If you have a craving for something sweet and venture into Sweet Boutique, be prepared to leave…read morehalf an hour later laden down with all kinds of sugar-coated beauties. Like the original branch in Hove, this Sweet Boutique is beautifully designed with floor to ceiling glass and plastic jars filled with colourful and tempting treats. There's cherry lips, rhubarb and custards and sherbert dips for nostalgics and all kinds of new and delicious flavours for sweet addicts. They also sell cute accessories for bakers and yummy mummies from recipe cards and skull and cross bone cupcake cases to retro playing cards.

Many sweet shops advertise their candies as gift ideas, but Sweet Boutique is really the only sweet…read moreshop / gift store. The packaged candy is a mixture of retro and modern; golden nugget gum, candy 'sticks' and that dipping powder with the sugar wand were some of the old favourites. The pick and mix items are all behind the counter, meaning the shopkeeper has to pour things out for you individually. This isn't my favourite method of picking candy. I like a tiny bit of a bunch of things, and I'd feel guilty about making someone open so many different containers...However, I suppose the set up is their idea. The gift items include mixed candies in stylish bundles, along with several candy-shaped non-edible items: magnets, candles, erasers etc that look like cakes and donuts. My friend and I went with some almond nougat and sugar mice to help us shop until dinner time.

Any shop that has a picture of the Queen made out of jelly beans as its window display has got to…read morebe good. And Fizziwigs not only has that, but also lollies the size of my head in its window. These things lured me in, but I wasn't disappointed with what I found inside. Rows of gleaming old-school sweet jars full of colourful, sugary goodness, sticks of stripy rock and swirly lollies that my seven year old self would've adored. Come to think of it, my thirty year old self adores them too. This is a Victorian style fairytale sweetshop modernised, definitely the place to come for traditional sweets.

As sweet shops go, Fizziwiggs goes the old-fashioned route: instead of offering unique, handmade…read moreitems, every particular sweet you may like is on offer in droves. This is not a problem: I'm a fan of the old-fashioned sweet shop myself, it just seems a little dull next to all of the handmade chocolates and cakes the Lanes has to offer. Still, if you like your jellybabies and your white mice, this is the place for you! Fizziwiggs has gone out of its way to emulate the oldie-timey sweet shop, and the decor is exactly what you'd hope and expect for: lots and lots of glass jars, showing off their contents to all potential customers. However, instead of the classic wood and ladders on wheels, Fizziwiggs is decked with bright colours, creating an excellent, playful childlike environment: exactly what you want for enticing you to buy sweets. Speaking of sweets... There is literally everything here you might want. I'm not going to list them all, suffice it to say if you want it, they probably have it. This is, however, the biggest sticking point for Fizziwiggs... it isn't very original. Brighton, and the Lanes in particular, are full of lovely little shops selling unique, home-made sweets, from cupcakes to chocolates. A simple sweet-shop just isn't enough. Maybe I'm a little spoiled with all this choice, but I would rarely go here over the cupcake place around the corner, or the chocolatiers in the Arcade. It just isn't special enough, and for Brighton, that may as well be a death knell. If you're looking for basic sweets, including some old favourites, you couldn't do worse than Fizziwiggs: it offers exactly what's on the tin. However, with no original products of their own, Fizziwiggs is perilously close to be just another corner shop that specialises in sweets. It needs some sort of oomph to help it stand out from it's more original neighbours, and currently, I can't see any.

If you have a sweet tooth, this is the place to visit for all kinds of candies. Brighton is know…read morefor it long round hard candy. You can also buy by the kg. Ask for a free sample while you're there. Staffs are friendly.

Vast array of sweets, what's not to love about a shop like this?…read more Has selection of foreign sweets along with selling classics sold by weight from jars. Strange how you are drawn to window shopping in sweetshops! Entering this shop is like a trip down memory lane. You can't help but smile when you see a jar of cola cubes, or peanut sweets. Nicely retro.

Yay! Finally, they have more of the new chocolate, lime and chilli bar!…read more Trust me. You have to taste this one. It has a great kkkkkkick. Would save you a piece but it will be gone in about... erm... 10 mins?

