Irish Handmade Chocolates for Easter Treats - 10 of the Best

Our national chocoholism is no secret and it revs up to top gear at Easter, - when it’s not just about eggs but all kinds of symbols of spring - while theme-free top quality chocolates make the perfect all-year treat. While Ireland’s growing reputation for quality chocolate is largely thanks to excellent mainstream producers such as Butlers, Lily O’Briens, and Lir, smaller-scale chocolate specialists are increasingly making a big impact as well. We’ve selected just ten of Ireland’s growing band of top chocolatiers, who produce everything from exquisite creations for the most discerning recipient to fun family gifts. All of those below offer an online shopping and delivery service, but in-person shopping is always fun – particularly if you visit a specialist like Cork favourite The Chocolate Shop at the city’s English Market where Irish producers take their place among ‘the best quality chocolate from the best artisan chocolatiers throughout the world’ and the range includes organic, 100% cocoa bars & powders, gluten-free and diabetic chocolate. What’s not to love…

Van Velze’s Luxury Chocolates
Ballinrobe Co Mayo
Tel: 083 093 6684; Email: webshop@vanvelzes.com
The Dutch famously take chocolate very seriously and - tucked away on a garage forecourt in Ballinrobe - you’ll find a tiny shop and production unit creating exceptional handmade chocolates under the brand name Van Velze. Run by Master Chocolatier and Baker Robbert Van Velze and his wife Deborah Kilroy, this is very much a special treat. Eschewing the trend for brightly coloured finishes, these are restrained and elegant in presentation with colour restricted to a hint of red and green on their Mad About Mayo chocolate - and, as an added touch of luxury, each box is adorned with a little card and tied with a satin ribbon so that opening it feels truly extravagant. Before settling in Ireland, they ran a chocolate boutique and patisserie in Rob’s native Amsterdam (still in operation and with an impressive corporate client list) and now – as well as an excellent online service - you'll find Van Velze’s beautifully presented and packaged artisan chocolate at some of the region's finest delis and foodstores as well as their little shop in Ballinrobe.
SHOP HERE: https://vanvelzes.ie/

Bon Chocolatiers
Tullamore Co Offaly
Young chefs Georgia Quealy and Daniel Linehan bravely started this ambitious small business during the lockdown in 2020 and they’ve since earned a national reputation for their exquisite Bon Chocolatiers handmade Irish chocolates. Sold online as gift boxes, their sumptuous creations are also supplied to some carefully selected restaurants and hotels - and, at certain seasons, they're available through some partnering local businesses too, including Daniel's family's delightful Athlone café, Beans and Leaves. Using the very best ingredients is key to everything that Georgia and Daniel do. The foundation is ethically sourced chocolate from France and Switzerland and they use as many local and Irish producers as possible, including Irish butter and cream of course ("Irish dairy - the best in the world!"), foraged berries in season and some special products such as Oriel sea salt - an EU Protected Designation of Origin product from Co Louth. A beautiful gift at any time, and seasonal specialities include their trademark triple layer Easter eggs…
SHOP HERE: https://www.bonchocolatiers.ie

Bean and Goose 
Ballyloughan Business Park, Gorey, Co. Wexford
Email: hello@beanandgoose.ie

The concept of chocolate as a seasonal product is new to many but - citing childhood memories of happy chocolate associations and a passion for using seasonal, natural ingredients as their inspirations – sisters Karen and Natalie Keane’s Bean and Goose superb ‘bean to bar’ chocolate is made from organic single origin beans and flavoured with home-grown and foraged plants that reflect and celebrate the Irish seasons. Now made at their Chocolate Bar Café location in Gorey, the delicious traditionally tempered Bean and Goose chocolate was first produced at the farm where they grew up in Co Wexford, and sustainability informs everything from the ingredients to the recyclable packaging. Their gorgeous range includes some utterly irresistible Easter treats, some for sharing, from about€19.50. To celebrate a decade in business and many well deserved awards they’ve released a new Weekend Wander gift box with three flavours: Salty Almonds; Umami Seaweed and Smoky Sea Salt. All Ireland delivery is offered.
SHOP HERE: https://beanandgoose.ie/

Lorge Chocolatier
Bonane Kenmare Co Kerry
Lorge Chocolatier was established by the acclaimed French Pastry Chef Benoit Lorge in Kenmare, in 2003, and he has since received plenty of well-earned praise for the luxury, hand-made confectionery that he creates using top quality ingredients. The range includes beautifully presented boxes, truffles, bars, hot chocolate, chocolate spreads, and other confectionery such as nougat and marshmallows – and seasonal specialities including Easter eggs (in various sizes, filled and unfilled, from about €11.50) and some cute novelties including their trademark ‘Bunny Carrote’ (a chocolate bunny clutching a whole carrot, €9.50). Chocolate courses are also available for professionals and amateur enthusiasts and Lorge products are available at a number of speciality outlets including PonaireLorge, Adare as well as shops at the factory (Bonane) and in Kenmare Town.
SHOP HERE: https://lorge.ie/shop

