The Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory of SF: Dandelion Chocolate
I’m a pretty big chocoholic, so you can imagine my excitement when I heard about Dandelion Chocolate’s new factory. Earlier this year, they moved production to a larger space at 16th and Rescue Row/Alabama Street in San Francisco. If you’re curious to learn about the chocolate-making process, they offer a $15 factory tour; it lasts about an hour. They also offer private classes, talks, and cocoa tours — I’m contemplating the Belize trip! I spent a couple hours at the new space to enjoy afternoon tea at Bloom, Dandelion’s chocolate salon, and to experience the factory tour.
If you have the time, breakfast or afternoon tea/chocolate at Bloom is a great experience. The interior is chic and modern with dark furnishings accented by gold. I opted for the afternoon tea on my first visit, but I’m curious about the afternoon ice cream. I guess I’ll be back!
Afternoon tea: $45 per person
-Citrus Macaron
-Chocolate Soufflé
-Earl Grey Profiterole
-Almond Raspberry Napoleon
-Egg Salad Tea Sandwich
-Choice of pot of tea or hot chocolate
I finished eating and had a little time to spare, so I grabbed a coffee at the cafe and checked out some of the merchandise they have in the shop before the tour. The cafe has a few drink and pastry options to grab and go, or you can take a seat at one of the counter spaces by the shop.
Tour guests congregated by the cafe and once everyone arrived, we set off. Prior to stepping into the factory, our handbags and backpacks were placed in a closet and we each put on a hair net.
During the tour, we learned about where the cocoa beans come from, how the farmers treat the beans once they’re harvested, and we got to taste the flesh from a bean prior to roasting. It wasn’t what I had expected. There wasn’t a lot of meat (fruit) and there was a sizable pit; it was a bit sour. Throughout the tour, we learned about the machines, Dandelion’s chocolate-making process (they churn the cocoa nibs for five days! It’s a labor of love), and got to taste the cocoa at various stages of the process prior to it becoming a bar of chocolate.
Cafe, shop, factory: 8am-8pm daily
You can see the chocolate-makers in action 9am-5pm Monday-Friday on the factory tour.
Bloom chocolate salon:
-Breakfast: 8am-12pm Tuesday-Sunday
-Afternoon chocolate desert: 1-5pm Tuesday-Friday
-Weekend afternoon tea: 1-5pm Saturday-Sunday