As chocolate shops in Brighton go, Montezuma's is one of the best: however, it is at the low end of…read more'best', with places like Choccywoccydoodah and Audrey's offering much more classy items for about the some price. What Montezuma offers, uniquely, is some very out-there flavours: lots of lime and chili and that kind of thing. Not my cup of tea, but if you like your chocolate with a bit of added zing, this is the place to go. Where a lot of of chocolate shops in Brighton go for the over-the-top, chocolate heaven approach, Montezuma's looks far more professional than most of it's counterparts, with plenty of nicely wrapped packages of chocolate. It isn't actually very enticing to look at: certainly nothing on Choccywoccydoodah's incredible cake display over the road. It's all very nice, just a bit muted in comparison to some of the more out-there places around town. Still, if you like your chocolate flavoured and a bit more... South American, Montezuma's may be for you!

Caramella is the kind of sweet shop that makes kids start jumping up and down and ask if they can…read morehave their pocket money early! Aside from the 50 different flavours of gourmet jelly beans, there's over 200 different pick and mix sweets lined up in big plastic tubs. Squashed between favourites like dolly mixtures, bon bons, sherbert fountains and gold coins, you'll find retro sweets like acid drops, milk gums, alphabet letters and aniseed balls. So, why 3 stars? Although I love Caramella's vast choice of sweets and art deco signage, I find the design and layout of the shop a little unappealing. There's no sense of wonder or mystery when you walk in, just hundreds of cheap, plastic jars and scoops.

Caramella is one of Brighton's best sweet and pick n mix shops - and that's quite an accolade…read moreconsidering the number Brighton has. It's also refreshingly cheap, especially since Woolworths had gone. In comparison, the new pick n mix store on North Street will bring tears to your eyes with the expense - gleefully pick up a couple of dozen sweets and expect to lose most of your fiver. I spent £1.70 in Caramella yesterday for a hefty bag of sweets - not dirt cheap but certainly refreshingly closer to value for money than I've found elsewhere. Caramella also offers the best range, with dozens upon dozens of pick n mix options - with all the traditional options as well as some other favourites of mine like yoghurt coated banana chips and dark chocolate gingers. You'll also find novelty chocolate sweets and chocolates to buy on their own which can make cute gifts, as well as jars and jars of boiled sweets, fudge and a huge jelly bean selection. If you have a sweet tooth and haven't been ot Caramella yet - get yourself there now!

I decided to venture from my usual sweet shop today, using the nine minutes until my bus arrived to…read moremy advantage. This one was called Mmm...Brighton and is located on North Road, just across from St. Paul's church. The selection was slightly different from Caramella, but still had the staples I was looking for: white mice, wine gums, yogurt covered raisins, dew drops...the usual assortment. I was amused by the giant gobstoppers on the counter, and impressed by the wide selection of fudges and nougats. However, in other areas, Mmm...Brighton fell short for me. Some general tidiness was lacking, and the quality and freshness of the sweets was below what I've come to expect in a candy store. When I'm buying things in bulk, I prefer they look untouched, fresh and appetising. When I left Mmm...Brighton, my candy bag was remarkably light, and it wasn't because I was rushing to catch the bus. I would recommend this sweet shop in a pinch, or to buy the boxed and packaged sweets also available, but will remain loyal to my favourite sweet shop from now on.

I'm reluctant even to mention the name of this place when talking about them - as I'm not sure they…read moredeserve to be associated with such a strong word! That's cos, in my opinion, this place is rubbish! There are far better sweet shops in Brighton, Caramella in the North Laine being the best of them all - but if you don't want to walk far away from North street, head to Sweet William's Fudge Shop or Angel Bakery just round the corner in the South Lanes. Mmmm [uuurgh] .... Brighton is a disappointment - a good selection but an unwelcoming interior (which is hard to acheive when sweets are usually enough to brighten up a place!), some dried out sweets, and it's WAY overpriced - you'll cry when your restrained helping takes most of your fiver! Give it a miss.

