Buffalo, New York, has a long candy-making tradition, especially when it comes to chocolate and the city’s famous sponge candy. From historic candy shops that have served Western New York for generations to newer artisan chocolatiers creating inventive bonbons and truffles, Buffalo offers plenty of places to satisfy a sweet tooth.
Whether you are searching for classic sponge candy, handmade chocolates, nostalgic treats, or a box of sweets to give as a gift, these are some of the best candy stores in Buffalo and the surrounding area.
1. Parkside Candy
Address: 3208 Main St, Buffalo, NY 14214
Parkside Candy is one of Buffalo’s best-known old-fashioned candy shops. The historic store combines a traditional candy counter with the atmosphere of a classic ice cream parlor, making it a favorite stop for both locals and visitors.
Sponge candy is one of the main attractions, but Parkside also offers boxed chocolates, truffles, creams, nuts, and other chocolate-covered treats. Visitors can sit down for an ice cream sundae or pick up a box of Buffalo-style sweets to take home.
The nostalgic interior adds to the experience, making Parkside Candy a worthwhile destination for anyone interested in Buffalo’s candy-making history.
2. Ko-Ed Candies
Address: 285 Abbott Rd, Buffalo, NY 14220
Ko-Ed Candies is a longtime South Buffalo chocolate shop known for handmade candy and traditional sponge candy. The shop has built a loyal local following by producing familiar favorites using classic candy-making techniques.
Visitors can find milk and dark chocolate sponge candy along with peanut butter varieties, chocolate suckers, assorted chocolates, and seasonal treats. Gift boxes are also available for holidays, birthdays, and other occasions.
For anyone trying sponge candy for the first time, Ko-Ed Candies is an excellent place to experience one of Buffalo’s signature sweets.
3. Park Edge Sweet Shoppe
Address: 325 Abbott Rd, Buffalo, NY 14220
Park Edge Sweet Shoppe has been serving the Buffalo area since 1948 and remains a favorite stop for handmade chocolates.
One of its specialties is sponge candy sticks, which offer a slightly different presentation from the traditional sponge candy cubes found at many other Buffalo candy stores. Shoppers can also find peanut butter sponge candy, turtles, truffles, cordials, chocolate-covered pretzels, and seasonal confections.
Its location on Abbott Road also makes it easy to visit Park Edge and Ko-Ed Candies during the same South Buffalo candy outing.
4. Mike’s Homemade Candies
Address: 2110 Clinton St, Buffalo, NY 14206
Mike’s Homemade Candies has been producing sweets in the Buffalo area for decades. As its name suggests, the shop focuses heavily on traditional handmade candy.
Sponge candy remains one of the biggest reasons to visit, but the selection extends far beyond it. Customers can find truffles, caramels, nut clusters, marshmallow treats, chocolate-covered nuts, and assorted chocolates.
Mike’s also hand-dips many of its chocolates and roasts nuts in-house, giving the store the feel of a traditional neighborhood candy maker rather than a typical retail candy shop.
5. Blue Table Chocolates
Address: 799 Seneca St, Suite D-1, Buffalo, NY 14210
Blue Table Chocolates provides a more contemporary take on Buffalo’s chocolate scene. The shop specializes in handcrafted artisan chocolates with colorful designs and creative flavor combinations.
Bonbons and truffles are the main attractions, with flavors that often change throughout the year. Customers can also shop for chocolate bars, gift boxes, specialty chocolates, and vegan selections.
Blue Table Chocolates is an especially good choice for shoppers looking for an attractive chocolate gift or something different from Buffalo’s traditional candy shops.
6. Watson’s Chocolates
Address: 738 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222
Watson’s Chocolates has been making candy in Western New York since 1946 and has become one of the region’s most recognizable chocolate companies.
The company is particularly famous for sponge candy. Customers can usually find several varieties, including milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and orange chocolate. Watson’s also sells chocolate assortments, gift boxes, seasonal chocolates, and Buffalo-themed sweets.
