The magic of chocolate starts with the humble cacao bean. The recently debuted Dandelion Chocolate at the Venetian pays homage to that simplicity, which begins and ends with cacao, sugar and nothing else.
The modern, minimalist café and storefront near the hotel lobby marks the only U.S. location outside San Francisco, where Dandelion Chocolate launched in 2010. The Bay Area is where the magic happens—every bean is roasted, cracked, sorted, ground and molded into velvety-rich chocolate there, with sugar as the only other ingredient. That unadulterated approach allows the nuance and flavor of the bean to come forth. Guests can sample each bar and its regional flavor profile in-store, a process not unlike tasting a new wine.
The Hacienda Azul ($8.50) from Costa Rica exudes notes of caramel waffle cone and ganache. The Cahabon ($10) from Guatemala brings forth hints of red cherry, chocolate mousse and orange marmalade.
The Las Vegas location features a hot chocolate and espresso bar, perfect for pairings with decadent treats dreamed up by Dandelion executive pastry chef Lisa Vega. Vega has worked for Dandelion since 2013, and she's bringing her desserts—like the flagship campfire s'more with Camino Verde ganache—to the Strip. "I like to let the chocolate really shine through with the pastry, because it's so special," Vega says. "Educating people about chocolate has always been really important to me. It's all in the bean."
DANDELION CHOCOLATE Venetian, 415-349-0942. Daily, 6 a.m.-9 p.m.