Hazel Mountain Chocolate 
Bell Harbour Co Clare
Tel: 065 707 8847 Email: info@hazelmountainchocolate.com
Although it is well signed near north Clare’s famous Flaggy Shore, John and Kasha Connolly’s charming little chocolate factory, bakery and café still comes as a surprise. John, who knows The Burren like the back of his hand, is well known as a walking guide, and this enterprising couple’s businesses are run from the cottage farmhouse that John inherited from his grandmother. Since opening in 2014, they have - as they say themselves - been making waves on the Irish and international chocolate scene, thanks to their commitment to using local, sustainable, natural ingredients, sourcing the best cacao beans from ‘little guy’ cocoa bean farmers, and also due to the charming and highly educational set-up at their must-visit factory (tours available). Easter treats include Bunny Munch Carrots and a beautiful Wild Atlantic Easter Egg.
SHOP HERE: https://www.hazelmountainchocolate.com/collections/all

Chez Emily
The Ward Co Dublin
Tel: 01 835 2252; Email: sales@chezemily.ie
Ferdinand Vandaele and Helena Hemeryck have crafted their exquisite Chez Emily handmade chocolates near Mabestown, since 1996. During that time the business has grown to include a shop and café, Chez Emily Chocolate Boutique, in Ashbourne, Co Meath (open daily except bank holidays), but the ethos is unchanged and their sustainable cottage industry still uses carefully sourced ingredients and the original family recipes to produce chocolates that are handmade with care. The range includes dairy free, gluten free and vegan chocolate and, in addition to the 30 varieties that are available year round, there are seasonal specialties including an Easter selection ranging from a Pablo Bunny lollipop at €2.75, to an Easter Family Box at €40; delivery within Ireland takes 1 to 5 working days.
SHOP HERE: https://chezemily.ie/shop/

Grá Chocolates 
Kilchreest Co Galway
Tel: 085 2294653 Email: hello@grachocolates.com
The 2019 winner of the Euro-Toques Young Chef of the Year title, pastry chef Gráinne Mullins was working in an exciting new restaurant when Covid hit – and, with the closure of hospitality, so began her beautiful business. Following the Euro-Toques principles of sourcing locally and sustainably (“great taste comes from the finest ingredients”), Gráinne works in small batches and her hand-painted and polished bonbons take three days to create. Locally and ethically produced ingredients are also used for the fillings, and the current range includes some stunning Easter eggs, which can be pre-ordered with a selected shipping date. Promising “the pure taste of happiness” Grá has earned a loyal following and – thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign – is all set to achieve their mission of building Galway's first chocolate factory.
SHOP HERE: https://grachocolates.com/shop/

Skelligs Chocolate
Ballinskelligs Co Kerry
Tel: 066 9479119 Email: info@skelligschocolate.com
This high quality chocolate operation is scenically located at the remote St Finian's Bay on the Ring of Kerry, overlooking the Skellig islands, and its unique appeal - together with Noelle Campbell-Sharp's wonderful Cill Rialaig Centre (art exhibitions, shop & café), which is nearby - has made the Skellig Ring a destination for families on holiday, food lovers and art collectors alike. Uniquely, the open plan Skelligs and Cocoa Bean Chocolates production kitchen allows visitors to watch the process (and taste samples) while taking in the dramatic scenery. Specialities available all year include 60 varieties of truffles (flavours change with the seasons) while limited editions include the Easter range of solid eggs (Dubai mini solid egg from €10, whiskey egg from €29.50), shell eggs and hampers (from €37.50). A great place to visit, and also a good online service.
SHOP HERE: https://skelligschocolate.com/buy-chocolate-online/ 

Truffle Fairy 
Thomastown Co Kilkenny
Tel: 087 286 2634 E-mail: info@trufflefairy.ie
There is a touch of magic about chef Mary Teehan’s chocolate creations, and chocoholics visiting the Kilkenny area should seek out both the chocolates themselves and the Truffle Fairy Chocolate Café & Shop, where you can see the production kitchen (and you may also to get a complimentary truffle with your coffee). While not a novelty producer - Mary is famous for luscious single origin truffles and chocolate fudge - the range also includes chocolate bars and chocolate barks (bars covered with dried fruits and/or nuts), cakes, cookies and seasonal treats including Easter eggs. The freshness and quality of her ethically sourced ingredients speaks for itself – and well-earned accolades include Great Taste Awards gold stars for several of her exotic truffles and her chocolate brownies. The main business is in Thomastown, but there is also a lovely shop and café on Ormonde Street, in Kilkenny City. Also sold at farmers’ markets and speciality stores including the lovely Glasrai and Goodies at Gowran.
SHOP HERE: https://trufflefairy.ie/shop-2/

The Chocolate Manor Castlerock Co Antrim
Tel: +44 79 1933 2843
Email talktous@thechocolatemanor.com
Not just a premium chocolate producer but a destination promising to “… have an experience for everybody. Families can get together ... Visitors and locals love to explore the fantastic Taste Causeway Experience…”, The Chocolate Manor is a recent winner of the Best Food & Drink Experience at the Tourism NI Giant Spirit Awards and they have been part of the Northern Ireland branch of the international network Economusée (‘artisans at work’) since 2022. Owner and Chief Chocolatier Geri Martin is a founding member and current chairperson of Taste Causeway (which is associated with Slow Food) and keen to introduce visitors to both the chocolate making process and the impressive range of other local artisan products as well as their own. All round a fascinating place to visit, and you can also buy online.
SHOP HERE: https://thechocolatemanor.com/