The Sweet Life

Great small sweet shop, not sure what the prices are but tey got everything.

Simply magical. Storybook candy shop with sweet as pie Jacqueline working, endearing French music playing and candy covering the shelves from floor to ceiling. If Kathleen Kelly was in the business of candy, this would be her shop.

They have such sweet and salty homemade soft caramel. One of my favourite little small sweets!
This shop sells bags of soft caramels or they singles for 50 cents each. I bought four caramels since I wasn’t sure if it would be super good or not but it was! But I’m glad I didn’t buy more or I would have eaten more any ways.
Their soft caramels are soft and chewy, but not too chewy where it’s a chore to eat it. It’s very sweet and caramelly obviously, but there were also some grains of salt in it that made it unlike most traditional caramels.
The Sweet Life has many other homemade desserts and other candy bars from foreign countries like the UK. If you want homemade caramel, you should definitely check out this store and I would definitely come back.

A one-​stop shop for Chocoholics and candy fanatics alike. A foodie friend and I encountered this place en route our foodie adventure. As we were walking, she suddenly stopped her tracks to admire the homey exterior of The Sweet Life. A second later the syllables for «Let’s go in!» forms from the corners of her mouth.
In we went.
We were instantly greeted by a friendly woman behind the counter. My eyes were wide with wonder and excitement as I observed the interior of this quaint shop. Piles upon piles of chocolates and European candy everywhere! Prices ranged from decent to expensive. I grabbed some chocolate barks (milk chocolate break-​up & dark chocolate w. mixed nuts), chocolate-​covered pretzels, and two truffles from upfront. The chocolates in general tasted alright, but I’ve had better. The milk-​chocolate break up bark was too sweet that my tooth hurt. Just as I was about to eat the chocolate truffles on the spot, I found a piece of hair, which seems to have accidentally gotten into the paper bag. The cashier immediately replaced them with no questions asked. My friend found and eventually bought an assortment of chocolate that looked like little rocks in one corner (they don’t seem to sell those at the Asian supermarkets anymore) of the store. She also got to sample one of the candies, which is a plus.
Located in a quieter part of Chinatown, with its abundance of confectionery, The Sweet Life does not fail to satisfy the sugar cravings of anyone who happens to be in the area.

cute store and has amazing home made chocolate.

A friend took me to this store today, and it’s yet another small neighborhood gem that I’d been unaware of. The store has been there for many years and I loved it as soon as I walked in the door. The selection is incredible for such a small space (but somehow it doesn’t feel too cluttered). I was instantly drawn to the fudge and a few other goodies (sinful, but really worth it). They also sell loose teas and a great selection of cooking wines; in particular, I was fixated on the *peanut butter* wine (it’s too bad I don’t cook or bake)…one of the owners was there and he was very pleasant. I’ve already developed somewhat of an obsession for this store and I’ll certainly be returning.

Inventive, delicious treats and old favorites in this classic candy store. Love the lavender sea salt chocolate and the chocolate dipped apricots. Beautiful selection of teas and jams. Got our wedding favors here!

This candy store has been a hidden haven of sweets in the Lower East Side and its also one of the few remaining old-​fashioned candy stores in the city.
I came here on several occasions to purchase sweets in the past and I still remember coming here after school to purchase candy after my middle school days which was about 10 years ago. The staff here are very friendly and are always open to questions, so be sure to ask away with you’re unsure about something. There’s also a huge array of sweets ranging to chocolates to dried fruits. My personal favorites would be the homemade smores chocolates by the register and the chocolate covered marshmallows by the cash register.
Would I come back? I’ve already been here multiple times.

Aesthetically appealing located in the Lower East Side. Being a New Yorker, I love roaming around and enjoying every bit of the city. This place is small but full of sweetness and memories. Great place to find gifts for others and an indulging (yet pricey) treat for my sweet tooth.

