Wow. Very impressed. We tried four little chocolates and they were all amazing. Cayenne, cherry bourbon, double chocolate, and chai. Service was fast and friendly. Small shop with the nice ambience. read more

Posh chocolate shop next to Belleflower Brewery (about 2 storefronts down.) When Dad's getting beer, the kids and I look for local shops to hit and we couldn't say no to a chocolate shop! It's posh, it's a little pricey. The kids settled for chocolate covered pretzel sticks. They were good. read more

Small candy shop in a little neighborhood with street parking. Ambiance was a huge kitchen where they make their candy & small display case in the front. Went the first time and got one of each of their milk chocolate flavors, one dark chocolate that had a white chocolate filling, and some caramel corn. One of the chocolates I bought had some kind of liquor marinated cherries in it...let me tell you, I thought about that chocolate until I returned two days later and got 8 of them... And two more bags of caramel corn...so, I guess you could say I'm a fan. Interesting information about them-they do not use ANY nuts of any sort, so it is a nut-free kitchen. That is rare to be completely nut free and have vegan chocolates.. Great locally owned business to support. read more

I found out about Dean's Sweets looking for chocolatiers who made chocolates that are made and peanut and tree nut free facilities and also vegan friendly for the vegans out there. I called and placed a phone order to be shipped from there store in Portland,Me to Sacramento, Ca. I ordered milk chocolate salted caramel, Dark Chocolate caramel and Vegan Mix for a friend. The salted caramel is the best I've ever had and mean that to the point I called to let them know their caramel is the BEST!!! The candy is pricey, but I'm all about quality over quality and I've order now from them a few times. When the weather starts getting warmer shipping will be higher. Lol! I'm going to put me in a big order that candy is so good. The quality is amazing. Dean's Sweets is my go to for my chocolate and caramel fix hands down. I'm so grateful to find this company and thank you for catering to us with peanut and tree nut allergies and vegan's alike. read more

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Weird location, but we were not "foot traffic." We were blocked in by the FedEx truck making deliveries to a huge multi faceted building (not only to one shop). Deans Sweets didn't have a little local chocolate something to give as a host gift so we were disappointed. read more

I found myself at Dean's Sweets during my Portland explorations. Over the years I have come to the realization that I have a considerable sweet tooth - so when I saw that Dean's made handcrafted chocolates, I couldn't help but take a step in and check them out. Plus, since calories don't count while on vacation, a little chocolate wasn't going to hurt. Dean's actually has two locations - one on Fore St in the Old Port area of Portland, and another on Cove St close to many of the breweries. The Cove St location is more of a factory than anything, but they are open to the public and sell the same goods as the main shop. Like many other reviewers mentioned, the smell was incredible and totally hugged you as soon as you entered. Decor was simple, they have these white stands that display their gift sets and boxes, plus a large display case with even more chocolates. I decided to get one of their 8-piece assorted chocolate boxes to get a sample of their offerings. The bacon buttercrunches were also speaking to me, so I picked up a bag of those as well. The chocolates were good, you can really tell these were high quality confections - I *may* have had the majority of the 8-count box I bought. The bacon buttercrunches had a lot of bacon flavor and interesting texture; it was almost like a brittle which worked to cut the sharp flavor of the bacon (the chocolate coating didn't hurt either). Prices aren't cheap, but you're paying for both the quality and the craftsmanship that goes into the product - even still I wouldn't splurge here because it can add up. Nevertheless, I'm glad I stopped into Dean's - they make good chocolate, and I would definitely return to explore more of their offerings. read more

Outstanding selection of chocolates with creative and delicious flavors - and as a huge bonus - they are peanut and tree nut free! Shop is sleek and modern and the staff is super friendly. Worth the stop while you're in Portland. read more

Truffles here are fine but the plain chocolate is not good. I'm not sure if we got a bad batch or not, but the solid dark, milk and white chocolate bars we brought home for later tasted wrong, like someone forgot to add sugar? And also the texture was off - it was more crunchy than creamy chocolate. I was disappointed in the souvenirs, they were way too expensive to be bad products. read more

- a plethora of chocolate - I wanted to try everything - the staff is very knowledgeable - Iv been told the alcoholic versions taste alcohol - I tried salted caramel which was good - I didn't know about the yelp check in, discount read more

