Chocolats du Calibressan

Chef Jean Michel is charming and talented. Highly recommended. Stop by, you won’t be disappointed

Wow, best chocolats, I have ever had. Didn’t know, that I have to go to California to taste it. The price is ok, because it is so special. And the new store at St. Barbara ist lovely!

It’s my guilty pleasure, the Buddha to be exact!
Maybe it seems a little overpriced but with the ingredients that they use what you get out of it is completely justified!
Of the highest imported quality ingredients possible, definitely not your everyday chocolate. It’s best for when special occasions come around…

I am a self-​professed chocoholic and this place is nirvana. Each chocolate is a work of art, as beautiful as it is delicious. I give these as hostess gifts and I get thank yous. Free (and attractive) gift wrapping make this a no-​brainer. I have sent so many people here that I should be a paid spokesperson; I am not, however. Just a devoted fan.

The 5 stars is well-​earned. Wonderful service as well. The chocolats are just like out of a chocolats boutique in Paris. Beutifully packed as well. Thank you for bringing your craft of chocolate making to Carpinteria. Yes, life is a box of chocolates… hopefully from Calibressan.
Be a hedonist, and try one, or two, or three… etc.

While I’m here at the coast I love to try new places. The chocolates are so cute and made with care.

I came for a small but special treat for a friend’s birthday. The wife of the husband-​wife owner was so patient and friendly while helping with my three-​piece selection. She even tied the chocolates to the card with a bow for me. I was touched that she spent so much effort with my little purchase. Not only are their chocolates amazing (caramel Buddhas!) but the experience of such customer service was really touching. I saw another reviewer say that they would still go here even if they weren’t so nice — I’ll say a friend used to go to another chocolate place and finally stopped because that owner wasn’t very kind. Luckily, this is the place for both!

My friend and I drove up there on Saturday to purchase some mother’s day chocolates. My only two negatives are:
1. the cost — holy moly it’s pricey, but I know this is an indulgence and everything is made by hand. The chocolate seems to be a high quality. It’s a chocolate that after you’ve finished it, you don’t have a nasty sugary after taste. Guess I’ve never had fine chocolate before! You get what you pay for. Honestly.
2. The shop in Carp is small — it got really busy really fast, and we were all standing over each other. Wear deodorant because you WILL get to know your neighbors (hahaha). Since the chocolates are so pricey, if you pick your own it will take some time. Bring your patience.
But these negatives are so small that they don’t detract me from any stars.
There was more than enough parking, it didn’t smell overwhelmingly like chocolate. The shop owner was a nice gentleman… focused. The other person assisting didn’t seem to know the chocolates. Once Jean came out from the back, it was a thorough explanation for each piece on the shelf.
There are also different choices on how you can box and present your candies — at an additional price, or you can buy pre-​wrapped, pre-​packaged.
I know there was at least one negative reviewer on here mentioning that the store owner was rude towards their children… it just didn’t seem like the place to bring your kids. It seemed more like an art gallery for your palette :)

Amazing chocolates! I adore this place! My hubby and I love going to get gifts for family and friends and of course we always have to get a dozen for ourselves! Get at least 2 Buddha’s! Mmmmmm

A great chocolate factory with a showroom/​shop on the front. Absolutely beautiful chocolates that taste better than they look! For what you are buying the prices are extremely reasonable! The nicest handmade chocolate factory that I have been in! Amazingly Clean! This is only as pricey as you let it become! If you like chocolate or have someone who does, you will need to show some self-​restraint!

Fabulous! Espresso and the most lovely chocolates ever. Must go every time I pass Carp.

Super expensive, but super worth it!
I came here the first time with a group, and for $ 20, Jean-​Michel and his wife (whose name I can’t remember, but who is lovely!) gave us a champagne and chocolate tasting and also explained how the chocolate-​making process worked.
I’ve been back several times (both to this store and the one in Santa Barbara) to introduce people to the chocolate and to buy gifts to send back home to my family in North Carolina.
The variety of chocolates available is pretty incredible, and there’s also a seasonal special chocolate that you can buy until they’re gone.
The staff at the shop in SB is kind of aloof, and as such, I much prefer the location in Carpinteria.
Definitely give the salted caramel Buddhas a try. Decadent and delicious! The only one I’ve tried and not liked is the balsamic caramel. I’m sure it’s great for some people, but it just wasn’t my taste.

Great little shop with excellent service. I enjoyed these chocolates, especially the different caramel filled chocolates such as Balsamic Caramel. Yum! Top notch quality!

