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Theo Chocolate

5 star rating
based on 70 reviews

Category: Chocolatiers and Shops  [Edit]

3400 Phinney Ave
Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 632-5100
  • Price Range: $$
  • Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
  • Parking: Street
  • Wheelchair Accessible: No

70 Reviews for Theo Chocolate

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Photo of Alison T.

Elite '08

121

191

Alison T.

Sunnyvale, CA

5 star rating
Updated - 07/22/2008

We went again this past weekend ... and they have two NEW flavors:

Fig Fennel

Hazelnut Chocolate Crunch

The former tastes too licoricey for me, but the Hazelnut Chocolate Crunch was just too too good. Mmmmm yum. Milk chocolate with finely chopped hazelnut and just enough crispy crunch. Ahhhh!

Unlimited sampling is available in the showroom, so stop on by!

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 5 star rating 06/10/2008

    Love, love, LOVE this place! Located in Ballard, this chocolate factory was one of the best things… Read more »

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Photo of Sasha R.

Elite '08

53

238

Sasha R.

Portland, OR

4 star rating
07/19/2008

Some people like chocolate, some people REALLY like chocolate, and some people ADORE chocolate. I fall into the category of people that love chocolate so much that they more than adore it :)
So, that's the disclaimer. Suffice it to say I was very very impressed with the Theo chocolate shop. It was tastefully decorated, and there were samples oozing from the walls and tables. The only reason that it gets only 4 stars is because the tour was too full to get into when I was there. Which was sad to me, because you can ALWAYS squeeze one extra chocolate lover in... but I will be back and highly suggest making a stop and scheduling to get in to the tour ahead of time.

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0

14

Katie W.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
07/14/2008

Was entertaining guests and came here for the tour. It was interesting ($5, and included lots of chocolate), and not too long (didn't start to daydream).

The chocolate is really good, and its cool how much thought they put into keeping everything fair trade/organic/ethical/local.

I guess you can come by here anytime they're open to sample all the varieties, you should do it.

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Photo of Christina L.

 

1

11

Christina L.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
07/23/2008

The tour was all booked up, but we went to Theo Chocolate Factory to taste all their chocolates and some confections and were not disappointed.  I tasted every chocolate bar and 4 different confections (burnt sugar, peanut butter and jelly, mint, and lavender jalapeno caramel).

Of the confections, my top two favorites were the burnt sugar truffle and the lavender jalapeno caramel (which I would never have bought, so it was good that Theo is very generous with their samples).  The burnt sugar ganache has a wonderful brown flavor and the caramel was smooth and just chewy enough.  I almost couldn't taste the jalapeno until the end, when it kicked its way onto my tongue.  The PB&J tasted exactly like a chocolate-covered peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and the mint was a really sharp spearmint.

Of their 3400 Phinney bars, my favorite dark chocolate bar is Nib Brittle, which is dark chocolate with little nibs (roasted crunchy meat of the cacao bean) dispersed throughout, and my favorite milk chocolate bar is the Chai.  The former has a rich, dark flavor with just the right amount of crunch, and the latter has great spicy tone to it.

Of their Theo Origin bars, my favorite was the 75% cacao Ivory Coast bar.  I tried the 91% Venezuelan and while it had much more sweetness and flavor than I would have expected, it was still a bit too bitter for me.  The sweetest of the bars, the 65% Madagascar, didn't have the kind of flavor I really liked.  It was amazing to me how you really could tell the difference between the single origin bars, even if they had the same cacao content.

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3

13

Jimmy C.

Kirkland, WA

5 star rating
07/13/2008

Oh my goodness, this place is absofreakinlutely DELICIOUS!!! I love chocolate, and I've sampled quite a few good ones, but the flavors they have here are unbelievable. Who knew basil would go so well with dark chocolate. Everything I tasted was wonderful. Haven't had a chance to do their tour, but I'm looking forward to it the next time I visit. (Which will probably be very soon.) I have a new dessert love.

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23

49

Sarah K.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
06/02/2008

The coconut curry, and the bread and dark chocolate bar makes my toes curl, my scalp tingle and I cannot help but shudder a little on the first bite, it's an orgasm for your tastebuds.  

I am a super picky chocolate snob and Theo Chocolates gets my stamp of approval!