Dean's delivers a deceiving first impression based on their store's view from the sidewalk. What appears to be a small, no-frills shop shows it's true personality as you open the door. As we exited the cold December night into Dean's, the smells of an accomplished chocolatier hits you in the face like a 2x4 that'll take you back to your childhood or the first time you've been to a legit chocolate store. The various types of chocolates used are evident as well as citrus, soft notes of booze, and savory notes all create a very warm and welcoming environment without clashing and creating a single, overbearing smell. Now that we've gotten past that, they offer a tremendous variety of flavors and a few different types of actual chocolates. While I preferred the Himalayan Sea Salt Caramel, my wife preferred the smooth and luxurious truffles with flavors such as espresso and pumpkin. Offerings come in the typical different types of chocolates (milk, dark, and white), but are chosen in a singular manner and either priced per piece or you can choose to buy a bunch as a slight discount (typical stuff here). No matter where you stay in Portland, if you have a sweet tooth and enjoy some of the fancier chocolates but have an adventurous side you need to check out Dean's. While they have the typical and tried-and-true available (and usually on the counter for sampling small pieces), they excel in the bold and experimental flavors while keeping a classic delivery vessel. My only grip is that I would have liked to have a little more variety in the types of chocolates they offered but I could see the argument if they excel in the few varieties they offer that may be better than doing many more in a lower quality manner. I'll be back... in fact, I'll visit each time I find myself in Portland! read more

Had the Needems which is made with dark chocolate and potato vodka which was alright, I'm not a big dark chocolate fan. Also had the milk chocolate salted caramel which was delicious! The worker was very nice and informative for each chocolate. read more

If I close my eyes I can still smell the aromas of cocoa lingering from inside the store. The shop is very small, but filled with a lot of little joy in every corner (including treats & toys for your pets!) As a chocoholic I have to say this place is elite. It is pricey, but worth every penny (you can easily spend $10 on 5 little pieces of chocolate). The quality of the truffles are out of this world. I purchased two chocolate stout truffles, one cayenne, and one super cayenne. The super cayenne was my favorite, but because I love spice. The cayenne powder excited my taste buds while the cinnamon danced around in the background. The sweetness cooled off the heat from the cayenne during the entire dance. It was an experience. Just take a nibble, close your eyes, and let the performance take place. The cayenne was a mild version of the super cayenne and the chocolate stout was excellent. I absolutely love stouts and porters - by far my favorite type of beers. The chocolate stout truffles are infused with Allagash Black which is a nice tribute to the local brewery. I've always disliked when you try something and it says it's supposed to taste like one thing, but then you don't even get a hint of that ingredient. Well, that does not happen here. You can taste the ingredient and then some. Nothing is overpowering, everything coalesces beautifully. These aren't just truffles, these are works of art. I will save this place as a special treat because it can hit the wallet hard especially with an addict like myself. Stop by and try some samples! read more

Dean's Sweets - Chocolate Stout, Cayenne, and super Cayenne! - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Portland, Maine

I can't say enough good things about this place, we have our orders shipped, but finding a place that has peanut,and nut free chocolate is a rare and pleasant surprise. Our son has severe peanut allergies, and we also try to avoid anything that may contain them as well, being able to order valentines candy for my wife and my son to give to his girlfriend and it being a safe treat is so welcoming. Can't thank you all enough 5star all the way read more

Decadent, lovely, delicious chocolates with uniquely unexpected and delightfully expected flavors. So good. Great service. Lovely store. Highly recommend! read more

I grew up here in Portland and spent many a year pounding the Old Port cobblestones. But having spent 10 years away, there are many new things for me to discover! New artisanal places, such as chocolate ears, are lovely Discovery for someone with a sweet tooth as large as mine. I've since been back a few times so I'm now prepared to write a review. It's a very small location, with a shop counter in the front and a workspace behind it. Samples are offered and questions are answered along with polite conversation. On our first visit there one of the things I was offered a sample of was I believe they're hot fudge sauce and as someone who loves to cook, baking and desserts in particular, I immediately commented on how well tempered this particular chocolate tasted. The lady working at the counter that night was very impressed that I noticed. Chocolate making is an art form among dessert making, so if it's something you're at least moderately educated about, this is the kind of place you could really enjoy. If you simply have a sweet tooth, you'll certainly enjoy whatever you buy. There is a check-in offer so be aware of it before you walk in if you want to use it! read more

