Joliesse Chocolates

My daughter and I walked in 10 minutes before close on a Saturday evening and we had amazing service! We talked with the owners and enjoyed a rich chocolate soufflé. We will definitely be back!

First off let me start by saying how wonderfully delightful the owner is, she was half the experience and definitely one of the reasons I will be a regular. She was genuinely sweet and friendly. You could honestly tell she really cared what you thought and was truly interested in what you liked.
Now, for the chocolates. Her truffles are simply divine, with the names and overall presentation just as unique as the flavors. There are no common flavors of the ordinary truffle here. I found the combinations to be both bold and creative, which in turn made for some of the best truffles I’ve ever had.
You know what I also found refreshing about this chocolatier, the fact that there wasn’t a huge over-​kill selection. For the first time I could actually focus and get to really look at every single thing, appreciate each individual truffle and bar and truly make a quality choice. She knows what shes good at and she keeps it focused on that. Or at least that’s what I took from it. It definitely made me take it all seriously and really give it my best opinion.
Also to add to the already charming set up, she also serves lattes. I did not try the many different absolutely inventive concoctions she displayed on the menu. Although they did seem quite amazing. You can just tell when certain ingredients (although you would never have thought to mix such things) will pair usually well. I think she may also be on to something with these as well. I just wasn’t in the mood for a liquid libation so I will do another review when I’ve had the chance to taste one for myself. Definitely one of ABQ’s hidden gems. An extra bonus is they are local. Give this little chocolatier a try. I promise you will fall in love.

A sip of heaven! Enough said… But let me elaborate for fun. We saw this shop and decided to stop in for a chocolatey gift for my coworker. I was able to get a gift box of the most deliciously flavored truffles you will ever find. Rosemary, green chili, lavender, and so many more.
We wandered around and decided to get some tea lattes. I got a rose chocolate latte called Hello Dolly and my husband got Mamma Mia, a combination of jasmine green and vanilla. We also decided to get a scone made with cranberries and bacon topped with a paprika icing. We sat outside and sipped heaven as we ooh’d and ahhh’d down to the last drop.
I kid you not, this was the best drink I’ve ever had. I even stopped back in the shop before leaving to tell them as much. Rose is my favorite flavor and the drink was a garden of perfection.
We found our new favorite spot! I encourage you to stop in and try it! Take your senses out for a drive today and sip a little heaven for yourself.

The most amazing syrups and flavor combinations! All the syrups are homemade. My personal favorite is the latter with chocolate and chile syrup. Oh, their chocolate is homemade too!

This place is a gem! I’ve only been for coffee, which is both delicious and beautiful. The specialty lattes are named after Broadway shows, which is cute, and the flavored syrups are all made in-​house. My husband actually took a chocolate-​making class here with his coworkers, and they all came home with a full box of truffles, which I couldn’t keep away from. Albuquerque, don’t pass by this adorable place on North Fourth!

It’s Red Tuesday in Albuquerque (the infamous Tuesday before Valentine’s Day) and I felt it was a good opportunity to pop in for my favorite chocolate drink, the Wicked, at Joliesse Chocolates.
This place is a wonderful staple to the Los Ranchos area, offering quality chocolates, coffee and other assorted treats. I spend a lot of time at the counter chatting with the owners and watching them produce specialty chocolates for clients. You want heart shaped truffles painted by hand? Done. You want race car chocolate bars? Boom, they’ll have your order done by Sunday. Plus they offer a class where they walk you through the intimate process of making chocolate. The owner gives a good history lesson with excellent examples of the different qualities of chocolates. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, obviously.
So, if you’re looking for chocolates, come check it out. Oh, and I believe they are serving wine now. If I heard correcrly, they have wine and chocolate pairing classes now. Perhaps I have holiday plans now afterall.

We stopped in after dining Vernon’s across the way, just to find that technically they were closed but the owner said «We still have chocolate though, so what can I get for you?» He went through all of their options and we settled on some chocolates and a sampling of their macaroons. He told us about his wife and her chocolatier training and their family– for a man whose shop was closed he certainly was very friendly. I would go back based on that exchange alone. What sealed the deal though, was the chocolate– OMG it was so good! I wish I was able to visit more often because I crave it all the time.
Overall, great service and great chocolate! Definitely reccommend giving Joliesse a try, you will not be disappointed.

If you are looking for high quality chocolate, this is the best place in NM! The ambiance is great and the owners are amazingly nice. Lattes are delicious too. You can purchase gifts or take classes. It’s a great place for a date night or a family activity. Prices are very reasonable.

