Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on December 9, 2021.
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Every major city in the country has a local chocolate shop of critical acclaim, and in the Pittsburgh metro, that shop is none other than Canonsburg-based Sarris Candies.
While we often pick up Sarris Candies' chocolates at shops all over the city as they're stocked just about everywhere, it is hard to pass up making a trip to their store in Canonsburg. Not only does this one have an incredible amount of chocolate, they also have candy, ice cream, and a pretty stellar ambiance as well!
So if you are planning on making the drive south to Canonsburg, we wanted to share a bit about what you can expect in this one.
Sarris Candies is a Magical Place for Chocolate and Candy Lovers
When thinking about Sarris Candies as a store, we often consider a few key features.
First off, there is the ambiance at large. Sarris Candies is split into what we like to think of as three sections. There is the chocolate shop, the candy store, and the ice cream parlor (more on that below)- each with its own unique vibe and selection.
The three areas truly cover the bases here for anyone with a sweet tooth with this mix as there is no shortage of pure chocolate, chocolate-covered delights, sugar-based candies, and other creations to satisfy a craving. Personally, we stray to the chocolate side of this store as they are produced in-house (many of the candies are from more well-known brands), and often find ourselves jumping between their chocolate-covered pretzels, cherry cordials, and peanut butter meltaways (plus the occasional truffle when we have some extra cash in our pockets) in particular.
Second, there are unique design features. If wall-to-wall chocolates and candies aren't enough to be considered art on its own right, the shelves at Sarris are adorned with an array of items for the eyes ranging from oversized stuffed animals to one of the largest castles made of chocolate you'll likely ever see (spend a couple of moments reading the sign about what went into building it!). They even go all out in decorating for the holidays, so be sure to visit during Christmas as well!
Finally, there is the ice cream parlor section of the store. But because this portion is a destination in its own right, we are dedicating the rest of the article to it in particular!
Plan for a Stop at Sarris Ice Cream Parlor for a Sundae
If the chocolate shop isn't enough to get you to jump in your car and drive to Canonsburg, the store's vintage ice cream parlor should seal the deal. This one is retro through and through with old-timey booths, neon signage, ice cream art on the walls, and even custom-made lampshades with, you guessed it, ice cream stained glass!
Apart from scoops of homemade ice creams, Sarris has an exceptional list of sundaes for you to enjoy with a plethora of toppings. We'd be remiss if we didn't point out that the portion size of Sarris ice cream and sundaes starts at large and works its way up, as two scoops of ice cream alone for us is the equivalent of four to five scoops at other popular ice cream shops in Pittsburgh. You really won't go wanting for more at this one- in fact, you may leave thinking it was too much.
During a holiday visit to the ice cream parlor, we opted to just hit two scoops of their seasonal flavors, eggnog and peppermint stix, and made a note about the lovely texture of this ice cream. It is thick but incredibly smooth, and the eggnog had a nice custard creaminess to it as well thanks to the eggs. The flavors off the eggnog also held their own to the peppermint which could've overpowered it as well.
When it comes down to it, although Sarris Candies is known as a chocolate shop first and foremost, you really can get just about everything here thanks to their impressive selection of candies and ice creams to go along with the chocolate. But whatever you do, plan on at least getting a monster scoop (or two) from their on-site ice cream parlor when visiting plus the obligatory chocolates to go- you won't regret that combination at all!
Sarris Candies is located at 511 Adams Ave in Canonsburg. Traveling soon? Sarris also has a well-stocked store in the Pittsburgh International Airport and makes for great gifts for friends outside of the region!
