All throughout the Chicago area, residents and visitors can find a variety of establishments to sate their sweet tooth. Featuring both new and well-established businesses, we’ve listed seven of the best sweets and specialty shops across Chicagoland.

Lickity Split - Edgewater / Rogers Park

Courtesy of Lickity Split

Located in the Edgewater and Rogers Park neighborhoods, Lickity Split Frozen Custard & Sweets is a retro-style custard and sweets shop that will appeal to all candy lovers. Offering a long list of frozen custard flavors and toppings, customers are encouraged to mix and match to find their perfect frozen treat. Popular items include the OMG (a blend of frozen custard, fudge brownies, hot fudge, and a hint of peanut butter) as well as Sophie’s S’more (a combination of custard with marshmallow creme, hot fudge, and graham crackers). Customers can also enjoy pastries and coffee, and browse a selection of hard-to-find vintage candies.

Margie’s - Bucktown 

Photo by Lisa Harbin / CC BY-SA

Chicago residents can’t help but take pride in Margie’s Candies. For almost a century, the Bucktown spot has delighted dessert lovers with its selection of fresh, made-in-store candy and ice cream. Margie’s embraces its long history with old-fashioned booths, a marble soda fountain, and newspaper clippings and photos of past customers on the walls. Still owned and operated by the same family, Margie’s has seen true icons step through its doors, including Al Capone, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones.

A second location is in the North Center neighborhood. Both locations include equally delicious “before dessert” options for those wanting something savory.

The Fudge Pot - Old Town

Courtesy of the Fudge Pot

Open since 1963, The Fudge Pot has long been a landmark of the Old Town neighborhood. With its windows decorated with fudge in all shapes and sizes, onlookers will see everything from fudge dogs, fudge bowling pins, to fudge shoes. Customers can order favorites like the chocolate frozen bananas and chocolate gift boxes, that yes, are made of chocolate themselves. Still run by the same family, The Fudge Pot continues its dedication to quality fudge handmade by professionals. 

Amy’s Candy Bar - Lincoln Square

Courtesy of Amy's Candy Bar

Located in Lincoln Square, Amy’s Candy Bar is a specialty candy boutique that carries an assortment of treats, including gummies, flavored caramels, chocolates, ice cream, licorice imported from all across the globe. Founder Amy Hansen has applied her French Pastry School training to making unique hand-crafted confections for customers.

Jaafer Sweets - Albany Park 

Chocolate Baklava / Courtesy of Jaafar Sweets

Jaafer Sweets in Albany Park stands out by specializing in Middle Eastern sweets. Here, customers can try desserts like baklava (a rich, sweet pastry made with layers of chopped nuts and held together with syrup or honey) or knafeh (a traditionally Palestinian dessert made with cheese pastry and soaked with a sugar-based syrup). As is traditional in many Middle Eastern bakeries, sweets at Jaafer are sold by the pound, not by the piece, allowing customers to enjoy large portions of their favorite treats. 

Belgian Chocolatier Piron - Evanston

Courtesy of Belgian Chocolatier Piron

Belgian Chocolatier Piron brings the unmatched quality of Belgian chocolates to Evanston. Run and owned by brothers Bob and Fred Piron, Belgian Chocolatier Piron provides customers with authentic Belgian chocolate that’s handmade throughout the day. The Pirons and their staff maintain that food should look as good as it tastes, a belief personified in the chocolate itself. Each piece of chocolate is artistically crafted and given the workers’ full attention, making these already delicious desserts all the more special. 

Le Chocolat du Bouchard - Naperville

Courtesy of La Choculat du Bouchard

Open in Naperville since 2004, Le Chocolat du Bouchard proclaims itself as the “ultimate chocolate, wine, and dessert experience.” After all, the store features gourmet pastries and croissants, and an espresso bar with over 40 lattes, mochas, and cappuccinos. Decadent cakes, brownies, macarons, and chocolates round out the extensive menu. Visitors can also sit and enjoy the connected French bistro to experience a French-American inspired lunch or dinner. For parties, Le Chocolat also offers its second floor as an event space.