The Elmwood Avenue store provides a convenient option for anyone exploring one of Buffalo’s most popular shopping and dining districts.
7. Fowler’s Chocolates
Address: 100 River Rock Dr, Suite 102, Buffalo, NY 14207
Fowler’s Chocolates has deep roots in Buffalo’s candy-making tradition and has been associated with the local chocolate industry for more than a century.
Its sponge candy is one of its signature products, but shoppers will also find sea salt caramels, almond butter crunch, truffles, chocolate-covered popcorn, and assorted chocolate gift boxes.
Fowler’s is a particularly good stop for visitors who want to bring home a classic Buffalo candy gift.
8. Watson’s Chocolates – Kenmore
Address: 2916 Delaware Ave, Kenmore, NY 14217
Visitors willing to travel just outside Buffalo can also stop at Watson’s Chocolates in Kenmore.
Like the Buffalo location, this shop carries the company’s popular sponge candy along with boxed chocolates, seasonal treats, gift assortments, and other chocolate specialties.
Because Kenmore is only a short drive from central Buffalo, this location can easily be included in a Western New York candy tour.
9. King Condrell’s Candy and Ice Cream
Address: 2805 Delaware Ave, Kenmore, NY 14217
King Condrell’s combines a traditional candy store with an old-fashioned ice cream parlor.
The shop offers an extensive assortment of handmade candies, including sponge candy, creams, truffles, cordials, jellies, and chocolate-covered treats. Customers can also order ice cream, sundaes, and other desserts.
Its large selection makes King Condrell’s a good destination for groups where everyone wants something different.
10. Alethea’s Chocolates
Address: 8301 Main St, Williamsville, NY 14221
Alethea’s Chocolates has been a favorite Western New York destination for generations. Located in Williamsville, the shop is a short drive from Buffalo and offers a large assortment of handmade sweets.
Sponge candy is one of the specialties, along with hand-dipped chocolates, chocolate-covered potato chips, boxed assortments, and seasonal candy.
Alethea’s also serves ice cream and desserts, making it a good place to stop for both candy shopping and a sweet treat.
11. Sweet Jenny’s Chocolates & Ice Cream
Address: 56 E Spring St, Williamsville, NY 14221
Sweet Jenny’s Chocolates & Ice Cream offers handmade sweets in a distinctive setting inside a historic Williamsville water mill.
The shop produces chocolates, truffles, sponge candy, nostalgic candy, and homemade ice cream. Its sponge candy is available in several varieties, including milk, dark, and orange chocolate.
The combination of handmade sweets, ice cream, and an unusual historic location makes Sweet Jenny’s one of the more memorable candy stops near Buffalo.
12. Antoinette’s Sweets
Address: 5981 Transit Rd, Depew, NY 14043
Antoinette’s Sweets is another classic Western New York destination for chocolate, candy, and ice cream.
The shop offers sponge candy coated in milk or dark chocolate along with assorted chocolates, specialty sweets, sundaes, ice cream, and gift items.
Its broad selection makes Antoinette’s a good option for visitors who want traditional Buffalo-area candy along with desserts they can enjoy at the shop.
Where to Find the Best Candy in Buffalo
Buffalo offers far more than ordinary candy shops. The city’s long connection to chocolate making has created a collection of stores where handmade sweets and local traditions remain a major part of the experience.
For classic Buffalo sponge candy, start with Parkside Candy, Ko-Ed Candies, Park Edge Sweet Shoppe, Mike’s Homemade Candies, Watson’s Chocolates, or Fowler’s Chocolates. For artisan chocolates, Blue Table Chocolates offers a more contemporary option.
If you have time to explore beyond the city limits, King Condrell’s, Alethea’s Chocolates, Sweet Jenny’s, and Antoinette’s Sweets give you even more reasons to make Buffalo a destination for candy lovers.
