Late review i went last year October looking gift for boss day. The store is clean ... i found out they make the chocolates in Katy branch not in Houston too bad i cannot smell the chocolates being made... The staff is very nice and friendly. The chocolates nice shape and color... flavors are very good .. the choice of the flavors were good ... my friend liked it as well .. her child and husband liked it as well. Chocolate lovers need to visit this store. I will definitely come back here .. i recommend it for gifts as well read more

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Ordered for the first time for valentines day and was obsessed with the presentation, the quality and the way they make the chocolates fresh before shipping. I live in Lake Dallas, Texas like 5 hours from Houston and they made and shipped the chocolates 2 days before Valentine's Day and I got them in time. My husband was very happy and now wants some for every holiday haha read more

AMAZING chocolate! Such inspiring craftsmanship, artistry and so much thought put into the flavours. You can see the kitchen right from the window and watch the whole process. We tried the Venezuela 41% (my favourite - it has NATURAL caramel taste), pistachio, Dubai chocolate, pink salt, mango habanero, hazelnut praline, and the orange rum. The owner is so so lovely as well ! read more

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Great chocolate. I love the texture and appreciate all the variety available in the bars.

As a chocolate girlie, I can confirm these are legit!! The hand painted designs make them upscale but so does the quality and unique flavors !! Great as a special treat or for a special occasion. I also love the cute packaging ! read more

Araya Artisan Chocolate - Valentines chocolates ! - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Living in Houston and craving high grade, uniquely textured, and flavorful chocolates can be difficult. I've tried Royce chocolate, sleek chocolate, laderach chocolatier, and Thank goodness that my boyfriend found this place, and now he's bound to regularly order from them . This place is one of my one trusted chocolate places for liquor truffles. The bourbon truffles are probably my favorite out of all the liquor truffles chocolates. I've also tried the regular liquor chocolate collection and I liked their designs but the flavors were mediocre compared to the truffles. read more

Araya Artisan Chocolate - Liquor truffle chocolate set - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Houston, Texas

Great place for your chocolate cravings. You can absolutely taste those flavors alongside with the cacao. Super rich, very creamy, leaves a nice scent in your mouth. -Earl grey hands down is one of my favorites. -Praline was mildly nutty -blueberry cardamom had a very pungent taste of cardamom but less blueberry flavor -salted caramel tasted as it sounds -pistachio was mild with pistachio, very rich and dark flavors -Dulce de leche was okay -cappuccino is my favorite! -passionfruit had a sour sweet taste -Irish cream -Venezuelan Overall, tastes great, quality is definitely forward. Service could've been better but that's alright read more

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Our son took us to Araya and we loved it. He got an assorted box of chocolates....he really enjoyed them with his wife. I tried and devoured one scoop of gelato, can't remember the flavor but i do remember it was tasty. read more

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Tasty tasty tasty! If you're a chocolate lover, like i am, you have to try these artisan chocolates! Plenty of box options to choose how many you want and a great gift to a chocolate lover in your life. Super friendly staff. Small place but i did see a few tables if anyone wants to enjoy them there with coffee. read more

The Extra Dark Gelato was not as dark as I expected. There wasn't a hint of bitterness. It was really good though. It tasted like a scoop of very moist and fudgy gelato. There was a bit of ice on the scoop but that was okay. I tried the Moroccan mint and chai chocolates. They were less intense than I expected but still good. read more

Araya Artisan Chocolate - Extra Dark Gelato - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Houston, Texas

Omg this is my favorite chocolate place ever. I love the new flavors that they come out with. I may have gone a little overboard but it was so pretty and I'm an addict. I got 2 boxes of 36 piece chocolates. One for my friend's rehearsal dinner. And one for myself. I ate a small bite of each in my box and i have no regrets. (Maybe diabetes) Also I just want to say that the staff member took her time to perfect my order and I sampled so many chocolates and had a sample of pistachio gelato. Delish. I wish I had gotten a macaron mix. But I would've eaten all of it. So I'm glad I didn't. Haha. read more