I'm surprised how tough it is a to find a chocolate shop that sells truffles in the city. I found a number of places that sell candy and fudge, but "fancy" chocolates was a bit tougher. Naturally, I was quite excited when I found Dean's Sweets on Yelp. The inside of the shop is clear and beautiful, with an open view of the kitchen in the back. The gentleman who was behind the counter was very friendly, happy to chat with my husband and I (we're from out of time), and have lots of info to offer on the chocolates, as well as some great samples. In the end, my husband and I decided to set a box of 16 truffles (8 for each of us), including 2 champagne truffles to ring in the New Year. I waiting until now to write the review so I could actually try the chocolates. Notably, all the truffles we chose wee the dark chocolate versions, and I found them to be very delicious. The chocolate shell is thicker than what I usual have (i.e. places like Godiva), but that isn't a bad thing. They had the expected bitter tinge that dark chocolate has, but the sweetness was there too. I'll certainly be back! read more

Dean's Sweets - A box of 16 truffles. Not shown: the useful card that accompanies the box, reminding you which truffles are which :) - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Portland, Maine

The Foodie Tour took us here on one of the final stops and these truffles were definitely wonderful - mashed potato chocolate (see last paragraph for explanation)! The samples of 5 different flavored truffles laid out on the display case sure helped though! This small shop is owned by an adorable husband and wife team. They have some super, imaginative, creative chocolate truffle flavors including: - Hot coffee - Not too coffee flavored, but a hint of spiciness at the end. Creamy in the middle with a dark chocolate shell. - Levon apricot chevre - I hate cheese and yet this one I had to take my hat off for. Lemony with only a hint of stinky cheese. *Some food for thought* apparently, ME used to be the #1 potato producing state, and some smartie put mashed potato in the middle of a chocolate bar! Dean's carrier on this tradition (kind of) by putting just a bit of potato into their truffles. Toldja they were unique! read more

Dean's Sweets - The owner herself - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Portland, Maine

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3.5 Stars This boutique chocolate shoppe is run by an architect turned chocolatier. They offer a sophisticated selection of chocolate treats. The chocolate dipped Maine blueberries were really yummy. They also have this mashed potato/potato vodka chocolate called Needham; they kinda taste like a truffle but less dense and a bit creamier. The scent of bacon was super pervasive when I was there (I think they make a bacon brittle) and was a bit distracting. Although what I tried was tasty, it's a bit spendy. Hence, the 3.5 stars. read more

Dean's Sweets - Choco tasting - Chocolatiers & Shops Near Me - Portland, Maine

The Yelp checkin offer is if you spend over $17.50, so we stuck with two solid caramels, including an excellent wasabi ginger. 1 Truffle, Loose × 2 ($2.00 ea.) $4.00 Subtotal $4.00 Maine (5.5%) $0.22 Total $4.22 read more

First, let us address the truffles of magnificence - twenty-odd flavors of organic dark chocolate coated truffles in great, intentive but not insane flavors. Lemon apricot chevre turns out to be delicious, so does the coffee flavored truffle with cayenne added, but there's nothing outlandish like sardine. The candy is richly flavored, great in texture, and not too sweet - the ingredients and craft used in blending really come through. The Needham, a vodka-coconut truffle (I know, but it was fantastic!) really stood out as a local offering, and for my money the chocolate stout truffle was another true marvel. Dean, the proprietor, was also fantastic. I phoned him to ask if he would put together a tasting of truffles for my parents as my brother and I took them on a day-long outing for their anniversary. He cheerfully agreed, and was very happy to put out tray after tray of samples for everyone to select from, and then pack up boxes of truffles for everyone at the end, elegantly avoiding letting anyone unauthorized pay for anything (and, in the end, declining to let us pay for the sampling besides!) All 'round, a really grand experience. Highly recommend a visit down to the end of Middle Street! read more

