Artisserie Chocolate Cafe

God I miss Naked Chocolate. I didn’t realize anything had happened to them until a chocolate/​sweets craving hit and my attempt to remedy it failed when I noticed the new signage at their old locations. Artisserie Chocolate Café at least seemed to promise the same rewarding treats, just under a different guise, within the same teeny tiny cramped café space.
Sadly, this does not live up to the former bakery/​artisan desserts café. The cupcakes are huge but not very tasty, the cake is dry and the frosting is too sweet for my liking. The little chocolates and truffles that you can purchase are… fine, but the problem is that there aren’t any descriptions of them and when I tried to ask for help the two (student?) staffers unfortunately could not provide much real information. Prices are slightly gauged, but that might have to do with its proximity to Penn/​Drexel and the lack of similar options in the immediate area. I personally won’t be back (thankfully I don’t live in the area) since I have far better options throughout CC for a sugar fix. Or I could just bake for myself — it might take more effort, but it’ll taste sweeter for sure.

I was fairly underwhelmed by the quality of the desserts I tried, and overwhelmed by the price.
After a stressful finals week (let’s address our key demographic here at Penn’s campus), I decided to treat myself. Looking forward to basically anything that wasn’t a Red Bull or granola bar, I had a pretty low bar for my cupcakes to pass. However, I was pretty underwhelmed. The cake was fresh and tasty, but nothing about it was unique or really stood out. It was slightly richer and lighter than cupcakes I make myself, but not enough to justify the price or trip.
I also purchased a box of truffles, but can’t comment too much on them since I’m not a chocolate fan. I only know that the one other time I purchased truffles from an artisan chocolate shop (in Georgetown, DC), I was surprised to find out that I do enjoy truffles. Since this was my only positive truffle experience, it’s hard to compare or make any comment beyond these Philadelphia truffles did not turn me into a believer.
I would give the cupcake quality a 3, while the price brings my overall rating down to a two.

Been here a couple times for tea, chocolate, and desserts.
The Good: Yummy drinking chocolate! Thick, sweet, and perfect for warming you up on a cold night. The large size is big enough for two. They have a decent selection of teas as well. I particularly like the Paris black, it goes perfectly with their tiramisu and a chocolate truffle or two. The atmosphere is cozy and perfect for a late-​night date or just to relax with friends.
The Bad: The staff was pretty clueless, they don’t even know the flavors of their truffles so you’ll pretty much have to pick blindly. What gives?

THIS IS REGARDING THE ARTISSERIE BAKERY IN HAMILTON NJ. I’m posting here because there is not an option to leave a review for the one in Hamilton but it’s the same company.
This was a Bridal Shower Cake done for my best friend…
This started back in Janurary. I contacted them to make a Corset Cake for my best friends Bridal Shower. At first things to be going well with them. I was extremely excited to get this back for my best friends Bridal Shower on March 10^th. I told them several times that I needed the cake to be ready at 10:30am because the shower was at 12. I was told many times that that time was perfectly fine. So you can imagen my shock and horror when I showed up at 10:30am to pickup the cake that they first told me there was no order. Then another women came out 5 mins later to tell that there was a misunderstanding with the time. I just began crying because I couldn’t believe this. She told me I could come back in an hour to pick up the cake (they didn’t even offer to deliver it). I asked if the cake would be sloppy with them rushing to get it done and she assured me that it wouldn’t. Well I left and came back an hour later to a completely dissappointing cake that was missing key factors I had requested. The cake was missing orange and yellow roses (the color of my friends wedding) and the saying «Best Wishes to the Soon to be Mrs.» I couldn’t wait any longer so I had them put it in my car so I could get to the place my friends shower was at. Because of this I missed my best friend walking in on her surprise Bridal Shower and the look on her face. She’s my best friend of 15 years and this will only happen once and I missed the look on her face. By the time the cake got out of my car and inside it was already falling apart. There was deep cracks threwout the icing and down into the cake. The icing job was sloppy and messy and you could see the red velvet cake underneath. And their apology was to give me 15 mini desserts for a cake that was ordered to accomadate 60 people. The next day I called to complain to the manager and I wanted a refund of at least half. All they were wiling to give me was $ 35 back from a $ 110 dollar cake. They didn’t seem to care at all even after I sent them serveral pictures showing how awful the cake was to the manager. I will never use them again and I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND them to other people.

Average drinks, below average desserts, and above average prices.

Main complaint is that the desserts are a bit overpriced here. However, the lunch special is very reasonable compared to other options near the Penn campus. My favorite combo is the hot pressed turkey sandwich which comes with a choice of side and drink. All three salads — potato, pasta, and caesar are tasty, although availability tends to vary from day to day. For drinks, both the mint and cinnamon spice teas are quite good. If you forgo the drink, they will let you substitute a piece of chocolate from the wide assortment on display. Good, friendly service and they really take the time to make you a nice meal. The dine-​in silverware and dishes are nice compared to other establishments within the same price tier, and the ambiance is great for lunch, afternoon tea, or studying.

