El Buen Cacao

The boyfriend and I took a day trip up to Idyllwild today and came across El Buen Cacao. Like many places in town, it’s a gem to discover, and hidden away in a lovely shaded area. The couple who own the business are very friendly & informative about their small batch process. If you consider yourself a connoisseur of chocolate, this is a MUST stop. We picked up a 70% cacao almond bar, and it was heavenly! I can’t wait to try the ghost chili chocolate next time!

We went here for the second time while vacationing in Idyllwild! We can’t get enough of it and are sad to go! The iced chocolate is a MUST and the chocolate bars are phenomenal! Erik and his wife are welcoming, knowledgable and are incredibly accommodating. We will be frequenting this lovely chocolate kingdom any chance we get! Also, we walked out to their patio today and music from the film, Chocolat, was playing. Be still, my beating heart! If we could give them more stars, we would! Thank you!!!

You have go here, it’s an absolute must! Family owned, and it’s the best chocolate I’ve ever tasted. If you want to be served gourmet chocolate, by an archeologist, stop in and grab a bar or get some REAL hot chocolate! Open 7 days a week!

We were craving something sweet and that’s why we followed the «chocolate» sign to the little place in the back of the alley. This is real, pure, fundamental chocolate. A tiny bite left an intense dark chocolate taste that lingered on until the drinks were ready.
Do not expect a quick Starbucks beverage. It takes a good 10 minutes to prepare the thickest, richest hot chocolate imaginable.
I had the clove and cinnamon infused Mexican hot chocolate with a chile kick. I ordered it vegan with oat milk. It tasted like it was made with real cream. The regular chocolate was sweeter and kid friendly. The sipping chocolate was the cacao equivalent of thick espresso– very powerful and intense. Yummy!
Nice people run the place, too.

The top shop in Idyllwild. Made my day, I hope you stop in and get some chocolate bars or something that suits your dark chocolate cravings. Because they specialize in one thing and one thing only, this place is legit and totally worth the drive.
The order:
Sipping chocolate
Chocolate with orange
Chocolate with raspberry
Chocolate with ghost peppers
Sea salt truffle
Coconut truffle
I loved the serene patio seating. The place is a hidden gem. It is in my true belief that this shop belongs in the back of a shopping alley. If you are in the know, you will know where to go. Just an opinion anyways.

Owner and his wife make chocolate from scratch… my son had truffles and loved them. they make with love and have it down to a science. great environment and extremely friendly.

We were so happy to stumble upon such a gem. The owners are so down-​to-​earth and kind, as well as knowledgeable and skillful at making delicious cacao concoctions !
it was so delicious, we went there 3 days in a row.
as they are a small business (just husband and wife), they sometimes sell out of certain items. that being said, on their menu they have: sipping chocolate, hot chocolate, Mexican hot chocolate, various types of chocolate bars (60%, 60% + nibs, 80%, 80% + ghost chili), and truffles !
also have vegan/​dairy-​free options:
for the drinks, made with either oat or coconut milk. and the 80% bars !
HIGHLY recommend this place. Everything is organic and free-​trade.

Our receptionist at the Strawberry bunkhouse told us about this little chocolate shop tucked away in town and I am I SO happy we went!
We were greeted Upon arrival by their adorable daughter, and future Chocolate maker. This place totally reminded me of one my fave movies Chocolat. We got a bar of chocolate and hot chocolate. Both exquisitely Delish!!! Now, bear in mind, this place is for authentic chocolate lovers. It’s not the Hershey’s kind that many people would expect. This chocolate is for authentic chocolate connoisseurs, those who appreciate tasting cacao in its most natural, bittersweet form.
The owners take so much pride in their craft and it was quickly evident in our short conversation with them how much they love what they do. Such a shame they are not in a more open location where their business could get more exposure. I plan on visiting again tomorrow morning for another cup of hot chocolate before we leave. This place is a MUST try even if you’re not a connoisseur. The hot chocolate is just the right sweetness and perfectly made. You won’t regret it!