Hidden in an industrial section of Carpinteria, Chocolats du Calibressan is a totally unique chocolate purveyor. I say purveyor because seller sounds so pedestrian. The chocolates look beautiful and taste even better than they look. And the chocolatier Jean-​Michel creates the most unique and surprising flavors. He supports local events by creating candies to complement the events. And when you meet him, you can tell that he loves what he does and is proud of his creations. Yes, they’re expensive, but hey, you get to practice your crappy French with Jean-​Michel!, and he’s a good sport about it.
Bonus: other fabulous places are now right by the store too, so you can get a full meal to go with your chocolates if you want.

This chocolate place is incredible, a little piece of Europe hidden in Carpinteria of all places. So far, this place ranks #3 in the world for chocolate for me, and I’ve tried a lot of chocolate. Trust me when I say this place is on par with what I’ve had in renown shops in Europe. How this French chocolatier ended up in Carpinteria I don’t know.
The chocolate is of excellent quality and the flavors are excellent. Prices are pretty standard for this type of quality chocolate. I’ve always found the staff to be friendly and helpful. The owner even listened attentively to our recounting of the chocolates we tried in Ghent during our recent trip to Belgium.
This is a great place to pick up a romantic gift, a gift for a chocolate enthusiast, or bring some home to eat late at night while writing Unilocal reviews. (YUM!)

During a recent camping trip to Carp beach, I ventured out on my bike to find these chocolates that were so highly rated on Unilocal.
After a week of camp food these chocolates were a slice of heaven! The Balsamic was my favorite but they were all delicious.
They were almost too pretty to eat… almost.

gourmet chocolate at its finest! They have an amazing selection, and the chocolates are so pretty you don’t want to eat them. The staff is very friendly and as soon as you come in, you are greeted with a chocolate that is heavenly! The chocolates are $ 1.75 each but the artistry that went into creating them totally makes them worth every penny. The selection is between 15 – 20 types of chocolates and truffles, and each is unique as the next. Most are painted so delicately, that you want to take pictures of it and not eat a bite. The different varieties of chocolate is vast and if you can’t decide on anything they offer an excellent selection of pre-​made gift sets that are beautifully wrapped and ready to gift. All chocolate lovers should stop by when in Carpinteria!

Oh My God! I would five this place 10 stars if I could. Utterly fantastic. A bit expensive, but a worthwhile treat. Whenever we drive through Carp we stop in for a piece… or 2 or 3!
My favorite is the Balsamic… it is a little piece of heaven in your mouth. I can not even begin to describe what it tastes like. Another favorite is the Rocher & the Tahitian Vanilla. The chocolates are smooth, creamy and have the most intense flavors.
We recently discovered that they have a second shop in Santa Barbara, in one of the little courtyards that comes off of State street. So you can now fill your craving while taking a leisurely walk in SB :)

Mind blowing chocolate! Surreptitiously located in a business like building, one would never realize it’s home to one of the best chocolate establishment around. I was greeted with a friendly smile and a free sample. Yummy! I took home about 15 different chocolates so that I can determine my favorites for my next visit. So far, I’ve loved their French Bisous (shaped like red lips), champagne, coffee, Buddha Belly, and the balsamic. I still have others to try from the selection I purchased, but so far I haven’t found one I didn’t like. It’s literally right off the freeway, so one could get on and off so easily on their way to and from LA to Santa Barbara. Worth a stop!

«A true chocolate lover finds ways to accommodate his passion and make it work with his lifestyle. One key, not just to keeping weight down and staying guilt-​free, but also to keeping taste buds sharp (essential for the professionals who evaluate new products as well as judge recipes), is being discriminating.» ~ Julie Davis, Los Angeles Times
«My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished 2 bags of M&M’s and a chocolate cake. I feel better already.»
~ Dave Barry
Not sure if M & M’s are really discriminating, but this chocolate shop is. And perfect for stopping in on way back from Santa Barbara as it is located right off the 101 with easy on/​off access. Plus it is located next to Carpinteria Wine Company! Chocolate and wine… great combo :) The wine and driving on freeway part, not so much.
After enjoying hitting the SB location of this local shop, we stopped at the Carpinteria location to pick up a box of 12. Little Buddha Beauty caramel, geranium bob bon, Tanzania single origin dark chocolate, Dark chocolate with balsamic ganache, cinnamon dark chocolate, hazelnut chocolate and a wonderful dark chocolate mint all stowed away home in our car. Only a few survived the trip and those didn’t last long upon arrival :)
You could see jean Michel (who located in California from France because of his wife) preparing another batch of sweet goodness in the back.
The only item that was not a success for me was the Champagne truffle (too much champagne flavor, not enough chocolate) but I loved his other wonderful creations.
Highly recommended.