If you ask me to name my favorite chocolate shop, I’ll name two. And just one in Hawaii: Maui Specialty Chocolates. I’m obsessed with their Kona Coffee dark chocolate. They finely grind 100% Kona Coffee into it, which provides an oh so satisfying slight crunch to every bite. I love that. I keep a stash in a clear glass jar on my desk and treat myself to a piece after a job well done. I also enjoy their chocolate covered mochi crunch.

My husband favors their peanut butter and milk chocolate mochi. Yes, peanut butter milk chocolate mochi! Have you heard of such a flavor?!

The flavors and flavor combinations are what Maui Specialty Chocolates excels at. And what has my family coming back time and time again. Owner/chocolatier Valerie Jones makes nearly every piece of chocolate herself, ensuring that only chocolates of the highest quality and consistency go into the box. Born and raised on Maui, she started making chocolates at home and demand only grew from there.

You can only get them on Maui (unfortunately, they don’t ship and don’t sell to other retail stores). Which makes them the perfect gift to bring back to friends, family and coworkers. It’s a tradition or practice of gift giving that we call “omiyage” in my family, a Japanese expression of aloha upon returning from a trip.

So when my family rolls into town (my parents from Oahu, my brother and sister in law from SoCal and me from NoCal), we collectively phone in a massive order for pick up upon our arrival. We order plenty for ourselves to last until our next visit, as well as for our friends.

Next time you’re on Maui, you won’t regret popping into Maui Speciality Chocolates in Kahului. Where do your favorite chocolates come from?