Compartes Chocolate Truffles 805 Living MagazineAlthough Comparte's Chocolatier has been in business for over half a century, this Southern California institution was recently reinvented as a true artisanal chocolate hotspot. Jonathan Grahm took over operations from his family, which also owns Bonny Doon Vineyard in Santa Cruz, and he now he is co-owner of the store. The shop in Brentwood received a pretty stylish makeover (which was documented on A&E's Designing Blind show) as Grahm modernized the look, giving the Westside location a chic but comfortable lounge vibe.

Additionally, Comparte's Chocolatier also relaunched with a mission to prepare sublime chocolate creations for contemporary tastes. Using an old-fashioned copper candy kettle in the back kitchen (try saying that five times fast), Grahm makes chocolates in small batches with all-natural, high-quality ingredients. It's hard to figure out just what the specialty of the house is. The cream-infused truffles (try the rose raspberry and Bonny Doon framboise flavors introduced for Valentine's Day) are always top sellers, but the almond turtles have a strong fan base as well. The boutique also specializes in chocolate-covered fruits, like orange peel, raspberries, peaches and long-stem chocolate dipped strawberries. The adventurous palates might like the Tahitian vanilla ganache, fleur de sel caramels and hazelnut gianduja.

Comparte's Chocolatier also serves traditional sweets like marshmallows and English toffee. With such wide appeal, it's no wonder Comparte's Chocolatier gets lots of celebrities, like Teri Hatcher, Nicole Kidman and Dustin Hoffman, flocking to the store. But you don't have to be a red-carpet walker to get the star treatment here. Their chocolates can be customized with your favorite ingredients.