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For a state of 1.4 million people, Maine punches well above its weight in chocolate. There's the obvious geographic reason — long winters, plenty of indoor time to perfect a craft — but the deeper truth is that Maine chocolatiers tend to share a sensibility: small batch, hands-on, and stubbornly anti-shortcut. Several houses on this list have been making confections by hand for over a century. Others were started in the last decade by chefs who decided cocoa was the only ingredient worth obsessing over.
Below, twelve Maine chocolate makers worth ordering from — sorted by what they do best.
Founded in 1926, Len Libby is the kind of place that built its reputation on consistency. Their signature is the chocolate-covered blueberry — wild Maine blueberries dipped in their own dark chocolate — and a 1,700-pound milk-chocolate moose named Lenny that lives in the front of the store. Order the blueberries; visit the moose if you're nearby.
A year younger than Len Libby — Haven's opened in 1915 and is now in its fourth generation of family ownership. They're known for needhams (the iconic Maine candy of dark chocolate, coconut, and potato — yes, potato), buttercrunch, and old-school chocolates that feel like time travel in the best way.
Wilbur's shop sits on Freeport's Main Street drag, right where you'd want a good chocolate stop after an afternoon at L.L. Bean. They make their chocolates on-site and lean heavily into Maine motifs — moose, lobsters, lighthouses — that are surprisingly delicious despite (because of?) the kitsch.
Bixby was started by Kate McAleer in 2010 and has since become one of Maine's most decorated bean-to-bar makers. Their bars and chocolate-covered blueberries are sold at Whole Foods nationwide. Worth knowing: they're a B Corp, all single-origin, and the packaging is genuinely gift-ready without trying too hard.
If you only buy from one Maine chocolatier, make it Ragged Coast. Founder Kate Shaffer is a multiple-time Good Food Awards winner; the Sea Salt Caramels and Dark Chocolate Truffle Assortment are the picks. National shipping, beautiful boxes, no notes.
Maine's first nut-free chocolatier — Dean Bingham's Portland shop makes truffles in a dedicated nut-free facility, which has earned them a fiercely loyal following among families managing peanut and tree-nut allergies. Quality holds up regardless: the dark sea salt caramels are excellent.
Christopher Hastings works out of central Maine and is best known for his single-origin bars and limited-batch truffle collections. The aesthetic is austere; the chocolate is anything but.
Chocolats Passion in Wells is a small Belgian-style operation making truffles, pralines, and seasonal collections. Stop in if you're driving up Route 1; otherwise the small online shop covers the basics.
The needham — chocolate, coconut, potato — is the candy Maine claims as its own, invented in Auburn in the late 1800s. Maine Needham Company is the maker most committed to keeping the original recipe alive. Order a tin if you've never tried one. (Yes, the potato is real. Yes, it works.)
Robin's is another excellent needham source, plus a wider range of buttercrunch, fudge, and chocolate bark. A reliable source for a Maine sampler box that doesn't feel touristy.
Far Downeast, in the easternmost town in the United States, Monica's makes Peruvian-influenced chocolates that reflect founder Monica Elliott's roots. The handmade truffles ship nationally and are worth the long drive — or just order online.
If you favor European-style chocolate — denser, less sweet, more cocoa-forward — Byrne & Carlson is the Maine source. Their Kittery shop sits a mile from the New Hampshire border, and their truffles and salted caramels are reliably excellent.
A summer-season classic in Ogunquit's working harbor, Perkins Cove Candies makes chocolates and saltwater taffy that are firmly in the "vacation memory" category. Pop in after a walk on the Marginal Way.
If you're shopping for a gift, Bixby and Ragged Coast both ship beautifully and tell a strong Maine story. If you're trying something distinctively Maine, get a needham from Maine Needham Company or a chocolate-covered blueberry sampler from Len Libby. If you're managing food allergies, Dean's Sweets is the only nut-free option you'll need. And if you're driving Route 1 anyway, just stop everywhere.
For more Maine makers, explore the full Grocery & Food category on Maine Open Online.
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