I'd heard they make hot chocolate, and I was disappointed to find that they only sell the mixture at the store, not actual cups of hot chocolate. This is more of a problem with my expectation than with Dean's, and I'm sure I can mix powder into liquid, but it sure would be nice if they'd make me a cup. I tried all four chocolates they had as samples and particularly enjoyed the "cayenne pepper" and "lemon apricot chèvre" varieties. Really tasty stuff in some interesting flavors. The store itself is rather plain, with the focus being the goods on display. There's a nice window in the front of the small shop, so they use minimal lighting inside. It makes for a nice little atmosphere. I've met several people working there. One was polite, but didn't show much interest in me. The other was an owner, and the wife of Dean himself. She was much nicer. read more

These chocolates are pretty good and the husband-wife owning duo is making them right there in the shop, so you know you're getting quality. They are a little pricey, but I guess that's what you get for buying the good stuff. (quality overy quantity, right?) If you are purchasing these chocolates as a gift, they have cute little boxes and ribbon that provides a nice presentation. There are also several pre-boxed goodies, chocolate and other, around the little store for purchase. read more

The service here was great. A young woman came out to greet us when we walked in and was friendly and happy to answer any of our questions. The majority of the property is a kitchen sort of thing, so the chocolate was all made in house. It was a little pricy, but I think that comes along with being homemade. They're also generous with samples! I loved the mocha chocolate bar and the chocolate covered fresh Maine blueberries. read more

Dean's is a small little shop with a huge variety of options. Amazing selection to satisfy all tastebuds (seriously, they had a stout truffle!!!). My only reason for not giving them five stars is because it take quite a while to get service. There was one person working the counter but when you want to have a custom box of chocolates, she has to hand write out the names of each on a card. Order two or more boxes and everyone else has to just wait it out until she eventually reaches out. Overall though, really cool little place and I'll definitely be back. :) read more

First and foremost, the store itself smells incredible. We were greeted by a super friendly staff member who helped us navigate through the truffles. I tried the Sea Salt Caramel and the Peppermint. Both were to die for in both flavor and texture. We're not Maine natives, but if we were we would make this a frequent stop! read more

Very upscale chocolates - usu. combine some interesting non-alcoholic flavor (like some sort of fruit) with alcoholic flavor (like champagne). A little pricey but worth it on special occasions. Proprietor seems really nice and helpful, and you can get samples before you commit to a larger purchase. read more

Chocolate isn't just candy- it's another food group. I have tried lots of artisanal chocolates and am often underwhelmed. I am very picky. Dean's Sweets makes the best chocolates that I've ever eaten. I first sampled the truffles at a company event. The chocolates made such an impression on me that I kept thinking about them over the course of several years and finally drove hours out of state to go there with my husband on my birthday. Unfortunately, I live too far away to enjoy Dean's Sweets regularly, but I just made my first mail order of sweets. Dean was very accommodating and communicated really well regarding the order and shipping. I'll definitely be ordering more of these fabulous treats. read more

I must say that it is actually hard to find good chocolate places nowadays which offer more than standard selections, but are also more about the chocolate than the box or the marketing. The woman who makes the chocolates also runs the place. There is a nice selection of samples which makes selection easier. I strongly recommend the stout chocolate which had Allagash Black and the maple. Nicely done. read more

I'm still looking for a chocolatier in Portland to replace the void that LA Burdick left in me when we left Boston and sadly Dean's wasn't it for me. They had a nice selection with flavors that sounded really good. Little on the pricy side but I feel like that's average for high end chocolate shops. Smaller sized truffles, that's ok too. I guess my issue was in the actual flavors, they just didn't live up to their descriptions. In fact, if I didn't look at the enclosed list of what each chocolate was, I had a hard time differentiating them. For now I'll just do the occasional special occasion mail order from LA Burdick in Boston or Chocolate Springs in western Mass. read more

These chocolates are great! I also love the creativity in flavors. The champagne truffle could have been better but I'm comparing to to the champagne truffle from Teuscher. Over all, great assortment of flavor combinations. read more

