Exquisito Chocolates, Miami

Miami’s Willy Wonka dreams ultimately came true with the opening of Exquisito Chocolates, the city’s very first chocolate factory, in the heart of Little Havana. This place is a fascinating combination of a front retail shop and a 1,200-square-foot production facility in the back, allowing visitors to observe the entire process of chocolate making through large glass windows. Those particularly keen on learning every step of turning cacao beans into chocolate confections, can sign up for chocolate making classes and get a full first-hand knowledge.

At Exquisito they like to “Latinize” and “Miamify” their bean-to-bar bon bons outputting classic Miami flavors like Café con Leche and Little Guavana made with fresh Redland grown guava, and Miami Vice dark-chocolate truffle made with cafecito and dulce de leche. Overall, this retail shop carries 12 permanent truffle flavors, a collection of single origin bars made from cacao sourced directly from partner farms, and other confections manufactured daily.

Curiously, the local brewers and chefs at Lincoln’s Beard Brewing Co., Azucar Ice Cream Company, and The Salty Donut have been utilizing Exquisito’s cacao husks—which otherwise would have been discarded—by infusing them into beers, cocktails, ice cream, pastries and other items they produce.