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This may be a bit of a biased review because I've only been here once, so will have to update if I go again. I got the gelato which was delicious. I truly enjoyed it with the texture and the different flavors available. They had some really nice light and refreshing flavors along with some decadent and rich ones. I would definitely come back for the gelato. I sampled some of the chocolates, but didn't get any to buy. The chocolates themselves were also delicious and I loved the pretty designs and flavors they had. The main reason I'm knocking down the number of stars for this place was because the person working that day seemed very rude and unwelcoming. As a paying customer, I would like to feel at least welcomed into the store, rather than having someone shoot glaring daggers at me when I'm asking about the flavors of ice cream. It was very obvious that the worker did not want us there. Also, keep in mind, this was a random Friday afternoon, there was no one else in the store, and they were no where near closing time. Service is a really big deal and it can make or break an experience. Unfortunately, for a place I was very excited about and expected it to have excellent customer service because it's in a nicer part of town, it definitely fell flat. read more

I first tried Araya chocolates a few years ago and it changed my life. I walked into their Katy location and was overwhelmed by the chocolatey smell and adorable packaging. I met the owners and was tickled by their enthusiasm for their craft. I have tried an assortment of their chocolates, taken a sample of their pillowy soft and not too sweet marshmallows, enjoyed their French macarons and even attended some of their special events. All of their chocolates are made in house and consist of a blend of Venezuelan chocolate. The moment their chocolate hits your tongue, you know that you'll never want to buy another Hershey's, Dove, Ghirardelli or whatever grocery store brand you've been secretly buying. Sign up for their email list and you'll be privy to their special events like chocolate and wine pairings, chocolate and dinner pairing and their chocolate making classes and workshops. These events are always reasonably priced (around $40 per person) and I have always found each event to be well-planned, delicious, fun and a great chance to meet new people. Taken from Araya's descriptive insert, my favorite artisan chocolates include: 1. passion fruit: a creamy white chocolate passion fruit mousse covered in dark chocolate. 2. key lime: a creamy milk chocolate ganache with a hint of fresh lime zest and juice in a hand painted white chocolate coverture. 3. irish cream: a soft milk chocolate mousse blended with Bailey's Irish Cream in a hand painted white chocolate coverture. 4. salted caramel: creamy soft caramel with a hint of flour de sal encased in a dark chocolate shell. 5. raspberry: a raspberry cream blended with 41% Venezuelan chocolate ganache in dark chocolate coverture. Here are some cool facts: 1. They sell pre-packaged chocolate bars, seasonal chocolate bar shapes and they are affordable and cute! Perfect for gift giving and I like to give them in place of greeting cards. 2. Their home made square marshmallows are fluffy, soft and luxurious. My fav is their coconut marshmallow. Gah! So heavenly. Sorry Kraft Marshmallows, Araya should make a pillow sized bag so I can make rice krispies out of them! 3. Their macarons are imported from France and are perfect. 4. They have gift boxes that fold out and the trays keep the individual chocolate morsels separate and beautiful. I do love chocolate, and when you step into any one of their locations: Katy, River Oaks, Uptown, you'll get my chocolate drift why they are the chocolate bomb.com read more

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Highly recommend this place if your wanting a good mixture and variety of chocolates and macarons. I especially like the chocolates with the alcohol infused choices. If your looking for a nice supplement to your valentines day gifts, you can't go wrong in shopping here. Your lady friend/significant other will like you that much more. read more

Just left in shock.... actual shock. I toLd her half a dozen of champagne rose chocolate and she said "so 12????" I said no that's 6? Half .. then since I couldn't sample (which is fine and reasonable but only asked bc the Katy location let's you) I asked for 3 hazelnuts then while she was getting my boyfriends gelato Coconut and chocolate I went to go talk to him tHree feet away she kept asking me how many chocolate hearts and I said no no chocolat hearts just 3 hazelnuts . And she started yelling at me about me being mean to her just because I repeated my correct order . That ruined my entire mood of the good day I was having so rude unnecessary.. Will not geT service from that same lady ever again . Also she asked how many scoops of raspberry to my bf when the choices were chocolate and coconut ...... like she doesn't understand . Seriously. We were the only customers in there ... not busy at all . Side note she must have realize how loud she was being when she asked me if I wanted a RIBBON around my box like that www going to fix her shitty attitude and pms episode she just had on a customer . read more