Right on the Palace Pier herself, about halfway down you'll find it hard to resist the sugary…read moregoodies in the Brighton Pier Rock Shop. Not just good Brighton Rock but all manner of tacky souvenirs and sweet treats are sold here. Great for tourists.

Beautiful and fun candy - very iconic - highly recommended whenever friends or family come to visit!read more

I love fudge. Thus, although I've only been here twice (and the first of these times was so longer…read moreago I barely even remember it), I love Sweet William's. I also have little to go on, as the recent time I did head here was in a desperate need for a sugary boost, and I probably wasn't the most discerning of customers! That said, my super sweet coconut ice was gooey and delicious. The price was reasonable too. And they had dozens of fudge types on offer, though I think you can't really beat cornish cream, Ooo though I do like a bit of rum and raisin... Some of the fudge looked fresher than the rest - they didn't seem very busy, and I guess they only are during tourist season/Saturdays, so maybe it dries out a bit. The other weird thing was the totally out of place shopkeeper - okay perhaps physically (if we're being very judgemental and generalising here) he resembled a jolly cornish fudge seller, but his utter lack of banter and mildly disdainful expression made the whole experience a bit hysterical!

Mmm. There's nothing like the smell of fudge. My goodness. Unique and mouth-watering trays are…read morelined up in the windows and when I opened the door, the smell was equally tantalising. Behind the counter, there were minty, fruity and nutty concoctions of fudge, although the shopkeeper said his best seller is the toffee crumble. Done and done. Sweet Williams also has pick and mix sweets at 90p per 100grams, and some pre-packaged candies and fudges. A small freezer keeps a few selections of ice creams and frozen snacks as well, although buying anything other than the source of the delicious smell would just be silliness. Service is very friendly, and if you're having trouble deciding, the shopkeeper can put together a small sample of your top picks for you. I definitely recommend checking it out if you haven't indulged enough over the holidays.

When you walk into this shop the smell hits you like a truck. Its amazing and must set the…read moreendorphins off as I could've stood there for an hour just enjoying the smell - but I'd probably have been arrested and then sectioned so I resisted. Audrey's have been making hand-made chocolates for 60 years now and I think its worth treating yourself or your partner once a week with a selection of their finest. The staff are so cheery in here (must be those endorphins again) and are always happy to point out an interesting combination from the huge selection of treats available. My favourite is the award-winning rum truffle and also the grand manier truffle is worth a try but there's not a lot in here that isn't!

My parents used to come here as a very occasional treat, especially Easter as the eggs are superb…read more I now treat myself and I adore the good quality chocolate and the fondant creams are my all time favourite. You cannot find any this good anywhere else in the UK. I love the pineapple cream the best. Normally I don't like plain chocolate but I find it perfect when it's got fruit cream inside.

Muesli Mountain is great- if you haven't yet stumbled across it, I suggest you check it out pronto!…read moreHidden away in a yard behind Queen's Park Rd, it is essentially a mini open market, with stalls selling all sorts of yummy food and interesting arts and crafts produced locally. The ethos is basically local local local! It's a really lovely alternative place to pick up freshly made bread (from the Lighthouse bakery) and organic fruit and veg. At the moment there is a stall selling and renting (!) live Xmas trees in pots and there is also a great selection of Christmassy gift ideas. You can even pick up sustainably sourced logs and kindling for lovely winter open fires. The market is open every day except Sunday and if you live in the Hanover area it's a really great resource. Even if you live further afield, Muesli Mountain is worth a trek. It is an inspired project with a lovely atmosphere- one of those little gems that makes you so grateful you live in Brighton.

Think Local, Buy Local, BE Local…read more As straplines go, Museli Mountain Market's is short, sweet and spot on. Run by a team of Hanover residents, it's an open market that aims to provide other locals with a space to meet, chat and learn how to be more sustainable. There's fresh organic fruit, salad and vegetables from local farms and allotments, gorgeous bread from Lighthouse Bakery and store cupboard essentials like pasta, rice, flour and cereals. They also sell local seeds and plants, cleaning products and Ecover refills. As a girl with a sweet-tooth, my only grumble is the lack of fresh and tasty, locally baked cakes!