The Chocolate Dispensary & Tasting Room

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The Chocolate Dispensary & Tasting Room The largest collection of craft chocolate in Southern California with a tasting room and events!

THIS SATURDAY! We're back at the coolest bookstore in the world, for this months Spring Arts Tower Takeover! Come see ...
09/18/2026

THIS SATURDAY! We're back at the coolest bookstore in the world, for this months Spring Arts Tower Takeover! Come see us September 19th from 10 - 5, restock your chocolate drawer, and check out all the other amazing vendors at this vertical, whole building wide market! We'll be on the 6th floor in room 639 so pop on by. You know you want to ;)

Today, I’d like to introduce you to someone. Please meet my mom, Dr. Carol Maxym. Maxym is a Ukrainian name, anglicized ...
09/17/2026

Today, I’d like to introduce you to someone. Please meet my mom, Dr. Carol Maxym. Maxym is a Ukrainian name, anglicized in the 1930s. It will make sense why we're telling you this in a minute.

In 1968, my mom left the US for the first time. Did she go to London? Rome? Paris? Nope. She went to Leningrad in the former Soviet Union. I love hearing stories of the restaurant menus that showed hundreds of dishes but had barely any options available, of the ice cold showers, and the crazy antics of reentering the "western" world where she learned about Prague Spring from the first newspaper she'd seen in months.

Since that first act of badassery, my mom has continued to do the hard things, moving across oceans to live in countries where she did not speak the language, then moving back to a country she hadn't lived in for over 20 years, getting her PhD while working full-time, writing a book, building a thriving psychotherapy practice so she could continue giving my sister and me a beautiful life, while saving for the future.

My mom will turn 78 next month. Two months later, she will drive an ambulance from Munich to Ukraine. The original path had her driving all the way to Kyiv but with increased fighting, it seems they will leave the vehicles at the border. I could tell you about the awe I feel for this woman, but I'll let you read her words, instead.

"A friend asked me why I am doing this. My response: Because I can. I have reached a place in life where my responsibilities are fewer, where I can look back at a life well-lived. I can afford to take this risk. I don't feel "finished" at all. This is something I can do that will matter and save lives. It is my kuleana (Hawaiian for responsibility, belonging to a community and the privilege to serve it), my shout for justice in our troubled world, and my duty for my children and grandchildren – and all the kids and families I've worked with for more than 30 years."

My name and part of my ancestry is Ukrainian, and we stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people. I hope you will consider clicking the link in our bio and donating to this most worthy cause, perhaps in honor of a badass woman you know. Slava Ukraini.

09/16/2026

Hello craft chocolate lovers! Today, I have a slightly controversial topic to discuss that is "ceremonial cacao". What is it? How is it used? How and why is it different than other craft chocolate? Well...it's somehow both simple and complex. Come with me as I give you a brief breakdown of ceremonial cacao and it's uses, both traditionally and in modern day. I am, admittedly, not an expert when it comes to ceremonial cacao but I know many professionals in the craft chocolate space are and I welcome your feedback!

09/15/2026

Hello fellow chocolate lovers! I am cordially inviting you to join an online summit hosted by starting this Thursday September 17th and continuing through
September 20th. This is a live and virtual summit in it's 3rd and final year and is absolutely jam packed with fascinating topics, makers, farmers and other professional women in cacao from all around the globe! From sessions on how our cycles and cacao are related, to coffee and cacao pairings, conversations about ceremonial cacao, to talks on cacao co-ops and certifications - there is something for everyone over these four days.

Best of all - it's FREE to join! Thank you for supporting craft chocolate, women in business, and small businesses across the globe. Can't wait to see you there!

09/14/2026

Hello friends and welcome to your new weekly tasting! This week, we are being very ridiculous with our theme which is, "Let's Flamingle" 🦩 It's called WHIMSY, people! 🤣

This week, you'll try delicious bites from .chocolate .origin
and

We've got a little something for everyone on our tasting plates so come in anyday, anytime we're open which is 8-7 everyday and 8-8 on Fridays and Saturdays. Come on in a "flamingle" with some delicious craft chocolate!