Very cute place with delicious chocolate and wonderful macaroons! In fact, they sell the best macaroons I ever had. After inquiring about the origin of the macaroons, I was told that they are imported from France. At $2.25 per macaroon, I would say they are a bargain when compared to the standard macaroons similarly priced of inferior quality! They also sell individual chocolate bars, so I also got the marzipan bar which is a rare find in the US, but very common in Europe! read more

Absolutely great customer service, so much great stuff to say about Araya! Tastes great, presentation is beautiful and smells amazing! My favs: strawberry balsamic, pistachio, mango habanero and crunchy bite!!! I really loved the gelato, I tried coconut and pistachio! Mamma Mia! I I will definitely return to try other flavors! read more

Araya Artisan Chocolate - 6-Piece Chocolate Covered Oreos Box, Crunchy Bite, Chocolate Covered Orangettes (Vegan / Dairy Free) Chocolate Mango Cayenne - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Great place, atmosphere is lively and colorful yet elegant. The treats are great, I got a sample mocha chocolate piece and I'm a chocolate connoisseur, great flavor, true chocolate, minimal taste of cocoa butter and I don't even like coffee.(!) The macaroons are flavorful without being overpowering, a perfect little treat. read more

Araya Artisan Chocolate - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Houston, Texas

The woman working behind the counter was not friendly or welcoming at all. Also the gelato was hard as a rock and had an icy texture to it. I've had better. read more

I ordered chocolates online to share with my office staff. We are finishing a very long, difficult month at work. I was very clear in my order that I am allergic to gluten. Since there are vegan and dairy free options I thought that this establishment would understand the importance of catering to an individual's health requirements. Not so! When the chocolates were delivered with no notification as to which options were gluten free I called for assistance. Imagine my surprise when I was told that none of their chocolates are gluten free! Chocolate is naturally gluten free. They can't keep from contaminating a few of them? So now, including delivery charges, I have spent $114 on chocolate that I can't eat! Thanks for absolutely nothing, Araya! read more

I was excited when I found out that Araya opened another location - this time closer to me! Whenever I crave macarons, I tend to go to Macarons by Patisse; however, it's a bit far compared to Uptown Park and sometimes I prefer to have some simple flavors versus exotic ones (e.g. lavender chocolate). Don't get me wrong - both are good just depends on your preference. This chocolate/macaron boutique is located near Crave Cupcakes. It's a little roomier than the location in River Oaks and definitely very modern. The lady who helped me was very nice and explained that the macarons are flown in from France and are thus kept frozen due to the humidity in Houston. As mentioned above, they don't have as many flavors as Patisse, but the texture is comparable to it. Now that this location is open, I'd definitely come here if I'm too lazy to drive and fight traffic to get to Patisse. I didn't try any of the chocolate samples from this location, but I did buy a box at the River Oaks location, and they're definitely delicious! Give them a try! read more

Araya Artisan Chocolate - Macarons: chocolate, caramel, raspberry, pistachio, bourbon vanilla, and lemon - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Houston, Texas

Beautiful artisan chocolates that are so gorgeous I felt guilty for destroying such artistry in my mouth. But not for long. We got a box of 12 different chocolates but the standouts for me were the Orange rum, the strawberry balsamic (?!?!) and the cherry bourbon. There's just something so insanely decadent about fine dark semi sweet chocolate with booze in it. YUM. SO GLAD TO HAVE DISCOVERED THEM! read more

Araya Artisan Chocolate - Edible art! - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Houston, Texas

They have a large variety of handmade chocolates, perfect as gifts. I would definitely come here again!

