Wilson C.
Yelp
Serenade strikes that perfect balance. Old World elegance and modern flavors are glued together by the timeless fun that is chocolate in this little shop with a maroon awning in Brookline. It's so hard to walk in, see the chocolate machine spinning, watch truffles and ice cream bars being hand-dipped in these rotating, Willy Wonka-esque bowls, browse the beautiful gift boxes and peruse the molded chocolate pianos -- and strain not to get something for oneself.
Well, don't strain too hard.
Personal favorites are the white chocolate pieces, as their white chocolate is far superior to anything you can get in a big grocer. This includes the "blondie" which as I understand it blends hazelnut butter with their white chocolate. Although, I do often just get plain white chocolate in a to go box. Don't worry, they have 72% dark and milk chocolate going to.
It helps that the owner and staff are all fabulously nice, and extremely knowledgeable about their seemingly endless selection of treats. Their advice is key because there's always something new and seasonal, and often something cocktail inspired to try. My girlfriend just brought me a Mojito truffle (mint and lime with ganache), and we both loved the Dark and Stormy they had around Valentines day.
A tip: they specialize in customizing chocolate gifts. My little brother still hasn't eaten the chocolate baseball mitt I ordered him for Christmas, because they went out of their way to decorate it with his name in white chocolate and colored sprinkles. They say chocolate has a good shelf life, but it may have to be a temperature dependent, just-for-looking-not-for-eating figurine now.
Stop in, get to know the people and the actually really incredible story behind this place (Did you know the owner is from Turkey? Did you know she learned her craft from a Viennese Holocaust survivor they call "uncle Bill"?), try a sample, and start thinking about everyone who could use a little chocolate in their lives. You're sure to find what your looking for here.