I am a self-declared chocoholic. Chocolate is my passion and life, and without it, I would probably fall into a serious case of depression. I’ve scoured the Bay Area for new places, not like the typical Godiva, See’s Candies, or Ghirardelli chains, which could satisfy my chocolate fetish. However, only a select few have met up to my standards.

Chocolate Heaven at Pier 39 was probably the only place I could find in San Francisco with chocolates by the barrels, shelves, and any other way you could safely stock chocolate. My favorite there would probably be the Hazelnut Truffle, which goes for about $2.99 each. Hard on the outside, soft on the inside, Chocolate Heaven’s truffles practically fall apart in your mouth, and melt luxuriously slow. However, this place may be a bit pricey for those used to chocolates found at Walgreens.

Another find of mine was The San Francisco Chocolate Factory Boutique on 12th street. With chocolates to satisfy a wide range of picky people from Coffee lover’s chocolates to wine lover’s chocolates, the newest confection I’ve fallen in love with would have to be their “Chocolate by Numbers.” Decently priced, these chocolates are 1 ounce each, and are literally chocolates by numbers. Chocolates by numbers are basically chocolates with different amounts of cacao in them. With 31 percent chocolate, 38 percent chocolate, 55 percent chocolate, and beyond, these chocolates have a large variety of sweet, bittersweet, and strong flavors for your taste buds.

Scharffen Berger in the Embarcadero carry their very own name brand, and is actually quite affordable. Chocolate bars, chocolate-dipped fruits, baking products, t-shirts, and so much more are available at this boutique. You may find their chocolate-dipped gingers strange, but believe me- it tastes and looks so much better than it sounds. The taste is almost fruity, but you really have to taste it for yourself. Bittersweet chocolate may be the highlight of all confections here, so milk chocolate lovers beware.

Being a dark chocolate fiend, I fell in love with Bittersweet: The Chocolate Café, on Fillmore and California Street. My jaw fell to the ground the moment I walked inside when the smell of chocolates and pastries engulfed my body. I shared a Cinnamon Hot Chocolate Cake and Mocha Crisp Cookie with a friend, and I’m perfectly serious when I say that we fought over every last crumb. The cake was fresh and warm; cinnamon blended into chocolate with just the right amount of heat. There’s no words that could possibly describe those indulgences just right. Every time I go back, I have to buy one of their chocolate drinks; they are just that good. The Chocolate Chai was my first drink, and the blend of chocolates and herbal spice has kept me hooked ever since.

Excellent chocolates are always hard to find, and with the massive cravings for chocolates usually comes the cheap Hershey’s chocolates. But why purchase another chocolate from a liquor store when you now know of amazing chocolate boutiques in San Francisco? Go on and fulfill one of your chocolate cravings today- you know you want it.