To Araya, thank you and compliments to the shop representative I spoke to yesterday who helped me arrange a delivery today instead of an instore pick-up, which I wasn't able to do. In this time of chaos and panic, it meant a lot that she went above and beyond to arrange for a delivery when there are likely a thousand other things going on. Please also thank the delivery person. You've gotten a new fan today! And of course, the chocolates were very well received. read more

Soooo good! Walked in and was greeted immediately. I went with a chocoholic, and decided it was time to switch it up from The Chocolate Bar...we tried a few flavors of gelato and some macaroons. They were all great. I ended up with a double scoop of pecan pie and dark chocolate. Creamy goodness all in my mouth! My friend was in heaven. We'll be back, I'm sure... read more

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I picked my holiday gifts for clients & friends! Their service is fantastic, provided the tasters for customers in the store. I recommend to go there early in the morning because some of the popular ones will be sold out in the afternoon! The gift boxes are included with the holiday ribbons as red and gold..... beautiful! read more

Here for two items referred from a friend..right on point. The Gelato (banana fosters and milk chocolate) where smooth and full of flavor. This is my cheat meal once a week and now found my place to cheat and veggies. The owner was helpful and easy to learn from. Bringing friends here for a change from cupcakes. read more

Araya Artisan Chocolate - Was going to taste and take cute photos as usual. Nope. Too good to wait. - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Houston, Texas

Araya is by far the best chocolatier in town. I am a huge dark chocolate fan and they have the best selection for my every flavor desire. Their ganache is so smooth that it melts in your mouth. Other places are too sweet and do not stay true to flavor. If you think they are expensive, then you don't know good chocolate. Worth every cent! read more

Wonderful drinking chocolate. Not too heavy and not too light. This is one of the few places in Houston that serves real drinking hot chocolate. The taste was very rich and the service was wonderful! read more

Araya Artisan Chocolate - Drinking chocolate - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Houston, Texas

It was very tasty chocolate--we had 3 different flavors. Mine was cappuccino, and I would say I think the coffee taste was too subtle. The Venezuelan dark chocolate was really good. But I would dock a Star because it's just so expensive that it isn't really good for going out for dessert. Probably just for expensive gift boxes. And the gelato looked way too slick and slimy, but we didn't try it. read more

Welcome to Uptown Park Araya!! I stopped in a few weeks ago for a quick fix and oh boy, it hit the spot! Upon walking in I was offered a free (full size) sample. I sampled the Pink Salted Dark Chocolate. YUM. Perfect mixture of sweet and salty. I purchased the Salted Caramel and Passionfruit. Both of which I did not love. The Salted Caramel was beautifully decorated and the chocolate shell did not overwhelm the Caramel. However the texture of the Caramel is what I did not care for. It felt as if it curdled, was not smooth. Alas, I devoured it thoroughly. The Passionfruit was a completely new experience. I think I would've enjoyed it if I were expecting the flavor. It had an abundance of flavor, but my taste buds just couldn't connect it with Passionfruit. This one I could only eat a small chunk of before passing to my husband. I will return, as I work in the area. The sales woman (owner?) was very friendly and even made her suggestions depending on my mood and likes. She also described the health benefits of each chocolate and even knew the calorie count off the top of her head! Glad to have them in the neighborhood! read more

Excellent service! Michelle was professional and attentive. She took her time to listen to what we were looking for.

Came in for a box of macarons. Great that it's imported from France, but the texture and taste was just off. I've had frozen macarons that are much better. Matter of fact, I buy dozens of macarons from a place in SoCal, lug it on the place, come home then freeze it and a month later it's still delicious..... Yes, the macarons are soft, but there's a slight odd texture I just can't place. Like, a little too soft/chewy?? And the flavors are bland. They have SLIGHT differences but that's it. I didn't try any chocolates, so this review is solely for macarons. The 2 stars are for the service, nice employee that was very helpful and kind. read more