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Photo of Carly L.

Elite '08

155

267

Carly L.

Kirkland, WA

5 star rating
05/12/2008

As noted by previous reviews, there are several ways to make Carly's toes curl: wine, cheese, and finally... chocolate. (*I can't review the other ways) Theo's chocolates and truffles make me wanna scream from the rooftops. I love the coconut curry bar and the new fig, fennel and almond seriously cause me to want to have alone time. The truffles are all perfectly tiny bites of perfection that go perfect with wine. I don't know what else to say but Theo rocks my world and they send us sample bars for when we sell their product in the wine shop. Theo chocolate: I heart you.

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Photo of Valentina V.

Elite '08

119

121

Valentina V.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
03/26/2008

Mmmmmmmmmmmm...
Coconut Curry Milk Chocolate Bar...oh, God!
Burnt sugar and Venezuela truffles...pieces of heaven that fell into a tray at 3400 Phinney Ave. N.

Mmmmmmmmmmmm...

If people ask me how a Venezuelan girl would survive 4,095 miles away from home in Seattle, I will have a handful of simple answers for that question:

1. I will cover myself in Theo Chocolate!
2. I will eat Theo Chocolates!
3. I will cook with Theo Chocolate!
4. I will scout for a salon/spa that offers chocolate manis/pedis with Theo Chocolate products!
5. I will maybe overdose over it sometimes!
6. I will dream with it!
7. I will go to Theo Chocolate world of magic at at 3400 Phinney Ave. N., to take all the Chocolate classes they have, or get a box of truffles, or sample all the 3400 Phinney Bars (even cheat and get more than one piece of the sample marble tray).

Any of all of the above will make me as happy as I am right now...eating a perfect little square of my Coconut Curry chocolate!

Yes, Ryan, I bought a 3400 Phinney bar at Remedy Teas yesterday, and have been nibbling on it when you don't look. Sorry, baby. I promise it won't happen again :-)

Non-Seattlelites can buy these wonders online: https://www.theochocol...

OK, now. Need to go back to my chocolate.

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Photo of Grant P.

Elite '08

7

43

Grant P.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
05/13/2008

This little chocolate factory has put out an inspiring number or intriguing number of products in a short amount of time. I went on a tour a while back and had a really good time.

My two favorites are the Chai Milk Chocolate bar an the Coconut Curry bar. Both have a great spicy flavor that is somewhat surprising.

And the nibs, oh the nibs! A bit bitter but very addicting when you start eating a lot of them.

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Photo of Lisa H.

Elite '08

3

27

Lisa H.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
04/27/2008

Coconut Curry Bar.

Heck yes: rich pure chocolate, sweet texture of coconut, the natural zest of curry goodness...don't ever stop.

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Photo of Megan B.

Elite '08

118

166

Megan B.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
03/01/2008

I am so in love with Theo that I think I might become a polygamist. I would LOVE a chocolate factory as a second husband. Especially one that is organic, fair trade, and makes me want to jump into one of their holding tanks like Augustus Gloop!

I have been a fan of Theo's for a year now, ever since I bought a Bread and Chocolate bar on a whim on our last vacation. Then my huzz got me an assortment of delicious confections for Valentines day, which were promptly devoured. Today we went on a tour of the factory. I want to work here.

Our tour hostess was the perfect embodiment of the joyous qualities of chocolate. She was knowledgeable, engaging, and enthusiastic. We enjoyed a TON of samples, and despite the shitty a-hole yuppies and their unruly progeny that joined us on the tour, we really enjoyed learning about the chocolate process.

I ended up bringing home some cacao nibs, which were the star in this evening's salad, the nib brittle, and an assortment of six confections- the lemon, scotch, lavender jalapeno caramel, rose caramel, burnt sugar caramel, and peanut butter. I'd be hard pressed to pick a favorite from the bunch.

This is the place that all of our out of town visitors will be accompanying us to. A great asset to the Seattle community for sure!

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Photo of Kira B.

Elite '08

66

283

Kira B.

