Grandma’s Fudge Factory

Oh my! The wonderful smell of caramel being made. I am a Baker so I know that smell from afar. I wanted to buy it all. From the caramel apples to the homemade fudge. Friendly employees and a shop of goodies that is just yummy …

Fresh and delicious caramel apples — adding nuts is super delicious.

An employee churns hot fudge at the glass storefront, attracting the attention of passerby. Upon walking in, customers are greeted with the rich smells of chocolate. Visually though, the bars of chocolate looked misshapen and discolored. Despite their unattractiveness, my husband and I bought 2 pounds of chocolate in two flavors: milk chocolate and rocky road for $ 13.95. Here’s where we fudged up — we didn’t ask for samples first!
The first bite we took was extremely disappointing. The chocolate had an artificially sweetened and overly sugary taste to it. In addition, the fudge was unnervingly gritty. The exterior of this fudge shop may seem appealing, but the quality of the fudge here isn’t worth its weight. My husband said he would have been happier eating a Hershey bar. :/​
Unilocal 100 CHALLENGE 2016: #18

Always stop in here when in Virginia City. The fudge is okay, but only standard flavors which seem to be at all fudge counters — would be nice to expand a little (keep the «traditional» recipes but stretch a little — humbleberry, black cherry, orange creamsicle, even pistachio which is also common elsewhere. You’d have me taking a couple of pounds home ! The reason we come here is the brittle (except jalapeño — didn’t find that too tasty) with any of the nuts they offer. If you do know what nut (s), try the mixed nuts brittle — perfect. They also have a killer caramel corn — but buy two bags, one bag never makes it back to Reno ! Overall a great place to drop in and take a look. Other sweets as well, but the brittle and caramel corn are our «go-​tos».

Its a must if you love chocolate, or sweets. First off I have to say, I somehow got a bad batch, that is crumbly, dry, I contacted the Owner Jim, after I got home, and he was so accommodating, he insisted to mail me at no charge, a replacement batch, and it appeared like the next day! He was right, timing is everything, and he maintains such high standards, that he only wants the best going out to customers, despite the expense he incurred. Im very impressed with their fudge.

I’m not sure why they call it Grandma’s Fudge Factory, maybe they started with fudge, but the fudge is NOT what I come here for, ever. The selection is. gritty. Like sandy in my teeth, but it should be smooth besides any nuts that are in it, is it sugar that’s making me feel like I am eating something I just dropped on the beach?
Anyways, like I said I don’t come for the fudge anyways, but their caramel corn with slivered almonds is THE BOMB! In fact, check out everything on their shelf with the wrapped popcorns and brittles. You can’t go wrong with this selection.
My kids like the homemade ice cream too, so I get them all a scoop or two on a cone and we hang out outside on the bench. I take a couple bites, tastes like ice cream to me :) We watch where the candy makers are and I don’t know if it’s just the hours we choose to come to VC, but they are NEVER using them, and they look old, and possibly rusty on the inside? Is that the grittiness I tasted earlier?
The caramel corn doesn’t make it home with my three kids, my mom and myself in the car. Good thing we bought more than 1 bag.

A tragedy to come here if you don’t like sweets.
Or aren’t hungry.
Or are diabetic.
And I love fudge. But it’s only good for you in moderation. So good thing I only make it up to Virginia City every 18 months or so. First, you must ask for a sample. If you are going to gobble about 394,463 calories, you must make sure it is worthy of your soul.
I try to buy just a little bit of the fudge, and then when I get home, I wrap up that sucker like it’s Fort Knox and allow myself tiny little bites of it so it tastes that much more impressive. I like the fudge they sell here, very silky and flavorful.
Bön appetit!

Pretty good fudge (loved the double chocolate but could have done without their «best seller,» chocolate/​peanut butter, which neither my husband or I liked). The male employee was very nice, the female employee could learn how to smile and be nice! Also purchased caramels, which were large and gooey and delicious.