If there really is such a thing as life after death then life by chocolate makes sense and no wonder! With current American chocolate standards requiring only 3% pure cocoa added to the 97% wax and filler remaining and current cocoa prices having tripled in the past 2yrs, this place still manages to deliver quality at a reasonable price… Amazing! The husband wife team (Grace and Troy) are experts in their chocolate biz and the only French trained chocolatiers in the state!!!
Grace leads several workshops including truffle making and an interactive kids chocolate painting class my daughter and several friends attended which was so inspiring! They learned how to properly heat then temper chocolate so it doesn’t crack once poured into molds (among other things) all the while Grace patiently educated the children, sharing her expertise, which in itself made us parents truly appreciate how this local business gives back to the community.

You might want to leave your nice white shirt/​dress/​blouse at home. Great for couples and lady’s night out. In a couple of weeks they will begin serving wine. Currently it is BYOB. Ok for most of us chocolate eaters we probably do not know much about chocolate. Even if we ate it every day the details that go into fine chocolate escape us, and we probably stick with what we know. Prepare to know a lot more about the art and science of chocolate if you go to Joliesse’s Chocolatiere. First off the owner and primary chocolatier of this establishment is the only licensed chocolatier in the state of New Mexico. The contents in chocolate contain some very principled ingredients, none of which are synthesized or consist of things like wax or hydrogenated oils. Even the temperatures and manner that chocolate is prepared can affect things like taste and texture. Joliesse allows you to dive into the experience of preparing and crafting your own chocolate truffles that includes adding special ingredients and taking home your tasty creations. The class is very hands on, and is both fun and informative. Wearing anything white is not recommended, even with those with excellent hand discipline and control. Bring. your own wine and cheese for now as they do not yet have an alcohol serving permit, and take advantage of the benefit of BYOB. This little class is great for couples or the whole family.

I’ve been back several times. The owners are wonderful. The coffee/​tea service is not as slow. They will be slower than big box coffee shops because their coffee and teas are freshly brewed. They have healthy low sugar drinks that go with their delicate rich chocolate. They have fresh brewed chai and almond milk. The truffles are beautiful.

I have been wanting to go here forever and I finally did with my kiddo the other day and it was pretty good, but not as awesome as I was expecting or hoping. I got the dark chocolate mango hot chocolate which was $ 4.50 but came in a humongous mug so I was happy to pay that price… but honestly I couldn’t taste the mango at all. I politely mentioned this on my way out to the owner and he said dark chocolate is a strong taste so maybe that’s why, but still, I feel like they should work on that concoction some more then since I ordered it for the interesting flavor combination in the first place.
I also got my kiddo the sesame chocolate frogs they sell, which were decent but again seemed to be missing something.
I also got several of their specialty chocolates which were good but I think my hot chocolate overpowered their taste, so next time I think I’ll just go and get some chocolates instead so I can taste them some more.
I will definitely go to this place again, though pricey and not totally what I was hoping for. I think the chocolate class with children sounds fun and I would definitely bring my kid to do that in the future as well.

Got acquainted with this wonderful business via Unilocal,liked the photos on their Facebook, drooled over the pictures for days until I made a trip here during my lunch break. It wasn’t a busy time so I got to meet and greet Grace and Troy a bit. I ordered a Les Mis Latte, in a full iced version and got the left-​over in warm version to go, too. I love the fact that they use my favorite coffee roaster Villa Myriam, too! It was the BEST chocolate coffee drink I have ever had!
From all the choices of truffles and chocolate bars, I took home «Salma Hayek» (Smoked Serrano chile and piñon in dark chocolate), «Michelle Yeoh» (Jasmine green tea & coconut rum truffle in dark chocolate), «Sophia Loren» (Dark chocolate almond and hazelnut gianduja) and «Deborah Kerr» (Dark Chocolate Hawaiian Sea Salted Butter Caramels). Believe me, it’s very hard to just pick these four gorgeous ones.
Now my tasting buds are having a dancing party!

Just had the most awesome time with their truffle making class. My wife and I are celebrating our 25^th wedding anniversary and I thought (with the help of all you Unilocalers) to surprise her with a class. Troy taught the class and it was very informative and fun all the way around. We ended up bring home about 2 ½ dozen truffles that we had made. The coffee there is the best that I have ever had. Tried the «wicked» which had dark chocolate and chili in it. YUUUMMMMM! We had the best time there and my wife was very surprised! Great date night!

The chocolate here is probably the best I’ve ever had! And the wicked latte I got was absolutely delicious! A must try

We got to meet the owner & some of his team and they are really passionate about their products and the ingredients they use.
We have tried their truffles, bark/​toffee and turtles and all have been excellent.
For a dinner party/​treat/​gift you could possibly not find better chocolates in the city.