Huntington Beach, CA

5 star rating
03/31/2008

I went on a chocolate factory tour here. I was expecting something Wonka-esque but I settled for the cute little brick building. The tour was informative and fun with lots and lots of chocolate sampling.. so much in fact that I stopped partaking in the sampling because I had had enough. My favorites were the chai milk chocolate and the bread/chocolate. You feel good about it being organic/fair trade so it softens the blow of a $3.50 chocolate bar.

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Photo of Lori W.

 

8

36

Lori W.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
04/19/2008

Just went on the tour today. I appreciate what Theo chocolates is doing - creating good quality chocolate using fair trade, organic cacao beans. I also appreciate their very distinctive flavors for their Phinney line. Of the Theo line, I love love loved the 65% cacao  bars sourced from Madagascar.

The tour is somewhat interesting, it would have been neat to see the machinery running, but maybe it'll be on an unwrapped episode sometime...

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Photo of MaRiA L.

Elite '08

269

155

MaRiA L.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
04/18/2008

I was cranky. Then, I visited Theo with three similarly cranky people and we all left much, much happier.

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Photo of Calyn M.

 

0

8

Calyn M.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
06/06/2008

I am very picky about chocolate. Theo? Oh. My. GAWD. Their truffles are made by the angels. Get the lavender jalapeno, earl grey, or anything with coriander; just plain ol' vanilla is boring here.  The coconut curry bar is straight from St. Gabriel's hands. Okay, enough heretical waxings. Go to the chocolate factory, young Charlie Bucket, and get yourself some Theo. Now.

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Photo of Nina N.

Elite '08

187

263

Nina N.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
01/22/2008

So today I got a theo triple chocolate pedicure at gene juarez, oh yes my dear friends a pedicure with theo chocolate spa products ..... so amazing.. but then again why wouldn't it be.... right?  it's sweet on your feet and in the end your toes look cute, and for the girls or even guys that have their significant other that have those feet fetish's... it's pretty nice..... your feet smell wonderful...and  in the end you get a chocolate bar too.. for dessert!!! awesome!!!!! for the people that don't like the overpowering smell of chocolate... it is pretty strong and might  make you sick to your stomach...!!!! be aware if you are used to the lavendar and peonia smells that you are used too... you might just hate it.. but hey it's with theo chocolates and you get a free chocolate bar!!! awesome!!!

good job theo chocolates for coming up in the spa world!!!!!!

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Photo of V C.

 

0

4

V C.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
03/25/2008

I didn't get to go on the tour because they're fully booked for the whole week.  But the chocolates samples are in constant supply and quite enjoyable.  The new fig, fennel & almond bar stood out.  Note however you don't get special pricing for buying it at the source.  We bought 10 bars only to find them selling for cheaper at the grocery store down the street (PCC Natural Market).  So, buyer beware regarding the prices... :)

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Photo of Jocelyn E.

Elite '08

61

56

Jocelyn E.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
01/13/2008

I've been trying to get our family posse of 6 reservations for a Theo tour the entire holiday season to no avail.  I was told that while there were no available spaces, we were more than welcome to come down to the facility and try out some samples in the retail store.  We decided to wait.  Patience and persistency paid off: When I finally called back earlier this year, I was finally able to get us in for a Saturday afternoon visit.

We loved it.  Our tour guide was an enthusiastic 20-something year old who was clearly very, very enthusiastic about her employer (always a plus).  She was probably most enthused by Theo's contributions and efforts to supporting free trade, but being a capitalist from California, it wasn't as huge of a focus point for me.  But I do appreciate the idea of free trade, and I do think that what Theo is doing is a huge step forward for so many hard workers out there!

The chocolate was fantastic.  The introductory blurb to each sample is definitely something that I wouldn't have gotten had I just tried the in-store samples.  It's always interesting to hear how some of the flavors came together - or to sample a flavor that I know I would have never tried had I known what was in them.  I went home with a small bag of nibs and a bag of nib brittle.  Yummy.  And now I know what a nib is!

I highly recommend a Theo tour to anyone - even the non-sweets loving other half had a great time tasting all the chocolate.  You learn so much about the chocolate making process (not just the way Theo makes their chocolate, but how the chocolate process happens in general).  The chocolates really do taste fantastic, and for $5, the samples more than paid for the tour itself.  The bars are a bit pricey, as are the confections (I think they were $2 a piece.), but you know you're getting great chocolate for what you pay.  And you know you're helping a socially responsible business!