Great shop tucked away in an alley. Love when you see someone who is passionate about what they do. Wish them best of luck in their new business. Gotta love chocolate.

my daughter and I have been to Idyllwild for z past 12 years sampling various treats offered in z cozy mountain town, but this past weekend we happened upon z new El Buen Cacao where pure chocolate is revered as if a religion. We indulged in z owners knowledge of z history of chocolate and meditated on all z equipment stashed in their tiny establishment used to create chocolate bars, sipping chocolate and truffles all made thoughtfully by hand.
We were greeted by z CEO Sofia, z owner’s tiny daughter whose almost 2, handing us their unshelled cacao beans from fair trade and organic farms in Central and South America. They hand pick through their cacao beans, shelling z best of em to process for rich flavors including mint and spicy bar flavors steeped in dark chocolate from 60−80% cacao (70% or above offers powerful antioxidants for z body and mind). We found z owners and their daughter just as intriguing as z pungent, smooth, dark, pure chocolate they create.
Both owners are archeologists who have perfected z dark sipping chocolate drinks. You cannot imagine how rich and addicting they are to consume! If you can’t make it up z mountain for z chocolate of z godz then order online as they are worthy to be indulged in!

I got a ghost pepper chocolate bar here that is just absolutely phenomenal. I also loved talking to Erik about his chocolate.
The only reason why I’m giving it four stars instead of five is that the only non diary milk option for the hot chocolate is oat milk. As someone who is lactose intolerant, i can’t do dairy but oat milk is such an unusual substitute, and it overpowered the flavor of my Mexican hot chocolate. I could only drink about half of it and then just gave up on it.

The real chocolate house off the street! Fantastic sipping chocolate is made from the beans by a talented wife of the proprieter. Order and sip your way to heaven on their clean and ample wooden patio. A must stop if you are in Idyllwild! El Buen Cacao also makes suprerior truffles and fresh chocolate bars that are amazing.

We found GOLD in Idyllwild. CHOCOLATE gold, that is. Saw and read the shops sign. Got my curiosity juices stirring. I had to check it out. Off I went, walking past several store fronts until I reached the quaint & cozy patio of El Buen Cacao. A colorful mural in the patio is the first clue that you have reached ‘X’ marks the spot you lucky soul. Both my hubby and I were not disappointed with our Mexican Hot Chocolate. The owner, Erik, is highly knowledgeable and passionate about the history and origins of cacao. It was a pleasure to have stumbled upon this nugget of pure chocolate gold. We will be back.

Must try spot in our town. The family who owns it is so sweet. The chocolate is legit! You can watch the owner make it right in front of you! The Mexican hot chocolate is the best hot chocolate I’ve had anywhere in town. And the deck in front of the shop is such an inviting place to sit and visit and sip.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! The husband and I were out on a motorcycle ride and decided to walk around the town and stumbled upon this amazing jewel! It’s tucked away off of the main street which makes it even more of a sweet find (pun intended). You can tell that there’s so much love and passion that goes into what they create. The owner (didn’t catch her name) was so informative about all of what they do and had so much information to share about the process and each step the chocolate goes thru to get to the end result. They’re truffles (we bought 1 of each) and hot chocolate are to die for! I seriously wish them the best and to see their beautiful business grow!!! Can’t wait to come here again sending love and light to the 3 of you!

Adorable shop tucked away from the main road. We shared the sipping chocolate, delicious but RICH, be prepared to share or go into a chocolate coma. Chocolates are made on site and the smells are just heavenly. Great shop and great folks running it, I look forward to coming in and trying their truffles next time!

Such a gem of a place! We visited Idyllwild and had to stop in because we had heard great things. We were not disappointed.
The shop is adorable and nestled in the back off the main shopping area. The owners seem to have a true passion for what they do and their enthusiasm is felt not only in the energy at the shop, but in the chocolate.
We had the sipping chocolate which was to die for! Not too sweet, and earthy and complex, it was smooth and DELICIOUS. It was so good that it wasn’t sipping chocolate, it was gulping chocolate. Ha.
We went home with two 80% cacao bars and they are the best chocolate bars we’ve ever tried. The chocolate — in texture and taste — is truly exceptional.
We’ll be back!

Such a pleasant little find! I’m so glad we stumbled upon this place. The owners are so friendly and have such a passion for what they do. Not to mention the little CEO, Sophia, is adorable.
If you love rich, real chocolate, this place is a must to stop by! You won’t be disappointed!:)

Best hot chocolate around, Very authentic! Erik was so sweet and inviting! Such a cute little shop! Must visit when in Idyllwild!!!

Perfect snack! I’m not really into chocolate (I know) but this chocolate is amazing! Fresh, delicious, organic, They even have themed flavors! The place is in a cute cozy house with nice décor and friendly owners!