Amazing selection of candy, chocolate, dried fruits, and more! Really friendly staff too. A must if you’re in the mood for something sweet on the LES.

i remember going to a candy store on hester street many many years ago and got a chocolate-​covered marshmallow skewer. recently during my adventure in LES, i stumbled upon this place again.
when you first step in, you will be greeted by sweet smell of candies and chocolates. the place is smaller than economy candy, but seems to be well-​stocked too. i got a milk chocolate softee (chocolate-​covered marshmallow) and it was just as good as i remembered. only downside, four marshmallows many years ago vs. two marshmallows now. but it’s ok, inflation and all, plus i need to eat healthier. lol. brother also tried the red velvet caramel, very nice too.
the staff was really friendly and i enjoyed my visit. and also so glad to finally cracked the mystery of the candy store!

Had a huge craving for chocolate so thanks to Unilocal that led me to this place. Great customer service, good variety of sweets and was offered a free chocolate sample. Who doesn’t love free chocolate sample?! Chocolate is soo good!

I love this place; anytime I am near Chinatown or the Lower East Side I always stop by! They have great candy, and since a new girl named Lauren started working there the store looks amazing! Clean, fresh, well merchandised! Also, when I was getting donations for a charity auction they graciously donated a gift certificate while other larger candy stores on the Upper East Side refused. I love small businesses, family owned establishments; definitely come here for your candy, chocolate, dried fruit and sweet gift needs!

This is a gem of a store, a hidden surprise on the LES. I found it one day a few years back after walking a long stretch between some unknown cross section of Chinatown and the LES – what a treasure trove of tasty delights! You can get everything from delicious hammentaschen, to bacon candy sticks, vegan gummies to exotic teas! Do yourself a favor, and make your way to this spot, it is worth it as a destination. They might even offer you a free sample!

What a find, for an Aussies out there it is a double bonus” with Vegemite, crunchies, curly wurlies and other australian confectionery specialties.
Even if you are not australian, as others have said thus place is a step back and thank god these places still exist .
5 stars.

The very best candy & dried fruit store on the Lower East Side. I’ve been coming here for over 50 years! I now live in Connecticut & whenever I’m in the city I make it a point to stop in. Their in — house chocolates are incredible.

my friend told me about this place today and I just had to check it out. being a type 1 diabetic, I was curious about their sugar free selection (which is great, btw), but ended up spending way too much money on weird nostalgic candies and jellybeans. I also bought a bottle of rose syrup to use in home made cocktails — they have TONS of flavors (thinking of going back for the passion fruit actually).
OH, and the jelly bellys they have rule — Dr. Pepper, Tabasco, 7up, mango chili, Coldstone apple pie, awesome flavors!
I noticed they also had curried cashews which looked delicious, and I just had to pick up some pumpkin pie fudge for my husband while I was there.
The nostalgic and international candy is great too — they have satellite wafers! These are straight up like body of christ wafers with little candy beads inside. They have Bible Bars which contain the 8 foods in Deuteronomy, ha! and challah marzipan!
really great shop for unique gifts and and some old fashioned candy. the only thing that costs this review a star is the fact that one of their packages of Pop Rocks was really stale and stuck together — looked to be about a century old. I’m sure, because of the tons of candy kept stocked, they tend to let some things expire here and there — I’d recommend sampling the bulk items before buying.

I was on the hunt for a present for my sister and she was looking for caramel marshmallows. This candy shop just so happens to carry Hammond’s Caramel Covered Caramels. They are $ 1.25 each which is pricy but if you are looking for an extra special sweet gift, this place has a lot to choose from.
The store also carries dried fruits, nuts, jelly beans, various chocolates, and novelty confections. It’s a small store but they make good use of space.
The service wasn’t particularly warm but efficient and knowledgeable about the products. Yes it’s pricey but if you are looking for something special, this place has it! I probably wouldn’t go back if I just needed regular jelly beans though.

I love this place for the little randomness you can find in each of the corners of this store. No matter who I am shopping for, including myself, there is always something to find and something to surprise to make it a special trip.
My latest recommendation Casali’s Schoko-​Bananen: basically chocolate covered banana candy.

It is always fun to stop by The Sweet Life for a little nostalgia.
They may many of the hard to find candies I grew up with.
Stop by an browse and feel like a kid again.
The prices are high but it’s fun!