Bespoke Chocolates - CLOSED

Artisanal chocolate has arrived in New York City! Hidden on Extra Place, a little cobble stone alley in the East Village, is Bespoke Chocolates. As unique as its location, Bespoke Chocolates is proof that the chocolate business can be fun and at the same time be seriously delicious. Head chocolatier and co-owner, Rachel Zoe Insler, crafts her original artisanal chocolate creations in an open kitchen on the premises. The entire experience, from wandering down the quaint alley, that feels less like New York City and more like a fantasy world imagined up by the chocolatier herself. The entire experience, from wandering down a quaint alley, that feels less like New York city and more like a fantasy world imagined up by the chocolatier herself. The room is filled with the scent of cocoa as the artist makes her chocolate and patrons indulge in their first taste of one of these divine treats, is titillating and surreal. Third generation New Yorker, Rachel Zoe Insler has been creating unpretentious and delicious chocolates since 2009.

Insler tell us, "The french pay attention to the ingredients but Americans want to eat chocolate." Her interest in chocolate was whetted after she attended the French Culinary Institute in New York. After her schooling she pursued apprenticeship abroad in Notting Hill, England at London’s Melt Chocolate, with master chocolatier Keith Hurdman where she gained hands-on experience working with chocolate every day discovering that fresh chocolate is a combination of art and science. During this time she had learned that creating fresh chocolate is a combination of personal style, imagination, passion and know-how. Her love of chocolate grew and she began to work on honing her personal style and so was born a line of chocolates unique, inspired and delicious.

Insler’s open kitchen was influenced by the setup of the shop where she had apprenticed; the shop's back-room, divided by a curtain, was open to customers who wanted to witness chocolate being prepared-- only but a few Americans would ventured behind the curtain to watch the process. Insler tells us, "Transparency is important to me.", "Expensive stuff goes into it." Insler insists on keeping her method transparent for all to view so that patrons can grasp a bit of the chocolate making process. It is a fascinating and detailed craft and an experience to see and taste. Insler’s goal is to apply modern flavor combinations to traditional chocolate making techniques in order to create a uniquely flavored selection of quality chocolates each with a unique profile. For Insler, knowing the rules of chocolate making is vital, but so is breaking them. At Bespoke Chocolates the only governing rule is that the chocolate has to taste delicious.

What makes Bespoke chocolate different? Insler tells us, "I have a good palate for taste." When visiting Bespoke you will find that the array of cocoa used in Insler's chocolate, each having pronounced flavor differences. She then matches it with ingredients that best complement the source chocolate by bringing out its own natural flavor notes. Some chocolates have bright citrus notes while others have warm coffee notes. The dark chocolate she uses for her creations is sourced from all over the world. Terroir, a French word meaning “sense of place,” is a concept that is used by Insler to describe the unique elements and flavors that cocoa from different regions has to offer. Among the selection of covertures are Valrhona from France, Santander from Colombia, French Michel Cluizel and El Rey coverture from Venezuela. Flavor differences go beyond simple cocoa percentages.

Chocolate was introduced to Insler as a varied ingredient; She was taught to think about chocolate like wine. Insler tells us, "Chocolate is not about cocoa content." Pointing out, "You wouldn't choose your wine by alcohol content so why would you choose your chocolate by cocoa content?", "Think of chocolate the same way you think about wine.", "Chocolate is the basis of all chocolate, as grapes are the basis of wine." It’s all about taste: sumptuously unique taste.


“Chocolate makes people happy.” is Insler's store slogan. Interesting chocolate flavor combinations make people even happier. At Bespoke Chocolates there are 15 different varieties of bonbons and truffles. The top seller at the store is the Pretzel-Covered Sea Salted Caramel which was named the Best Confection in the 2008 Golden Scoop Awards. Another popular choice at Bespoke Chocolates is the Peanut Butter Honey Square. Insler’s personal favorite is the Southhampton Tea Truffle, made with Caribbean chocolate blended with aromatic apricot-spiked Black Ceylon tea. Insler’s fiancé and co-owner, Gil Krakowsky enjoys the Strawberry Balsamic Bonbon and the bitter-sweet Single Estate Colombian Dark Chocolate Truffle - classic French style chocolate. Whenever possible Bespoke Chocolates uses local ingredients such as premium dairy products from Ronnybrook Farm located in New York’s Hudson Valley and Martin's pretzels for her number one selling chocolate, are bought from the Green Market on 14th street.

Customers can place phone orders and soon they will be able to shop for Bespoke Chocolates online as well. Private customized one hour chocolate making and tasting sessions are available at the locale with Insler. These sessions are by appointment only and groups are limited to 6 people. This is an affordable and personalized chance for patrons to not only taste different chocolates, but to learn about cocoa production and chocolate tempering as well. Bespoke Chocolates offers an intimate, personal space where customers who want quality for a fair price are sure to leave satisfied.