Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory

Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory:
Come take a tour!

I think it’s safe to say chocolate is one of my favorite foods. I’m also very interested to learn where my food comes from, especially if I eat a lot of it. As a frequent chocolate eater and someone who enjoys learning about food, I was more than happy to visit Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory in Daytona Beach. Located right on Beach Street, Angell & Phelps is both a historical landmark and a sweet destination for tourists and locals alike. Voted one of the Top Ten Sweetest Destinations in America by TripAdvisor.com, Angell & Phelps Chocolate offers great chocolate and a fascinating history to go with it.

The best way to experience Angell & Phelps Chocolate is by taking part in a free tour of the chocolate factory. During the tour, I learned the history behind the business as well as the way chocolate is made. Angell & Phelps Chocolate began in 1925, when two single women, Riddell Angell and Cora Phelps started making candies in Michigan. After World War II, the ladies moved to Daytona Beach and continued to make their candies. Today, the same simple candy-making method is used to produce a wide variety of chocolate treats.

The tour also includes a lesson in chocolate making as well as a look at the way Angell & Phelps makes their chocolate on a daily basis. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any sweeter, the tour ended with free samples of the factory’s most popular chocolates. One of the best sellers is the chocolate covered potato chip. At first I was a little bit hesitant to try the strange concoction, but as a chocolate lover, I decided to give it a try. Surprisingly, it was a delicious balance of sweet and salty.

After the tour, I walked around the store and was overwhelmed with all of the delicious options. Gourmet coffee was available for sampling and purchasing as well as and white chocolate and dark chocolate covered popcorn.  The freshly made caramel apples also caught my eye. Not only did they look delicious, but with a coupon found in this month’s SEE Magazine, they were buy one get one free!

The overwhelming variety of chocolate treats in the store serves as proof that Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory is grounded in history. Many of the chocolates that I sampled were made using the same recipes that the founders used when they started the candy making business in the 1920s. By keeping up this tradition the current owner, Chuck Smith, is definitely doing something right.

Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory is open Monday through Saturday and offers free tours on weekdays. Whether you are on a beach vacation or a local Daytona resident, a trip to Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory will provide you with a great story and a chance to indulge in delicious chocolate treats. Once you visit Angell & Phelps, you will find yourself coming again and again.

~Amanda Michael

Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory
Open: Mon-Fri 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Sat to 5 p.m.
Tours: Mon-Sat at 10, 11 a.m., 1, 2, 3, & 4 p.m.
Location: 154 South Beach Street, Daytona Beach
Phone: (386) 252-6531