Make Your Own Chocolate Pizza, Edible Jewelry, and Candy Bars

Chocolate Works, which has a network of candy stores across the New York metro area, recently opened on the Upper East Side, and began offering new classes at the Upper West Side location. Chocolate Works also hosts chocolate-themed birthday parties.

Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory may be fictional, but this New York-based chocolate factory and candy store is a close resemblance. Chocolate Works, which has locations across the New York metro area, adding cooking classes and workshops every Wednesday at the Upper West Side store and branched out by opening an Upper East Side outpost.

Natalie Serussi, manager of the Upper West Side store, says her shop started offering private chocolate workshops last April, and is now offering them to the public Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30pm. One of these classes is a chocolate pizza workshop, in which participants craft a “pizza” using chocolate, pretzels, marshmallows, and other candy toppings of their choice. Other workshops include making candy jewelry, animals, flowerpots, and 3-D chocolate molds. Reservations for these workshops must be made in advance.

Rachel Jarrett, owner of the Upper East Side store, opened this location last November. Jarrett says she grew up on the Upper East Side and knew the store would do well in this neighborhood. “I fell in love with the concept and just decided to go for it,” Jarrett says. “Everybody who comes here is happy and they love the store—they love chocolate.”

Both Upper West Side and Upper East Side stores are Kosher and are under rabbinical supervision. This was a conscious effort to accommodate the dietary needs of the Jewish community. Each Chocolate Works store has a conveyor belt, a chocolate-melting machine, and a chocolate fondue station to make chocolate-covered Oreos, pretzels, graham crackers, and candy bars. Kids can also host birthday parties to create their own chocolate molds and get a tour of the factory.

Main photo: A Chocolate Works chocolate pizza