The wait is over! The Harvard Square Business Association is delighted to announce the return of the 18th Annual Taste of Chocolate Festival! From January 23rd through the 25th, Harvard Square’s finest restaurants, cafes and shops will embark on a three-day chocolate extravaganza. The centerpiece of this beloved and eagerly anticipated sweet weekend is our free Chocolate Tasting Event taking place on Brattle Street (between Eliot and Church Streets) from 1:00pm – 2:00pm, followed by an outdoor chocolate street party celebration until 3:30pm.
Come early and be prepared to indulge in scrumptious treats! This chocolate extravaganza attracts hundreds of chocoholics!
Harvard Square businesses generously distributing chocolate samples include:
Hot chocolate from El Jefe’s Taqueria
Ice Cream from Van Leeuwen Ice Cream
Sweet treats from Amorino, Beyond Full, The Cambridge Center for Adult Education, Charlie’s Kitchen, Chip City, Dig, Fruition Chocolate Works, Off the Beaten Path, Tuck’s Truffles and more!
While indulging in chocolate delicacies, enjoy a brew! Our friends from Charlie’s Kitchen will be on hand with adult beverages. Charlie’s Kitchen welcomes you back in to experience the new and always improving Charlie’s under Owner and Head Chef David Oshima, who brings two decades of experience as a chef and restaurateur all over the US and beyond. Along with the staples you know and love, Charlie’s is adding new classics and a packed entertainment schedule including Karaoke, Trivia and Comedy nights!
A Winter Carnival event would not be the same without our good friends and crowd-pleasers, Grooversity, who will take off the chill (and perhaps some newly ingested calories!) from 1pm – 2pm with their heart-stopping percussion combining traditional Brazilian grooves like Samba and Axe with Funk, Rock, Jazz and Hip Hop.
Put your feet up in one of our enclosed “igloos” – an ideal place to unwind and warm up after all that chocolate and dancing – or warm your hands by our fire pits!
All weekend long, your favorite Harvard Square eateries and retailers will dazzle you with sweet deals and promotions and will be creating irresistible specialty chocolate confections and libations! Businesses looking forward to welcoming you include:
Cambridge Center for Adult Education
How to be A Chocolate Sommelier
There are over 400 different aromatic flavor profiles recognized in cacao, the bean we use to make chocolate, which is more than double what is available in wine. Most industrial, mass-produced chocolate, however, is made in a way that mutes these nuances in favor of being a sugar-forward experience. In this course, we will take you through the exercise of tasting chocolate like an expert, and help you to get started on your journey of exploring the subtleties of craft chocolate, with all of the layers of flavor that good chocolate makers are able to coax from those beautiful beans. Professional Chocolate Sommelier Victoria Kichuk will lead this class.
February 5, 2026 | 6:00pm | At CCAE | $90.00
Meet & Mingle Chocolate Tasting
Join us at CCAE for an evening of chocolate tasting and connection! This isn’t your typical meet-up – research shows that people form bonds more easily when they share a new learning experience. And what better way to connect than through the joy of chocolate? At this event, you’ll discover fascinating facts about craft chocolate while enjoying a series of guided tastings. As you savor each bite, you’ll also rotate tables between rounds, giving you the chance to meet and mingle with new people throughout the session. If a connection sparks, you’ll have the opportunity to exchange contact information before the event wraps up. Everyone will leave with a deeper appreciation for chocolate, a few new connections, and a sweet treat to take home! Led by Victoria Kichuk.
February 14, 2026 | 3:00pm | At CCAE | $40.00
Parent and Child: Chocolate Art
Join Linda Khachadurian, a professional chocolate and sugar artist, who will guide you and your child as you make chocolate art of your choice such as chocolate baskets, message plaques, bunnies, and more. You and your child will leave the class with your own unique chocolate decorative pieces. We only use chocolate made from responsibly sourced cacao. Tuition is per one parent and one child.
February 20, 2026 | 6:00pm | At CCAE | $130.00
Cardullo’s Gourmet Shoppe
Cardullo’s will be offering promotional discounts on a selection of our best-selling chocolate bars! The sale will run through the weekend, with pop-up tastings of local and international favorites that you won’t want to miss!
El Jefe’s Taqueria
Fruition Chocolate Works
The Hourly Oyster House
J.P. Licks
- A Hot Chocolate Sundae
- A Frozen Hot Chocolate
- El Diablo Hot Chocolate (spiced with a hint of cayenne)
Le Macaron
We will be offering a special selection of macarons, our” Chocolate Lovers Box” a box of 6 macarons featuring Belgium Chocolate, Tiramisu, and Nutella and a free cup of coffee.
Lovestruck Books
For the full weekend (1/23 to 1/25) Lovestruck Books + Cafe will offer:
- George Howell Cafe sipping chocolate samples
- 10% off all Lovestruck Books + Cafe chocolates
Noir Bar
MONTE CARLO FLIP – $16
VERNA • AMARO SIBILLA • SUPER CACAO • WHOLE EGG
Rebekah Brooks Jewelry
15% off jewelry all weekend
Russell House Tavern
Tuck’s Truffles
25% off sale on all truffles and hot chocolate in our shop in The Garage.
Union Square Donuts
Union Square Donuts will be featuring the following chocolate items on the weekend
-Chocolate cake donut with Honey glaze
-Tiramisu
-Brownie Batter Donut
-Dubai Chocolate Bar Donut
-Boston Cream Donut
-Belgian Dark Chocolate Donut
-Milk chocolate glazed Donut with rainbow sprinkles
