Chocolate wasted! Literally. These boozy chocolates are like having a shot... Wow! Go home drunk,…read moreyou're chocolate. I mean... Go home chocolate, you're drunk. I mean... I'm moving to Wales just for this alcoholic's dream: boozy chocolates! Hiccup. Oh. And, they have a ton of non-alcoholic, delicious chocolates too, for those who don't understand what kind of magical-bliss-heaven-paradise is found in a piece of delectable chocolate that serves as a shot too. Also, I suggest a chaser. This is one STRONG, POTENT bite. Trust me. I wouldn't (hiccup) steer you (hiccup) wrong (hiccup). Goodnight. Oops, I forgot to say we tried the whiskey one and the pink champagne truffles. Beautiful. Ok. Goodnight. Hiccup.

Now, I certainly won't say that this shop alone is worth the trip to Cowbridge, but I will…read morecertainly imply it heavily. This is a charming little shop tucked away off the main road passing through the town, so you might not immediately see it. It's easy to find though, and is very near the main parking zone. The staff in Cocoa & Co are very lovely, and clearly take a pride in their products. They have a good range of handmade chocolates and gifts, but the thing that really makes this shop something special, are the sugar-covered almonds. In all different colours, jars of them fill a wall. These are my favourite of sweets, so I was very, very excited when I first found them. But they're great for wedding favours, and Cocoa & Co specialise in making these up, if you're so inclined.

You will find Cocoa & Co down a quaint little mews off the High Street at the top end of Cowbridge…read more You can get there by turning right after Arthur John Hardware. (I had lived in Cowbridge for six months before I discovered this beautiful little mews!) Being a chocoholic this is my kind of shop, and although expensive, the treats that they have on offer are our of this world... so, essentially well worth the extra dollar! Although i have never indulged in anything but the handmade chocs, they also sell a pretty broad assortment of other sweets, that are bought in from other cottage industries and small manufacturers. The interior of the shop is like something you would expect to find in a period film about the Victorian era... it has that other-worldly charm going on about it! A real delight!

Wally's deli version 2 is the Arcades Wally's sweeter cousin. Bustling with Easter goodies at the…read moremoment it's hard to tell what is normally carried, but I for one do not give a damn when their is so much scrumptious chocolate on display. Being an upmarket deli, you'll get lots of beautifully decorated food. You pay for it, but your paying for quality that feels deserved. I love the shop as well, floor to ceiling glass and brightly lit, Wally's oozes with metropolitan class. You great great service, with lovely staff. Put all those ingredients in a blender and you've got your self tasty metaphorical pie.

I've been going to the Wallys Delicatessens in the Morgan arcade for years, so was very interested…read moreto see what I would make of their first ever new store in the St David's 2 center. On the whole I was quite satisfied and impressed. The store is not as big as the original, nor does it have as much stock. This is for the better though, as it is ascetically pleasing, and I have often felt that the other store packs far too much in. A further difference is that this new store focuses far more on the sweeter things in life. There is a mouthwatering selection of handmade chocolates, a wide variety of old fashioned sweets, and some simply breathtaking gingerbread houses, which are already on my Christmas list for next year. They do sell some of the more savory products (though if that's what your after I'd head for their other store), including a rather nice selection of oils, which are far superior to anything you get in a supermarket. Finally the great thing about this store, is that it really makes a nice change from all the big brand names that dominate St David's 2. It's so nice to see an independent retailer doing so well, and I would truly encourage anyone to check out Wallys.

I'll never forget when my aunt jokingly told me: "Jennifer, in our family, our chocolate obsession…read moreis like alcoholism. You think it's a normal way of life and then you speak to people outside the family and realise...it's not." For me, chocolate is a major food group that sits alongside Innocent Smoothies and Diet Coke. So naturally, I had to try out X Marks Delicious on St Mary Street. First impression - X had all the charm of an airport chocolatier, but that didn't sway me. I pressed on. The shop is just a bit too contemporary for my taste - almost bordering on clinical - but their chocolates, sourced from high-quality ingredients, are actually very good, although I think Hotel Chocolat (found at nearby John Lewis) is a finer variety of chocolate. But these babies would make a fine gift for any loved one with a sweet-tooth. X Marks Delicious is definitely worth a visit, even if you're not a massive chocolate fan - it's always refreshing to sample a brand of chocolate other than your usual Cadbury or Galaxy.

This is a new little chocolate shop at the end of Royal Arcade in Cardiff Centre. It's well…read morepresented with a modern clean feeling. The chocolates on sale are good quality handmade, including all the old favourites, alongside more adventurous creations, such as chili and pepper. Although this shop does everything right, there is unfortunately a sparse feeling to their setup. The staff are friendly, but the shop is often empty; a rethink in the design might make a more welcoming shop that's tempting to go into. If a chocolate shop isn't all about the experience then it can peel back the curtain to reveal just a small brown, unhealthy snack. That being said, the chocolates are tasty, and great for gifts; but Wally's Delicatessen is just a short walk away, and has a more satisfying feel to it.

Mark is a cheerful man. He set up his world wide food stall at Cardiff Central Market just over a…read moreyear ago. Yesterday I tried to resist buying handfuls of tasty things when he catches my eye with big grin, and, as he is notorious for, beckons potential customers and myself over to his market stall to try some FREE samples. He's nice like that. This week the offerings laid out on top of the counters include delicious chocolate coated sunflower seeds. I try a few, and then a handful, they are sweet, small, and have a delectable crunch. He knows I'm veggie and picks a few olives out on cocktail sticks for me to try. Olives stuffed with feta, olives stuffed with garlic, olives stuffed with pimento. I love olives. I am currently in favourite food heaven. As well as a delicious selection of olives - always tasty, never disappointing - Mark also sells an amazing range of nuts (Almond, Chilli Cashew, Salted Pistachio, Wasabi, Smoked Almond, Honey Macadamia etc.), dried fruit, liquorice (seriously, ALL my favourite foods), Turkish Delight, Baklava, chocolate raisins, chocolate brazil nuts, chocolate honeycomb (Mmmmmmmm), lots of yogurt sweets, vine leaves and Feta. I drool and eat and drool and eat and end up leaving with brown paper bags of goodies - sumptuous sundried tomatoes, pickled garlic, and more of those chocolate-coated seeds. Just you try not to do the same, you'll fail. Mark won't.