If I lived closer to this charming café/​chocolate shop, I’d be here just for the «Wicked» latte alone, not to mention all the other tantalizing goodies they have here. The latte is a generous portion and features dark chocolate and chile. I know that they source their chocolate from all over the world and it’s evident in even the espresso drinks. The dark chocolate was robust but fruity, with a great mouthfeel and the chile in the drink warms it up so nicely that it’s the perfect drink for a chilly day.
I also attended a class taught by Grace and left with a box of specialty truffles handcrafted by moi. It was so interesting, interactive, and engaging. Grace walked us through each step of the chocolate making process and then allowed us to create our own blend of spices to flavor the ganache. My friend and I definitely had a lot of laughs during the truffle rolling bit. It’s a lot harder than it looks! But I didn’t mind the chocolate muddying up my hands one bit: just more for me!
Grace mentioned during the class that chocolate is to be enjoyed by all the senses. Between the laughs while creating my own chocolates and the curiosity piqued by the demonstration of tempering chocolate, well, there’s a little extra at Joliesse for your soul, too.

Do you believe in magic, because after my experience here it’s a must.
I took a truffle making class here over the weekend and I can honestly say that I wish my weekends were always filled with the tastes, aromas, and excitement only chocolate seems to be able to bring a lady.
I get nervous when I’m cooking/​baking/​crafting in front of other people. It’s nerve wracking, because you don’t want to muck it up! Learning anything new can be seriously intimidating. Thats not the case with Grace. Her warm smile and her ability to make people feel like they are tempering rockstars is wonderful, and gave me an overly confident view of my chocolate skills (this could’ve been wine too…). The fact that someone as skilled as grace is willing to share her trade is incredible to me. She will answer any of your questions and really help you understand chocolate! She obviously is crazy about the stuff and wants other people to learn and share her passion!
Really, Troy and Grace are the shit. They are so helpful, so knowledgeable, so kind, and their energy is just welcoming. It’s like I want to scoop them up and hug them, but again, it could’ve been the wine.
The chocolate is just a reflection of Grace and Troy. Their personalities and love for taste, texture, and complexity are obviously transferred into their confections. If you think Hershey bars are the bomb (which I do, I’m sorry… I know it’s an abomination), you have to keep an open mind to a chocolate that is full of complex, layered, and different flavors!
Joliesse is a place you should take your dates, your loved ones, your children, your grandparents, your parents, transients, strangers, friends of friends, basically anyone you can find to go with you, you should take them. It is the perfect spot for learning and the perfect spot for eating amazing chocolates.

I’d say Valentines Day is an appropriate occasion to publish a review about one of the finest chocolate shops in the city, and moreover, one of the best places to spend an hour with your sweetie. Put this on the short list of great date locales, as well as a fun time for your kiddo or bestie. And it’s looking like I’ll be updating this review soon, because the square footage is about to quadruple after a renovation.
Joliesse Chocolates crafts absolutely dreamy artisan treats in varietals that run the gamut, from goat cheese derived darks to silky whites, and if you’re willing to settle in for a few minutes they’ll French press some of the very best coffee beans in the state, Villa Myriam. A word of caution, these pours are hefty on caffeine; I need about, oh, three sips to get wired. At the moment don’t expect a great deal out of the experience here, just a small marble countertop, a few seats, the ambiance of a European urban hideout, with staff to match.
Getting back to your date, though: they also offer truffle making classes. Tell them you’re coming about a day ahead of time, bring as many people as you wish. When you arrive they’ll set you up with the materials to design your own truffles and treats. The cost is totally affordable, you’ll laugh and learn a lot about this food of the Gods, and you’ll go home with a stash to rot your teeth for a week. Oh, and they can do this for kids, to boot. We brought our three year-​old and our teenager and they both loved it.
You’ll love the sweet couple who own the place, too. So here’s your north valley date, love birds: mid-​afternoon chocolate class at Joliesse, flowers at that shop across the street, dinner at Vernon’s, painting class at Design By Wine. No driving required.

This place is pretty sweet… no pun intended. It’s a tiny little shop tucked in near Prime in Los Ranchos. You’ll miss it if you blink. But don’t blink. You don’t want to miss out on the sweets these people have to offer. I walked in and there were at least 4 people at the «chocolate bar» trying tasty sweets and having some caffeinated treats. They had several samples of their chocolate available. I tried a few samples and ended up choosing one of the hawaiian dark chocolate caramels with sea salt. OMG… delish. I got a few chocolate covered strawberries for my honey. as well as a grand marnier chocolate (because he loves that stuff) as a little Valentine’s gift. I did think it was a bit pricey at $ 3-​$ 4 per strawberry… but you can tell they put a lot of care and passion into their products. The lady who helped me was super nice. I’d love to go back.
FYI, they also offer chocolate making classes. That’d be a fun date!