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Photo of turtle j.

 

10

48

turtle j.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
03/12/2008

I LOVE chocolate.
I LOVE chocolate makers.
So basically going on the factory tour and getting to sample chocolates while wallowing in the chocolate scented air was as close to a clothed orgy as I've gotten.

Besides where else can you feel like a crunchy liberal do-gooder all while enjoying 91% cocoa chocolate.
thier bars are good both the "plain" chocolate and the flavoured chocolate. Thier truffles are also good, as good as Joseph Schmidt or other fine confectionaries.

I love the nibs they sell and if they did have a chocolate water fountain I would love to swim it.

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Elite '08

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70

katie s.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
01/29/2008

If you go on the Artwalk - they provide free samples of their chocolates.  Go if you want a major sugar fix!  Or... I've caught them at a quiet time and was able to sample a *lot* of their signature collezione.

I bought a stack of their bars and got 10% off my total bill.  Thankyou Theo!  The packaging is totally cute - love the artwork - and they'll gift wrap if you ask nicely.  

BTW, try their curry chocolate bar - we took it to India as gifts and all the peops there thought we were freaks for combining the two flavors.

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Photo of Chandler H.

 

6

70

Chandler H.

Lynnwood, WA

5 star rating
03/01/2008

So so good.  Go take the tour!  It's the most economical way to get Theo chocolate!  The only thing you'll leave wanting is to sample every confection.  I think most people have tried a Theo Bar, but have you tried the confections?  They are so good!  Go for a PB&J!

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Photo of Laura P.

Elite '08

139

500

Laura P.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
12/18/2007

When was the last time you had portobello chocolate soup?

Yep, thought so.

Get yourself to Theo Chocolate.  Grab a recipe for me while you are at it since I forgot mine there!

Must have been the fig fennel confections that sidetracked me.

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Photo of Crystal A.

 

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3

Crystal A.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
01/30/2008

Hey you Theonistas!!!

I wanted to let you know that Theo Chocolate has a MySpace page, and if you've got one, we'd love to have you as a friend!! I maintain it ... I'm Kitchen Packing-room Crystal (Yeah, I work in the Kitchen/Kitchen's packing room) lol!

I've been telling everyone at Theo how lovely all of your reviews are ... we all REALLY appreciate it!!!

Hope to see you all there, and thanks for supporting us!!!

- Crystal

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Photo of Liza Z.

 

13

81

Liza Z.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
01/17/2008

Theo's chocolate is orgasmic! I wish Theo was my BFF because he makes everything out of chocolate and for a true chocoholic, this is heaven on earth!

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Photo of W G.

 

1

10

W G.

Sacramento, CA

5 star rating
02/20/2008

I recently went to Theo Chocolate on Valentine's Day for their tour.  I was actually expecting the tour to be more informational and somewhat a bore.  To my surprise, we had a really funny tour guide that made the tour informational and fun!  I wish I remembered her name..so I could give her kudos!  The tour is $5 and everyone is loaded with tons of samples.  I couldn't believe I actually had to refuse chocolate!!!  The Theo Origin bars are not my cup of tea, but 3400 Phinney Chocolate and Theo Confections are sooo addicting!  My favs are the Vanilla, Chai Tea, Fig, Fennel & Almond Dark, Nib Brittle Dark (3400 Phinney) Chocolate bars.  I love about all of the Theo Confections..esp the carmel one with salt on top.  My friends arrived in town for the first time, and of course I had to bring them.  They loved it!

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6

63

Nic B.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
02/01/2008

These people have a passion for chocolate and it shows in their products.  the chocolate is delicious, and their business practices phenomenal.  Fair  trade, all organic, one of only 14 chocolate makers in the US (meaning they take cocoa beans from start to finish all on their own).  The factory tour is well worth the five dollars - very informative, fun, and you get to try a bunch of the treats.  Took my parents here during their visit and they absolutely loved it.  If you've ever eaten chocolate and enjoyed it you owe to yourself to come check and support out this awesome local business

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Elite '08

236

182

Lainie L.