Artisserie is one of our go-​to coffee places near Drexel. It’s a good place to go if you’re undecided, as they have a nice selection of coffee, tea (Mighty Leaf and Harney & Sons), chocolate drinks, and smoothies. Naturally they’re more known for their desserts (cupcakes and chocolates), but they do have zucchini bread if you’re looking for a savory snack, as well as bagels, danishes, biscotti, etc. Their drip coffee is Grover’s Mill (locally roasted in West Windsor, NJ —
), and they make good espresso drinks. For a treat, I enjoy some of their chocolate-​flavored loose leaf teas, including chocolate mint tea and chocolate truffle tea. Service is friendly, and there are tables if you care to linger over your beverage.

We stopped in here for coffee and ended up sharing one of their large cupcakes.
The coffee was ok — a bit rough around the edges but strong enough. It looked like their chocolates and specialty coffees might be more well, special.
The cupcake was decent if a tad too sweet for my taste — it looked a bit shopworn but basically had a nice flavor and texture. Unfortunately it was stale and was taken straight from the fridge so the icing was hard and thus less flavorful then it might have been. I am sure if it was fresh and at room temp (as one would expect in a bakery???) it would have been really good.
The staff was nice and the music was good.

Overall, I like this place and it seems to have a lot of creative potential.
The cupcakes are tasty and reasonably priced, featuring some interesting flavors and gluten-​free options, but they could probably make the cake part a bit more moist. (The cupcakes at Philly Cupcakes downtown are more moist, though they are smaller.)
The truffles are a hit or miss, though mostly a hit. They’ve been innovative and added some interesting flavors. My favorites are:
Dark Andalou — dark chocolate gananche with crème de menthe
Queen Elizabeth — dark chocolate ganache with black currant tea
Muscadine — milk chocolate, kirshwasser and Cointreau
Little Orange — white chocolate, orange, and Cointreau
Mondrian — white chocolate with a hint of lemon flavor
Waikiki — dark chocolate ganance with a blend of coconut, pineapple, and passion fruit
Their pastry counter and hot chocolate are also worth checking out. I was addicted to their rum balls and chocolate-​dipped banana pyramids (I forget what they were called), but sadly, they don’t offer them anymore. Service is generally friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient. I’d come back more often if there was more space to sit.

The staff are really friendly and just a fun group of people. I usually get a cup of coffee, and sometimes a piece of chocolate when I’m feeling low. Their Brazilian (I think it’s dark chocolate with espresso) is perfect with the coffee. I would also recommend a slice of their zucchini bread, which tends to run out early in the day.
I was disappointed by one of the sandwiches I got (I think it was turkey) – pretty standard, but not very inspiring and not worth the price. If you’re not a pastry/​bagel/​doughnut/​cupcake person (like me), then it’s better to look elsewhere for breakfast.

I paid 5 bucks for a Raspberry Mousse the size of a golf ball… but it was great and very refreshing. Don’t come here for quantity… or even value. As much as the other individual chocolate desserts had me drooling, I don’t think I would go back because the price just isn’t worth it.
If someone else is treating though, that’s a different story. Someone brought cupcakes from here into work… I had 3 and they were all pretty amazing. Go at the end of the day — right before they have to throw them out before they close.
The staff were a bit sloppy and rude when I stopped in. And some of the desserts on on display had all smudges or frosting smearings across the plate… attention to detail was lacking– I want to see a decant dessert sitting atop a clean, shiny plate. This may be too harsh… but flavor makes up for it, which is why I gave 4 stars.

I love cupcakes… but this place was just ok.
The service was awesome and the place is clean. They have a great selection of sweets, although not much milk choc. Mostly white and dark… neither of which I like. i will be back, just not for a cupcake… or chocolate. LOL My sis got a smoothie and said it tasted like ice.

Haven’t tried anything but their cupcakes. That being said, the cupcakes are mediocre; but because they’re the only cupcake bakery on campus and I’m too lazy to make my own, it will suffice. They just started promoting 4 cupcakes for $ 10, which is a pretty good deal… but that’s kind of dangerous for me as I could eat that all in one sitting.
Everything else is very pricey which deters me from making repeat trips or purchases. Why pay more than $ 1 for a tiny piece of chocolate when there’s a CVS a few steps away where I can get a 12-​piece box of Ferrero Rocher for less than $ 5? Sorry, I’m not a chocolate snob.
However, one day I will treat myself to one of their desserts. If they taste as good as they look, I might frequent this place more often.

Please see my review under NAKED CHOCOLATE for the 3401 Walnut address…
YUMMO

At my previous job, I had 2 options for coffee: Seattle’s Best (which, I’m sure it’s not) and Starbucks. At my current job, I am fortunate to have 3 excellent coffee shops and 1 excellent coffee truck within an easy walk.
Artisserie Chocolate Café is one of the shops. The standard drip coffee is much better than any of the main chains, but I often go for the Americano. They also have a wide selection of teas.
Although they are known for their baked goods, I actually haven’t gotten much in the way of sweet treats, but the couple of things I have had there (biscotti and zucchini bread) have been wonderful.
The staff is always friendly and helpful.

