A Cleveland Chocolate Kingdom With Retail Shops And Whimsical Pink Silos Is Home To Ohio's 'Best Dessert'

If you're a chocolaholic, you may have already taken the sugary road trip through South Dakota that shows off the state's sweetest chocolate shops. True followers of the candy world also know that Michigan promises world-class sweet treats and unforgettable chocolate, but another Midwestern state is home to a chocolate empire that harkens back to the retro candy shops of yesteryear. The family-owned Malley's Chocolates in Cleveland, Ohio, is a staple of the city. Among its most popular sweets, one stands out above the rest: the Buckeye State's beloved peanut butter buckeye.

Deemed Ohio's "Best Dessert" by Cheapism, buckeye candies are baubles of peanut butter fudge dipped in chocolate. These confections are designed to resemble actual buckeye nuts, and they drive Ohioans so nutty that they have their own Buckeye Candy Trail, with 40 stops where you can taste variations of this timeless treat. Malley's is the best place to taste the golden gem enrobed in award-winning milk chocolate.

Malley's has been an institution since Mike and Jo Malley opened their first chocolate shop back in 1935 within the underrated, walkable city of Lakewood, boasting Victorian-era charm. According to user peggysammon on the Accidentally Wes Anderson travel website, "If you live in Lakewood, every band concert, every graduation, every theater show, every football game, is followed by a trip to Malley's for an ice cream sundae." In addition to its iconic retail locations that sport merry-go-rounds and old-fashioned ice cream parlors, the main factory can be found off Interstate 480 in Brook Park, recognizable by its three 88-foot-tall custom pink silos, sporting the labels for "cocoa," "milk," and "sugar."

Just like Californians love their In-N-Out and Chicago natives swear by Giordano's deep-dish pizza, to those who hail from Cleveland, the Midwest's budget-friendly big city that's beating out coastal giants, Malley's is more than just a candy store — it's a source of local pride. It's practically impossible to grow up in Cleveland and never have visited one of its old-timey ice cream and sweets parlors. With 18 stores in the area, Malley's has a monopoly on the local candy scene. That's helped in no small part by the family-run business's unique branding, which still harkens back to the original vision brought to life by Malley's flagship store in Lakewood.

In the spirit of its signature silos, each branch of Malley's is dressed heavily in "Malley's Pink," accented with white and pastel green. Vintage neon signs, old-fashioned candy shop vibes, and whimsical decorations make a visit to any Malley's shop feel like a step back in time. Plus, the sweet smells of hot fudge, fruity gummies, and fresh-roasted nuts imprint themselves in your memories.

The Cleveland Scene has crowned Malley's as the city's best chocolate shop each year since 2023, proving that, even though treat trends come and go, Malley's timeless appeal has cemented it in the hearts and minds of Ohioans. Just like the state's favorite sweet treat, the buckeye chocolate, this candy doesn't go out of style. Be sure to try some the next time you're in town.