Oakland, CA

5 star rating
09/26/2007

I have always really liked the name Theo.  Why?  I do not know. .. too many viewings of The Cosby Show?   I used to toy with the idea of naming my child Theodore so I could call him Theo.   But I did not really like the name Theodore and was worried that people would call him Teddy.  But now, I CAN name my imaginary little boy Theo with no worries about anyone calling him Teddy. .. 'cause his name will be Theobromus which means food of the gods and it's where we get the word Theobromide, which is the chemical in chocolate that makes us feel all bubbly and happy inside - it is also where Theo Chocolates gets their name.  

My seester graciously took me on the Theo Chocolate Factory tour even though she had experienced it before.  All she kept saying was. . ."it's hot in there.  I mean, really warm.  If at any point you want to leave, just let me know and we're outtie."  As if.

First, you walk in and pay five bucks.  Then you start eating chocolate.  Theo bars - single origin bean fair trade organic chocolate bars in varying degrees of upside your head chocolateyness - starting with 91%. . you'd think that'd be bitter but no, it's smooth as silk.  Then you move on to the Phinney collections. . their flavored chocolate bars.  If there is a more genius combination than adding buttery, salted ground up baguettes to dark chocolate, I don't know what it is  . .. oh, wait, yes I do. .. it's the masterful genius who came up with the fig/fennel flavor in their individual chocolates.  Sure, at first you kind of wrinkle your nose at the thought of figs, fennel and chocolate but save it. .. it is simply divine.  

The tour is kind of loud, a wee bit dull and HOT. . .but I geeked out on the equipment and my favorite part was the confections kitchen where they were making the smooth as silk ganache that goes into the fig/fennel chocolate.  It smelled like heaven in there!

So you get to sample chocolate before the tour, during the tour and after the tour.  By the time we were done, I said words that I never thought would pass my lips. . .

"Ugh, I am sick of chocolate."  

That, of course, subsided quickly and I wished that I had purchased a few bread & chocolate, coconut curry and fig/fennel chocolates . . .they can be ordered on-line - thank god.  Or goddamn it, depending on the day and what the scale says.  

My imaginary son's name: Theobromus Caciotta al Tartufo Gras de Canard (roughly translated: food of the gods sheep's milk truffle cheese goose fat).

He'd forgive me, right?

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Anca S.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
12/18/2007

The tour...think wine tasting but with chocolate, and you sure as heck don't spit it out after each. The second time I went on the tour the guide suggested we let each piece start to melt on our tongues. Yes, do that.

I wouldn't normally like coconut nor curry, but their Coconut Curry bar is quite nice. Their Coffee flavored bar is yummy, even though I can't stand the taste/smell/existence of coffee. Odd.

Yes, the chocolate is a bit pricey but worth it. The confections are pricey probably because they can't sell them in many places due to their short 2-week shelf-life.

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157

Natalie W.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
01/07/2008

I actually like their curry chocolate. Yum! When I headed to the tasting event right before Christmas I had never had Theo before. I love Theo now- the chipotle sipping chocolate was so delicious and being a fan of dark chocolate made the experience especially amazing. I brought some dorky boys with me who mentally assaulted a chocolate connoisseur when one commented that the dark chocolate had no flavor- this was amusing beyond belief :) I will be back- this time taking home lots of chocolate with me. Do you think a wheel barrow will work?

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73

Blake D.

Seattle, WA

4 star rating
12/05/2007

If you're a chocolate lover, this is your heaven!

I've heard of alot of people rave about this place so I signed some friends and myself up for the tour.  We weren't disappointed.  All of us learned so much about chocolate like where it comes from, what white chocolate was, how it's created, and some of the social issues surrounded chocolate.

We also had the opportunity to taste a TON of chocolate!  We tried so many different flavors and the real stuff from milk chocolate all the way up to 70% cocoa (bitter!).

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228

Jessica Y.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
10/09/2007

It's the kind of chocolate that can make your entire day better with just one bite. I love the Madagascar - it's such a rich, perfectly dark chocolate. Just a tiny bit fills my mouth with the will to live. Plus, organic and fair trade chocolate does wonders for your karma. I can't wait to bring my mom some of the bread and chocolate bars (my favorite so far), I just know she's going to be begging me to pack some every time I go home to visit!

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Julie G.