A bit disappointing. The chocolates are very small and very pricey. While the chocolate seems to be of a high quality, many of the truffles tasted alike. I gave my mother one that was supposedly espresso and she had no idea what flavor it was supposed to be. The raspberry and blueberry were the same: a vaguely fruity and liquor flavor but nothing very distinguishable. Nice shop and the staff is friendly. If you like general liquor flavored chocolate you may like this place, but I will probably not go back. read more

Meh. After experiencing Byrne & Carlson last week, these really were not that great. They were not bad, just not even close to the best chocolate I have ever had. Very pretty store and nice staff. read more

Think these truffles make a nice gift.... However they are nothing amazing. Flavors are unique and some are very good... And all handmade. One big downfall as another reviewer mentioned is that the people behind the counter will pay closer attention to those looking like they have a lot of money- had to review also because same thing happened to me and I completely agree. read more

Bacon toffee, lemon chevre truffles, absolutely heavenly - the both of them. I was introduced to Dean's through a friend's child's school fundraiser which led me to the website which caused me to purchase even more of their chocolates and was really happy that I did. I'm just sorry I live in Switzerland and can't get that bacon toffee daily! read more

Stopped in after eating dinner at Pepper Club and quickly bought two Sea Salt Caramels--one in dark chocolate and one on milk chocolate. I popped them into my bag for later on and immediately forgot they were there. Two weeks passed and as I was beginning to pack for a trip, I found them. I worried that they would not be tasty, but to my surprise, they were milky smooth and soooooo yum. OMG. These are the best caramels I have tasted in quite some time. They are pricey (I think I paid $5+ for the two pieces), but they are so good, you won't mind shelling over a few dollars for such a delicious treat. read more

I tried Dean's Sweets today at Cellardoor (they were doing pairings today and c'mon...Wine and chocolate? I was sold!) I wanted to mention this because I didn't visit their actual storefront, so the only feedback I can give is on the chocolates. The truffle samples that were part of the pairings were super stingy...Only a third or so of each truffle, which are already quite small. It was so little I couldn't really get much of a sense of each chocolate...I even ate the wrong one for one of the pairings because they were so small they were almost indistinguishable from each other! The salted caramel was the one stand out. It had a rich, buttery taste and was unbelievably smooth with the dark chocolate, which was delicious. They were selling chocolates after the pairing session, and I really wanted to get a better sense of Dean's Sweets...You know, have some larger pieces to sample and enjoy! They are crazy expensive. $17.50 for 8 small pieces. I took the plunge anyway, and while delicious, I had a hard time telling which was which. I mean, the salt on top is a dead giveaway that you have a salted caramel truffle, but there was only supposed to be one salted caramel truffle in the box, and two had salt on top...I can't for the life of me figure out what the other one was. It probably sounds weird, but it is incredibly frustrating to me! It's possible that I have a terrible palate, but I love chocolate - like really, REALLY love it, and I eat good quality chocolate every day - and I just didn't love these. They were good, but not $17.50-for-8 good. I'm bummed...I was really excited to try Dean's Sweets, they just didn't hit the sweet spot for me. read more

Purchased a number of items, including a large marshmallow heart for my daughter. It was inedible. I understand handmade marshmallows can be a bit granular, but it was so grainy that I could literally hear her crunching when she tried to eat it. What a waste of money. read more

Visited Dean's Sweets recently and must say the other Yelpers are spot on. The lemon apricot truffle was amazing, sea salt caramel was omg good. These truffles are great.....but.... I also agree about the price being a little high. If the truffles were somewhat bigger then I think I'd be more likely to return and scoff up some more, but they are quite small and it was 17.50 for a pack of 8. Also what I found odd was the fact that the lady behind the counter said if we were just getting 2 'to go' and eat right now they were only $2 apiece and she'd throw them in a baggie. But if she had to package more then the regular price (8/17.50) of a gift package would apply. Umm okay, but we still received 8 truffles in a clear plastic bag, not boxed up or anything. Really torn as the chocolate was great (4.5 stars for truffles!) but the odd service and steep price have downgraded my rating and will likely steer me away a second time. read more

The flavor profile is spot on for all the truffles I tried and bought. It is worth any extra walking downtown to stop by! I cannot choose a favorite! read more

Excellent chocolate and very friendly service. I really enjoyed the wide selection of chocolates and the creativity with ingredients. Fun place and worth the stop! read more