I have a distinct soft spot for this shop. As a lover of hot drinks and the whole idea of taking…read moretime to relax and be indulgent for five minutes, this is a treasure trove. Not only do they sell tea and coffee, but a vast and exciting supply of instant teas (my favourite), hot chocolates, teapots and crockery, chocolate, and everything you could possibly need to produce any of the said drinks at home. The coffee is ground just for you, although you may need to do the research on your preferred grind before you go in, because some of the staff are unsure, and it's not really something you're able to take back later. This is Whittard's only actual retail outlet in Wales (bar a discount store in Bridgend), so is worth a look for anyone who is not familiar with their products.

I may of mentioned before but I cannot live without tea and cannot be awake without coffee. Good…read morething that Whittard specialises in both. There is a great range of both in store as well as mugs, accessories etc. I get my stronger than Arnie coffee from here that puts hairs on your chest. I've never tasted anything quite like it. Prices reflect the speciality of the store unfortunately, but I real don't care when I feel like a God after 'suppin' on my man coffee.

Simply Steve's is an exquisite little shop on Clifton Street that hides a large patisserie…read moreproduction area out the back. Here all manner of epicurean alchemy takes place, with Steve dressed in his chef's whites, cutting a larger than life figure, as he goes about the business of making some of Cardiff's most miraculous cakes. Walking into the shop is a little like walking onto the set of a children's fantasy film, in the vein of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory... it's got that kind of special feel about it. Everything is pristine, with the stainless steel fittings twinkling magically, and the display cabinets brimming with beautifully presented delicacies... it is as much a treat for the eye as it is for the taste buds! The vast majority of what is produced here is sold to commercial clients, including top hotels and restaurants etc... Nevertheless, you can also pop in and buy a slice of the tantalising cheesecake, or the extraordinary chocolate torte, or opt for the amazing chocolate brownies, all individually baked, and gorgeous to look at. Only 15% of the sales at the shop are to the public... something that I find astounding! The prices for these high end confections are incredibly inexpensive, and just visiting the shop is a treat in itself. I don't know how the locals can resist buying a slice of delight a day!

SImply Steve are purveyor of Cakes. We got one a while back for a guy on our football team. WE…read morewanted something specific (can't really mention what if I'm being polite) Good ol' Steve had a great sense of humour and got on to do the special cake. I gotta say the chocolate cake was absolutely brilliant, it was decorated exactly how we asked for and tasted utterly delicious. It was a decent price swell and really recommend you check him out, there isn't really any one doing this service in the centre.

As this is a local store the selection of chocolates available is understandably no where nearly as…read moreextensive as in the two Thorntons stores in the city centre. The selection of pre packaged chocolates and even sweets is rather good, however unfortunately the small quantity of handmade chocolates is rather disappointing. The card selection is rather large, but can be a tad generic (all Hallmark cards). The assortment of gift wrap, tissue paper and gift bags on the other hand is rather impressive, and I particularly liked the gift boxes available which have really pretty patterns and come in a variety of sizes (some are massive)! I don't believe I've ever seen these two stores joined together before, but when you think about it, it's actually quite a clever move. After all when you forget someone's birthday, all you need to do is to dash into this place grab a box of chocolates and a card, and you're sorted! Trust me, this is definitely something to remember!

From the outside, this shop suggests that it is going to be more Thorntons than Hallmark, when in…read moreactual fact the Thorntons section is pretty small, covering just a section of one wall. However, the range of Thorntons products in stock is good and it's nicely presented. While the card section contains nothing especially different as they are all Hallmark cards, the range of cards on sale is impressive, and possibly the best arranged and easy to navigate card shop I've ever been to. There is also a huge variety of gift wrapping items. This shop sells a lot of gifts, too, from Willow Tree figures and Me to You teddies to some not at all tacky Welsh gifts. A great shop for buying presents as you can get everything in one store. And it's not just about birthdays; there is a great range of lovely gift ideas for weddings, anniversaries and new babies, too.

This is quite an exciting bubblegum-coloured shop that sells a massive variety of traditional…read moresweets. You know, the classics that join you and your grandparents in soaring memories of childhood. I won't wax too lyrical about the types of sweets available, because I expect you all know really... but then there might be some people who don't: Rhubard & custard, aniseed balls, barley sugar, hard gums, butterscotch, truffles, jelly beans, giant gobstoppers, sherbert lemons, pear drops, treacle toffee, candy canes, toasted teacakes, bon bons, humbugs and white mice, to name a few. The staff here are lovely and prices are very reasonable for the quality of product. Worth a visit if you're passing by that way. Just don't tell you dentist.

I was somewhat surprised to find Clare'e sweet shop in Birchgrove as it's not the sort of shop one…read morewould associate with this shopping area. However why not, the owner explained that it had been open since February and was very popular with people wanting a return to more traditional shops.The shelves were stocked with jars of every conceivable sweet including my favourite of sweet and sours. They also had a small selection of hand made nougat and speciality choclates very tempting!! I liked their novely range of choclate bars with labels to cover every type of occasion/person, daughter, son, teacher, thank you, cheer up etc. The shop also stocked helium balloons which I have always loved.