West Los Angeles, CA

5 star rating
08/21/2007

Seattle feels like home for so many reasons, and one of those reasons is Theo Chocolate.

Giddy as a kid on Christmas (or so I surmise, being of the Jewish persuasion), I walked into Theo from the drizzle of a chilly, silvery, Seattle summer day. It was 11am. The super caffeinated cutie pie working behind the counter greeted us with thuper dooper cheerfulness and instantly offered us chocolate. She practically chastised us for not bum-rushing the counter. So we wiped the sleepies from our eyes and got our chocolate on.

I figured I'd strike while the palette was fresh, and went straight for the 91 proof. That's 91% cacao. We're basically talking baking chocolate. But so smooth! This bar was a single origin Theo bar made from Venezuelan beans. Me likey. It made some folks wrinkle their noses, which just made me think: more for moi. I made my way through all their samples, stopping to take note of the Bread and Chocolate, the Dark with Nib Brittle, and the other single origin bars from Madagascar and Ghana.

Bread and Chocolate, like the gorgeous European sandwich made from fresh French baguette, shaved or broken dark chocolate, and butter was like the sandwich in reverse--the tiny, toasty, salty, buttery crumbs of bread are enrobed in fine quality 65% dark chocolate. It is heaven in a bar. I could devour the entire thing leaving only chocolate fingerprints as evidence. In fact, I just ate half of the bar I brought home. My poor little keyboard is getting fingerpainted as I type. The Nib Brittle bar has little shavings of cacao nibs (chocolate before it's crushed down to make the creamy stuff we know and love) made into a caramelly brittle and then made into a chocolate bar. A close second to Bread and Chocolate. God, yum.

But seriously, let's get on with the tour. Happily, another cheerful Theoista came out to lead us around the factory and introduce us to the wonderful machines and a few of the people who bring these chocolate bars to life. We talked beans, roasting, conching, flavoring, tempering, and more. We asked questions, she fielded them as deftly as she could, seeing as a few of us were expert question askers and we cooked up some challenging ones. We stood, we pondered, we listened, we smelled (chocolate air!), and we sampled. And sampled. If it is possible to OD on chocolate, Theo is your enabler.

After the tour, we shopped. I bought a mere nine bars of chocolate. Three were gifted away, six were taken home with me. Five and a half remain. Tick tock. Five and 1/4 remain.

Things you should know about Theo and chocolate:

1. Theo comes from the Latin name for chocolate: Theobroma cacao.

2. Theo means God, or of the Gods. Damn straight.

3. Chocolate (the dark stuff) has many antioxidants in it that are as good or better for you than red wine. Ca-cao!

4. Theo gives an awesome tour for $5. You eat a whole bunch of chocolate and learn a whole bunch of stuff for just $5. And you can hang out there all day and snack if you want. Okay, maybe not all day. But for a good while.

5. Theo Chocolates are Fair Trade and Organic. Go team!

6. Theo is in the former Red Hook Brewery in Fremont. The new Red Hook Brewery also gives a great tour. We did that the day before we hit Theo. That's right, baby, beer and chocolate. Whoot!

7. You can totally taste the difference between beans grown in one country and beans grown in another. Even if they're the same kind of beans.

8. Theo bars make excellent gifts.

9. So do the truffles.

10. Make reservations before you go if you want to do the tour. Otherwise, you'll be oh so sad when they tell you it's all full.
You're welcome.

I love you Theo!
Love,
Julie

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Jenny B.

New York, NY

4 star rating
01/22/2008

The chocolates were good, but I don't know why people would rate this 5 stars. Is it because of the tour? I did get a lot of free samples even though I didn't join the tour. The bread chocolate was something I was looking forward too, but it wasn't spectacular. Neither was the fig chocolate. Just good chocolate.

Don't get too excited about this place.

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Rachel H.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
11/21/2007

All I have to say is....
1.  Curry Coconut Milk Chocolate
2.  Free samples!

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Jennifer P.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
08/08/2007

There are no chocolate waterfalls or oompa loompas here... What kind of chocolate factory is this?!? I'm so disappointed!

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to sate myself on the coconut curry chocolate bars until I explode. Deliciously.

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Aaron M.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
11/27/2007

Damn they make their own Chocolate!  It is good and dark and within walking distance.  My wife never loved me so much.