The following is a review I wrote for Chocolate Ratings a few years ago: The people at Araya really get it. They make beautiful chocolates that taste fabulous, and present them in lovely boxes designed to keep each little sculptural piece in pristine condition. I sampled 28 of their luscious line of 35. Each fulfilled my quintessential idea of dessert. The shells were all tempered to a lovely shine and adorned with an appealing array of abstract designs, making them visually tantalizing. Araya uses El Ray couverture from Venezuela, which isn't surprising as the three founders, Stefano Zullian, his wife Carla, and her sister Silvana, are from that part of South America. All three quit their day jobs and studied with local chocolatiers before choosing Houston, Texas as their company's home base. Araya is the name of a Venezuelan town that straddles the lush rainforest where many of South America's finest cocoa beans are grown and the parched land across the peninsula where a salt mine stands. I thoroughly enjoyed every bite from this collection. Some of my favorites were: Manhattan, a dark ganache infused with Maker's Mark Bourbon, Vermouth and cherry juice. I would happily order a box of those, all by themselves. Dulce de Leche, the classic caramel blended with milk chocolate ganache. Another winner. Orange Marzipan, a deliciously tropical riff on marzipan. Margarita, truly stellar, housed a dark ganache with Jose Cuervo Tequila and lime zest. It was finished with a few grains of salt and couldn't be better. Peanut Butter and Berries, an inspired combination of dark chocolate ganache and peanut butter topped with blackberry pâté de fruit. Chipotle, an ultra silky 61% Venezuelan ganache perfectly balanced with smokey chipotle heat. Chai Spice, a gustatory trapeze artist poised on the brink of black tea cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. A true melding of flavors where the whole was far greater than the sum of its parts. Passion Fruit, the essence of this marvelously addictive flavor in a white chocolate mousse. Strawberry Balsamic, just enough rich vinegar reduction to heighten the strawberry ganache. Acai Pomegranate, another layered affair with acai berry pâté de fruit atop a pomegranate dark chocolate ganache. Heaven. Salty Caramel Rum, a sublime deep caramel and chocolate ganache with anejo rum and a sprinkle of sea salt. Araya aims to please. If the alcohol infused chocolates appeal to you you can order a box of just those flavors. Ditto for the Dark, Milk, or Nuts collections. They offer a few different package designs. All are lovely and would make a welcome gift. read more

Araya is my favorite place to purchase truffles and chocolate in general. I consider myself choosey when it comes to chocolate and Araya hits the spot. High quality chocolate, ingredients and creativity characterize their truffles which are v reasonably priced. I also enjoy visiting in person because their staff are sweet and pleasant. I have been a patron for more than five years and am looking forward to many more! read more

I love coming here just for the amaretto and champagne truffles!! Their other chocolates are beautiful and just as delicious, but I have priorities. This is definitely the place to come to if you like chocolate or need a gift for someone who does. For the best selection come out on a weekday as I have been told they don't prep for the weekend. That may sound odd or backwards to some (admittedly to me it does), but it is what it is. read more

Gifted a dozen of Macarons from this place recently and must say; it was a very sweet jesture from the giftgiver, but these Macarons were terrible. They tasted just like the $7.00 box from the frozen section at Walmart which I tossed in the rubbish bin. I looked in my refrigerator after a week and discovered I had the box still in the refrigerator. If they had been from Macaron by Patisse, they would have been posted on my Facebook. Very disappointed, but not surprized. I have tried every place in the city and I live in The Woodlands and these were at the bottom of the list for taste. I noticed the $$$ although I posted $ since I see them on Groupon or Living Social frequently. The Woodlands needs Macaron by Patisse. read more

I had some macaroons delivered to my boyfriend and they came in the most adorable box, plus he proclaimed they were the best ever! Thanks for making me a hero. read more

This place has the best tasting gelato I've had ever had!!! Very pretty, clean and organized store.

I sampled a couple of the gelato flavors. Dark chocolate was really good, but I didn't know if I could handle a whole scoop of the rich, sweet flavor, so I went with the strawberry. It was very fresh and I could tell it was made with real strawberries. For $3.50 for one scoop - it's not too bad of a deal. The store itself is very small with two tiny tables and a couple chairs. We couldn't really sit down inside without feeling overtaken by the noise from the other table - so we sat outside. The Houston heat melted everything in about two seconds - but the gelato was good nonetheless. I wouldn't mind coming back if I were in the area. read more

Araya Artisan Chocolate - Strawberry gelato - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Houston, Texas