San Francisco has plenty of places to satisfy a sweet tooth. Across the city, shoppers can find Swedish gummies, handmade fudge, nostalgic candy, premium chocolate, saltwater taffy, and colorful pick-and-mix selections.
Whether you are searching for a memorable gift, a childhood favorite, or a new international treat, these candy stores deserve a spot on your San Francisco itinerary.
1. Candy’s
Address: 1352 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
Located in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, Candy’s is a great destination for shoppers who enjoy imported sweets and hard-to-find candy. The store carries hundreds of products, including Swedish gummies, Japanese candy, international chocolate bars, sour treats, retro favorites, and products that have gained attention on social media.
Candy’s offers plenty of choices for adventurous shoppers, families, and anyone building a custom candy haul. The selection changes regularly, which gives customers a reason to return and discover something different.
Best for: International candy, Swedish gummies, and trending sweets
2. The Candy Store
Address: 1507 Vallejo Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
The Candy Store is a charming neighborhood shop in Russian Hill that specializes in classic sweets. Its shelves and jars feature licorice, marzipan, chocolates, caramels, wax bottles, Pixy Stix, and other nostalgic favorites.
The small boutique setting gives the store an old-fashioned feel without sacrificing quality. Many of its candies also work well as gifts, party favors, or special treats for someone who appreciates traditional confectionery.
Best for: Nostalgic candy and thoughtfully selected gifts
3. Shaws San Francisco
Address: 122 West Portal Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94127
Shaws has served San Francisco candy lovers since 1931. Located in the West Portal neighborhood, the shop is known for its handmade fudge, chocolates, truffles, cotton candy, PEZ dispensers, and classic candy-store atmosphere.
Visitors can browse old-fashioned sweets while enjoying the feeling of stepping into a traditional neighborhood confectionery. Shaws also serves ice cream, making it a convenient stop for families or anyone looking for a dessert after exploring the area.
Best for: Handmade fudge, ice cream, and historic candy-store charm
4. Z. Cioccolato
Address: 474 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
Z. Cioccolato is a North Beach candy shop best known for its rich, multilayered fudge. The store makes its fudge in small batches and offers a range of creative flavors that go beyond traditional chocolate and vanilla.
Along with fudge, shoppers can find truffles, chocolates, saltwater taffy, bulk candy, and gift boxes. The shop often provides samples, allowing visitors to try a flavor before deciding which varieties to take home.
Its Columbus Avenue location also makes it an easy stop while exploring North Beach.
Best for: Handmade fudge and chocolate gifts
5. Candy Baron
Address: PIER 39, Level 1, San Francisco, CA 94133
Candy Baron brings the traditional boardwalk candy-shop experience to PIER 39. The store features barrels and bins filled with saltwater taffy, gummies, sour candy, jelly beans, nostalgic sweets, and novelty treats.
Customers can create their own mix by choosing from a wide assortment of flavors and candy types. The waterfront location makes Candy Baron especially convenient for families visiting Fisherman’s Wharf, the sea lions, or the shops and attractions at PIER 39.
Best for: Saltwater taffy, pick-and-mix candy, and family visits
6. Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience
Address: 900 North Point Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
Ghirardelli Square remains one of San Francisco’s most recognizable destinations for chocolate lovers. The Ghirardelli Chocolate Experience offers chocolate bars, boxed assortments, gifts, hot fudge sundaes, shakes, and ice cream desserts.
Visitors can shop for San Francisco-themed chocolate gifts or sit down with one of the shop’s popular sundaes. Because of its history and waterfront location, Ghirardelli is both a candy stop and a classic San Francisco attraction.
The shop can become busy during weekends and peak travel seasons, so visiting earlier in the day may provide a more relaxed experience.
Best for: Chocolate sundaes, boxed gifts, and a classic San Francisco experience
7. Dandelion Chocolate
Address: 740 Valencia Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Dandelion Chocolate specializes in small-batch, single-origin chocolate made in San Francisco. Its Valencia Street location combines a chocolate shop and café, giving visitors the chance to purchase chocolate bars, pastries, drinking chocolate, coffee, and retail gifts.
The company focuses on highlighting the flavors of cacao beans from different growing regions. This approach makes Dandelion a strong choice for shoppers who want to compare chocolate origins or learn more about the bean-to-bar process.
Dandelion also operates a larger factory location at 2600 16th Street, where visitors may find additional chocolate experiences and educational activities.
Best for: Bean-to-bar chocolate, pastries, and drinking chocolate
8. Chocolate Covered
Address: 4069 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 94114
Chocolate Covered is a compact Noe Valley shop with an impressive selection of craft chocolate. Its inventory includes bars from independent American chocolate makers as well as international chocolatiers.
The store is an excellent place to compare cacao percentages, origins, ingredients, and chocolate-making styles. Shoppers can also find distinctive gift items and San Francisco-themed packaging.
Chocolate Covered may appeal most to serious chocolate fans, but its knowledgeable staff and varied inventory make it approachable for casual shoppers as well.
Best for: Craft chocolate from American and international makers
9. Miette Patisserie & Confiserie
Address: 2252 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
Miette combines a French-inspired pastry shop with a traditional candy boutique. Its Fillmore Street location offers macarons, cakes, caramels, chocolates, and a large Swedish pick-and-mix candy selection.
The shop’s attractive displays and pastel packaging make it a popular choice for gifts, celebrations, and special occasions. Visitors can build a custom bag of gummies and sweets or choose a prepared box of pastries and confections.
Miette also has a smaller location inside the Ferry Building for shoppers exploring the Embarcadero.
Best for: Swedish candy, macarons, caramels, and elegant gifts
Which San Francisco Candy Store Should You Visit?
The best choice depends on the type of treat you want.
Visit Candy’s for international and trending candy, or stop at The Candy Store for nostalgic sweets. Shaws and Z. Cioccolato are excellent choices for handmade fudge, while Candy Baron offers a convenient pick-and-mix experience near Fisherman’s Wharf.
Chocolate fans should consider Ghirardelli, Dandelion Chocolate, or Chocolate Covered. For Swedish candy, macarons, and gift-ready confections, Miette is hard to beat.
Store hours and product selections can change, so check with the business before making a special trip.