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Adam B.

Albany, CA

5 star rating
08/14/2007

I don't have time to read the other reviews at the moment, so I apologize if I'm repeating something. This place is so spectacular that I understand if there is a lot to repeat.

So I came across this place by running into a friend on the 48 bus. She had a Theo chocolate bar and mentioned how she had wanted to go on a tour. I said "we're going!"

One of the best decisions I made all summer! I have a long story about barely making it there in time and almost not getting in with the tour group (BOOK A FEW DAYS IN ADVANCE IF POSSIBLE!) They were very nice about letting us tag along with the already large tour group though! $5 for the tour, if anyone is wondering...

Our tour guide was Sarah, and she was great. We learned all about the fair trade and organic-ness of their cacao beans. You learn about countries of origin and get a factory tour, and BEST of all, there are plenty of free samples!!! I think the $5 cost of the tour is more than made up for with all the samples!

Basically I don't understand how I could have been in Seattle for 2 years and not have known about this until a few days ago. It is such a treasure an the chocolate is to die for! Prices can be a bit of an issue, but I tell you, this chocolate is to die for!

For their 3400 Phinney line of chocolates, the bars are $3.25 each. For the confections, you pay either $1.85 of $2 depending on the packaging. And I believe the Dark Chocolates (91% etc) run about $6. But what the hell, they're local, they're fair trade organic, it's fucking worth it!

GO, GO NOW! Make your reservation @ (206) 632-5100. You should not miss such an experience!

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Kat H.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
08/23/2007

Everything you need to know about chocolate, delivered right to your taste buds. My friends were visiting from out of town, and this was one of the best things we did together during their trip. Tourist or not, you should make Theo a stop in your city-visiting circuit. A local friend who overheard me mention it asked, "What's Theo?"  It almost seemed like a travesty--that you could live here and not know. Go there. Educate yourself. Overdosing never tasted so good. Um, except, perhaps, at a brewery tour, but we'll keep the eating and drinking in separate categories, mmmm-kay?

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Maria C.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
06/09/2007

If chocolate is divine, then a piece of Theo chocolate is God**. I swear to Theo that while savoring a morsel of heaven I momentarily saw the meaning of life. In technicolor. As the chocolate faded so did the insight, but I figure if I just steadily eat fig and fennel truffles and bars of bread & chocolate I'll eventually end up in a white robe on a mountaintop sending supplicants out in search of Theo Chocolates.

The tour of the factory, for $5, is a great deal and THE perfect way to spend an hour on a rainy Saturday afternoon. You learn everything about the process, from growing and gathering to conching and cooling. (You should have seen Mitzie's eyes light up when they handed us flow charts). You get to sample chocolate along the way, including nibs, and see big machines like ball mills and stone mills close up. This was even better than any wine tour I've ever been on. And the aroma in the factory is heavenly.

In the end I came out smarter, happier and poorer than I went in. Ask me about theobromine. Or about the $34 I spent on bars of vanilla milk chocolate, nib brittle dark chocolate, chai tea milk chocolate, coffee dark chocolate, and bread & chocolate, and the truffles with burnt sugar, lemon, peanut butter & jelly, fig-fennel, and mint, and the bag of nib brittle. Oh, and Yelpstick, it's been great, but you're history. I now have chocolate lip balm. Sorry. Some people think I won't be able to make all this chocolate last for a couple of weeks. I'll show them. Or not.

Organic, fair trade chocolate? I'll never buy any other way.

**Uh, Theo actually does mean God. It's a Greek root. So I'm not quite as clever as it appears.

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Lindi M.

Seattle, WA

5 star rating
08/04/2007

You had me fair trade, organic cocoa beans.

There's nothing I can say that hasn't already been said.

A-MAZ-ING.

I will be back. Sooner than I should, I'm sure. The 91 percent cacao dark chocolate is supposedly better for you than broccoli. So, I mean, really, I'm just going to go back for "health" reasons.

The confections are TO DIE FOR. Seriously. As if the chocolate bars weren't good enough.

I should deduct a star because now any chocolate I taste is going to suck by comparison. Thanks a lot!

But, no, oh no, dear sweet Theo Chocolate, you deserve all the stars in the sky.

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