Grandma’s Fudge Factory was founded by Julie Loop and has been a local confectionary icon since 1971. The building itself has been many things after it was built, from a grocery/​convenience store to a movie theatre. Jim Ward is the current owner and uses Julie’s original recipes for a consistent and memorable product. They also sell barks, caramels, caramel apples, brittles, and ice cream. The fudge texture is unlike any other fudge I have had. The fudge is heavy in weight, but when you slice it up and eat it, it is light, fluffy, and melts in your mouth with a velvety richness. Our favorite flavors are Peanut Butter Chocolate, Rocky Road, and Double Chocolate. Peanut Butter Chocolate has the creamy, nutty peanut butter flavor along with the swirl of chocolate. Rocky Road is chocolatey with soft, creamy marshmallow and crunchy walnuts. Double Chocolate is pure chocolate goodness. They make the fudge and confections right in front of the store where the process can be observed from the front window, reminiscent of our days working at Disneyland where the candy store on Main Street had the same concept.
Grandma’s Fudge Factory stocks Cascade Glacier Ice Cream from Oregon. They are one of the oldest ice cream makers in the Western United States and have been churning out quality products since 1938. I love unique flavors and immediately chose the Huckleberry ice cream. It was creamy and tastes like the artisan ice creams that are taking the stage in SoCal. The huckleberry flavor is sweet and a little tart. It is amazing! The Maui Sherbet is all of the tropical fun flavor of Hawaii, sort of like a creamy version of shaved ice.

I’m completely confused by all the good reviews. Don’t get me wrong the staff was very friendly but the fudge was horrible. I’m a lover of the stuff and usually seek it out wherever I travel but this stuff was hands down the worst I’ve had. Maybe I got a bad batch or something but the remaining pound I purchased went in the trash.

The best fudge and caramel apples I’ve had. Friendly staff too! Highly recommend this place!

I love this little small fudge shop. Always smells so good inside and from outside too. I love their icecream the rocky road one, and my four legged boys love it the vanilla one too. And my mother in law loves their jalapeño brittle too.
Service was always nice

The young gal that helped us was very unfriendly, seemed irritated when I asked her the prices for the fudge. We purchased the rocky road, of course they don’t cut it out of the fresh tray but pull a pre-​wrapped piece out from under counter so you have no idea when it was made. When we tried the fudge, it was almost I inedible. I don’t know if an ingredient was expired but it tasted terrible. As we walked out an employee was cleaning the glass so we got a big mouthful of window cleaner. Save your money and go somewhere else.

I hate to say this but I don’t get the impression that this is a tidy, clean place. It is a tourist trap but I wouldn’t use that against them but what I will is how expensive everything was and the taste just awful. We got wrapped up in the excitement and puchaed their 5 sample box and it tasted oily and greasy. I am a lover of fudge but I couldn’t handle another try once I got home. It tasted awful, not at all creamy and buttery. Sadly as soon as we got home, it went to the garbage. We also bought the brittle for my sister in law and that too was old, stale ad just terrible. I am very sorry but please work on improving your recipe and cleaning up your manners. Watching the guys made it in front of the display table after I had already purchased the fudge made me have second thoughts right away. It just felt dirty. Again, I’m sorry… but I can’t make up a feel good story when I just can’t.

Tons of flavor variety here!!! Very cute shop and staff was friendly. We got the rocky road fudge and it was great! If I am ever in he area again I will stop by!

No need for a long review here… Girl working was sweeping the floor with a hand broom when we walked in, ignored us until I asked for a sample, couldn’t give me a taste of the one I wanted, I agreed to try a different one and SHE PUT IT IN HER BARE HAND and tried to HAND IT TO ME IN HER FINGERS. Immediately After visibly cleaning the floor and god knows what else. I’m not a germ freak but come on. Basic hygiene and common decency…

Place is money. Such amazing fudge.
Love it all the way to the bank.
They are fresh a. d make it right in spot.

Very very cute old time store. They do their fudge right in the window for you to watch.
I tried three different fudges, and they were just OK.
But I will be trying something different next time I go up to VC.
The smell of the candy just draws you in :)

Too much! Help me! This little town is full of fudge and candy stores. What are you trying to do to me?
The truth is, I can’t pass by any candy store that gives out samples. But, I passed by most of them with amazing restraint. But with a place named Grandma’s, it hasta be good, right?
So many choices, and a righteously sized store. I ended up with a ¼ lb of double dark chocolate fudge with roasted almonds. And a bag of peanut brittle.
No sugar free here.
Nibble nibble good. Damn (oh oh, bad word, shoulda said «Fudge»). Somebody please hide my stash.

Skip the candy shop that sells supermarket candy at ballpark prices and come straight here! For the most bang for your buck get the fudge sampler box.
They also have other candies, and ice cream.
The Unilocal map shows them in town somewhere, but they are right on the main strip with everything else.