We’ve been visiting a lot of New England resort towns this summer, which means we’ve also been to a lot of seafood shacks, bookstores, beachy home decor boutiques, and candy shops. And the candy shops have been the most thrilling because they’re all about sweetness and fantasy. Even if you’re not a huge fan of candy, its appeal is at least 30 percent visual, so it’s fun to just go in and take a look. And I’m talking about all-purpose candy stores here, not just chocolate shops. Places where you find bags of malted milk balls and bins of Gummi Worms, salt water taffy and giant lollipops.
I’ve listed some of my favorites below. What are yours?
The Chatham Candy Manor, 484 Main St., Chatham, MA
The cottage-y pink and white interior is as sweet as the treats on the shelves. Sample the 16 flavors of fudge, a house specialty.
The Harbor Candy Shop, 248 Main Street, Ogunquit, ME
A wall of malted milk balls! Turtles in a dozen flavors! An entire fruit slice section! This small shop manages to cram in a tremendous amount of variety, and its old-time interior is as charming as it gets.
Chutters, 43 Main St. Littleton, NH; 165 Main St. Lincoln, NH
The world’s largest candy counter, as measured by the Guinness Record folks. That alone is worth a visit!
Sweet Rexie’s, 1552 Post Rd., Fairfield, CT
I didn’t know there were two dozen shades of M&Ms, but you’ll find them here. This store has quality chocolates, all the penny candy choices you’d ever need, and a great space to host a party. It’s sugar heaven.
Okay, now it’s your turn. What are your favorite candy stores in New England?
Amy Traverso
Amy Traverso is the senior food editor at Yankee magazine and co-host of the public television series Weekends with Yankee, a coproduction with WGBH. Previously, she was food editor at Boston magazine and an associate food editor at Sunset magazine. Her work has also been published in The Boston Globe, Saveur, and Travel & Leisure, and she has appeared on Hallmark Home & Family, The Martha Stewart Show, Throwdown with Bobby Flay, and Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares. Amy is the author of The Apple Lover’s Cookbook, which was a finalist for the Julia Child Award for best first-time author and won an IACP Cookbook Award in the “American” category.
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