of one tiny little piece of chocolate, but I can appreciate why now. Still, it's a little too pricey to become a weekly/biweekly treat. The only thing (and it's not even a big thing) I wasn't keen on were the colourful designs. I know they serve an important role in distinguishing one type from another, but that's just me being traditionalist about my chocolates. Good chocolate doesn't need to have contemporary designs on em - more telling is how they taste.

Now that Valentine's Day is (thankfully) almost over, I am going to let y'all in on a tradition that my hubby and I have. It is day-after VDay. Think about it. When you hit most any store tomorrow you will mostly find 50% - 75% off on Valentine's Day cards, conversation hearts, and of course...chocolates. When it comes to chocolates, I will certainly be checking out this place tomorrow. Chocolate is one of the last vices I have, and this place makes it easy to indulge because part of the sale goes to Arlington Arts. Accordingly, some of the art emblazoned on these goodies is by local talent. Also, I have a reason to scarf down these delectable treats quick. Because they are made with fresh ingredients, they'll spoil if not eaten within a few weeks. My "research" has shown these babies are best if you get to them in the first week. You just kinda have to get over the whole "looks to good to eat" thing. My two cents (or two pieces of chocolate) on what to get here? -White Chocolate Passion Fruit - Ancho chile - sweet and spicy all at the same time - Orange Caramel

OK. Another five star review for Artisan. World Class chocolates on Lee Hwy in Arlington. Who would have thought? We buy pick and pack boxes for special gifts when we are staying over at friends or going to a nice dinner. The chocolates never fail to wow. Everybody has a different favorite, but we really haven't found one we don't like. Scrumptious.

I have been visiting this store for a long time. I would have loved to have given this place five stars- the chocolate definitely is very very yummy! However, it loses two stars for the following two reasons: I feel that owners of small businesses in Arlington should be excited about their products and grateful to their regular customers. The owner of this place is incredibly rude and acts as if your presence in his store is an inconvenience to him, and that you're just bothering him. His attitude is very off putting and odd. I don't care how great your product is, you should always treat your customers kindly and with respect. The owner here is RUDE, simply put. He needs an attitude adjustment ASAP. The other reason I took off another star is because it's so expensive. But I guess if people will pay the price it doesn't matter. Overall- great chocolate, terrible service! The owner should hire someone who actually wants to be there and is inviting if he hates it so much.

I bought some of the chocolates in December at a wine shop near Clarendon. The chocolates are very good. They are each hand-made and contain edible colored paint on top. The mint was excellent and tasted fresh; they claim not to use preservatives in the candies, so they need to be eaten within two weeks or so of purchase. Good, but Kingsbury Chocolates' (Old Town Alexandria) truffles are better.

First of all. I'm not a choco-holic, chocolate connoisseur, or anything even close. I just happen to like this one woman who likes chocolate and I wanted to surprise and impress her. And wowie -- this definitely did the trick. V-day was coming up. I'm completely against the ridiculous tradition of giving dying, out of season, imported flowers based on bad consumption-driven traditions. But I wanted to surprise and impress my girl with something she had not ever had before and would remember for a long time. And believe me, I definitely succeeded in doing that. With the chocolates, I mean. Yeah. The chocolates were great.

A friend treated us to the chocolate making class. We were greeted by Jason, the owner and head chocolatier, some samples of his chocolate (LOVE the fleur de sel) and a glass of wine. A good start! During the 2 hour class, he taught us about tempering chocolate and we got to make our own transfer sheets to decorate the top of the chocolates. It's more chocolate decorating than making because the full process is much longer than 2 hours. However, we got to take home 24 little works of art that were (almost) too pretty to eat.

definitely in my top 2 for chocolatiers in the NOVA/DC area. They use vahlrhonna chocolate as the base for their truffles- which is my favorite. They always have a good selection of flavors that has both variety and appeal, plus they have seasonal flavors so I always feel like I have more to look forward the next time I get some. I hands down recommend their caramels (not in the truffle case) and their Tahitian vanilla truffle. Delicious!

WOW! I have never been to any of the locations before, but I just tried the chocolates since a co-worker brought them to a work event. AMAZING! They are sooo beautiful and with all of the different flavors, what a treat! I'd take these chocolates anyday over the other stuff. Chocolate goes over well for any occassion! I definitely look forward to placing an order with them soon!