Used to be called ‘Naked Chocolate’. I liked that name better, not sure why it changed.
Lots of yummy chocolates, and chocolatey treats to try.
A little expensive. but a really nice relaxing sitting area if you are planning to stay awhile and catch up with friends or on some good reading.
If you are getting chocolate to go. I think there are several better and less expensive spots around the city or in reading market
I guess this place is popular for the extra thick hot chocolate («soup»). personally I’d rather use those bucks towards truffles and richer chocolate delights. but I could understand during the winter months how preference could skew towards hot chocolate! I’ve only been here during warm summer and fall months. so I have yet to feel this desire.
The pictures of cupcakes looks like the frosting pretty good but maybe the cake a little dry. I have not gotten to sample them yet, I’ll update when I do.

I really like this place and manage to spend a decent amount of time (and money) there. I love their coffee; it’s rich and smooth without being too strong. They’re good for lunch if you can find a table. I don’t love the paninis, but the quiche is delicious and huge. They don’t serve lunch on weekends, though, which is a bummer. [UPDATE: They changed the quiche — it’s now much smaller, and has a soggy and doughy, rather than crispy and delicious, crust. Oh well.]
The desserts and chocolate drinks are really what this place is all about, though. The Junk in the Trunk bar (a toffee/​caramel/​chocolate/​graham cracker concoction), cupcakes, and European style hot chocolate are all worth checking out. The frappes aren’t. Neither is the nudo, which is basically an undercooked chocolate chip cookie that’s been mugged by a cookie-​cutter. (I may be in the minority on that opinion, though).
The baristas (at least the majority of them) are friendly and helpful. The ones that aren’t get eye-​rolls from customers and coworkers alike, so that’s entertaining.
A few things that are less than ideal:
The music is LOUD. So loud that sometimes I’ll put in earplugs so that I can get work done, and I can *still* hear it. Maybe the baristas would get bored listening to quiet classical or ambient music all day long, but some quieter, less obtrusive music would go a long way to improving the overall ambiance.
Also, the space is small, so you can end up feeling like you’re in your neighbor’s conversations/​laps. This is not a place to bring a big group and expect to find a table, nor is it a place to have a private conversation. It is, however, a nice place to work on a rainy afternoon or to bring a date (provided you can tolerate the noise level).
Finally, Naked Chocolate was a way better name. I propose we start a petition to change the name back. Who’s with me?

Andra (sorry if I am spelling your name incorrectly!) is the most amazing person there. The friendly folks gave them a bonus star for sure! Thanks for making my bad day better with your friendly smile.

Abstract: Skip the soup. Try the chocolate covered pretzels.
It was a brisk November afternoon. I stepped into Naked Chocolate/​Artisserie/​the place next to the glasses spot for a bowl of hot soup (as advertised on the sandwich board outside), and a quick chat with a dear friend.
I placed my coat and scarf on a chair and ordered my soup. Cheddar and broccoli, you say? Made with real cream? Well, despite the fact that I am mildly lactose intolerant (along with 75% of other African Americans. weird) I really wanted the soup. She assured me it was delicious and, perhaps, worth the tummy ache. Plus, the couple of middle-​aged people sitting to my left seemed to be really enjoying their soups; I watched them eagerly dip their crackers into their bowls time and time again out of the corner of my eye.
I paid. I sat down as I had seen other patrons do.
Then I waited. and I waited some more. I continued to wait.
After 18 minutes of half-​listening to my friend’s story and half scouring the small shop for my bowl of soup I went back up to the counter to question the whereabouts of my soup. After about 3 minutes the bowl was set before me, small pools of oil floating atop. I tasted. It was barely warm. Where my crackers would have been there was, instead, a very small «i’m sorry» cupcake. It was dry.
3 months later I am gifted some of their chocolate covered pretzels (w/​sprinkles) and they change my life (and the lives of my entire Tuesday 2 – 5 seminar) forever.

I headed over to 34^th and Walnut for a long overdue first visit to Naked Chocolate since moving to Philadelphia last year. As someone who loves chocolate, cupcakes, and all things sweet and yummy, I was told repeatedly to check out the deliciousness of Naked Chocolate.
I was slightly confused because it was no longer Naked Chocolate so I can’t really say if it has changed or not along with the name change. However, I can say that the classic drinking chocolate was super rich and delicious (but don’t expect it to be anything like the cup of steamy, creamy, tummy-​warming hot chocolate that you might be used to). The red velvet was also one of the better red velvet cupcakes I have had in Philly, although it wasn’t exactly spectacular. The cake was a little bit dry and not as flavorful as I would like, but the frosting was nicely creamy with a tinge of tartness from the cream cheese.
Overall, satisfying experience at Artisserie Chocolate Café, and I hope to return soon to try more of their cupcake flavors, frozen drinking chocolate, and American style hot chocolate!