Join us in the shop tomorrow, Saturday September 12th, for Small Business September!, the anti-Amazon, is a local giftin...
09/11/2026

Join us in the shop tomorrow, Saturday September 12th, for Small Business September!, the anti-Amazon, is a local gifting service that offers same-day delivery from small businesses in Los Angeles. They are offering free and low-cost events throughout the day to introduce folks to amazing local businesses.

We will be offering our regular "10 Bites for 10 Bucks" Tasting all day and can't wait to welcome small business supporters to our shop throughout the day! 🤎🍫🤎

09/10/2026

One of the coolest things about craft chocolate is how many unique inclusions chocolate makers add to their bars based on the local ingredients they have access to. We have a ton of bars in the shop with fruits that we don't regularly see here in the states. Fruits like cupuaçu from Brazil, soursop from
Philippines, and calamansi, which is a popular cittus fruit in many asian countries. Come with me while I show you all the delicious chocolate we have with new (to us) flavors just waiting to be enjoyed!
🤎🍫🤎

09/09/2026

Today I'm taking a break from chocolate content to give a shout out to anyone who has been thinking about embarking on a new journey, a pivot as we like to call it. Your girl knows a thing or two about that, believe me 😉

I've had too many professional lives to count over the last 25 years and whether it was independent professional opera singer, W2 employee at a tech start-up, or as a federal employee at the Dept. of Justice, every single experience I’ve lived is part of the reason I am where I am now. Was it linear? Not. At. ALL! Here are the (major) jobs I’ve held since graduating from Barnard College.

2001-2003: Senior Program Analyst at the US Department of Justice, Criminal Division, also a hostess at Butterfield 9 restaurant

2003-2005: Graduate student, also assistant with the Boston Children’s Chorus, various temp jobs

2005-2024: Professional Opera Singer, received my graduate certificate in Spanish-English Translation and a certificate in Grant Writing. I was also on the Board of the Icla da Silva Foundation, acting as its Secretary for several years.

2011-2016: Office Manager, then Customer Success Manager at Smartling.

2011-2023: Founder of Five Senses Tastings, also received my WSET Level III W**e Certification with Distinction

2017-2026: College Essay Coach

2022-2023: Sales Asst. at Silverlake W**e

2023-now: Co-Founder and Chief Chocolate Officer at The Chocolate Dispensary

And that’s not all. There have been lots of temp jobs, lots of trials and error, an entire other company I’m not even mentioning here. There is no such thing as losing; you either win or you learn.

I'm grateful for each struggle, revelation, and learning experience I have had on the paths I've gone down. I’m grateful to every person who believed in me, and especially those who didn’t, those who challenged me, those who pi**ed me off, and forced me to become stronger and more resilient.

If you don't know yet where you’re going, that’s ok. If you don’t have the skills you think you need, have the audacity to go get them. If you don’t have the courage or direction today, that’s ok. One day you’ll wake up, and it’ll be there for you. Like a really good chocolate bar.

09/08/2026

"If not summer anymore why summer shaped?!" It may be September but fall is still firmly in it's "Summer Era" here in Los Angeles. Don't worry - we've got you covered! We've got iced cacao cold brew and iced chocolate waiting for you! Between that and our stellar A/C, you nor your chocolate will melt 😉

09/07/2026

Friends! Your new weekly 10 bites for 10 bucks tasting theme is here! Some weeks, I get really inspired by a certain maker or ingredient or origin...and some weeks, you lose power for 24 hours and the theme is "Bars I tasted so they wouldn't melt!" In homage to the power outage our neighborhood suffered and sweat through last week, here are "10 bars I tasted during the power outage" 🤎🍫🤎

This week you'll get amazing bites from and

Come in for a 10 bites for 10 bucks tasting all day, anytime we're open which is 8-7 everyday and until 8 on Fridays and Saturdays! Come in and enjoy our delightfully powerful air conditioning while you indulge in a little treat 🥰

Address

1605 Grafton Street, Unit 102-A
Los Angeles, CA
90026

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11am - 7pm
Wednesday 11am - 7pm
Thursday 11am - 7pm
Friday 11am - 8pm
Saturday 11am - 8pm
Sunday 11am - 7pm

Telephone

+13233729865

Website

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