Gaslamp Quarter’s Ghirardelli!

Gaslamp Quarter/ Downtown San Diego is turning 150 years old this year, but the institution housed right next to the Yuma building on Fifth Avenue started in San Francisco over 160 years ago in 1852! Ghirardelli Chocolate Company has a rich history and continues to build on its signature taste and time-honored manufacturing processes as America’s premium chocolate company. The location at 643 Fifth Avenue opens year round 7 days a week and is the perfect place to fill your Easter basket, grab a gift or indulge in one of their famous decadent sundaes!

Sherry and Erin from the Gaslamp Quarter Association were met by General Manager Ulisse Vincinanza, who has worked at the Gaslamp location since 2012. His job of training the chocolateer’s, managing the shipments of chocolate gifts and ice cream flavors, stirring the chocolate kettle, creating the new recipes, and entertaining guests makes his job busy! “There are a lot of moving parts, but I love it!” said Vicinanza.

After a quick tour of the packaged chocolates and gifts in the front of the store, we got a quick tour of the kitchen where the famous hot fudge syrup is stirred and created. 56lbs of chocolate is meticulously stirred throughout the day and during this time of year, the chocolateers at Ghirardelli go through three 56 lb kettles a week. In the summertime its one 56 lb kettle of chocolate a day!

Sherry and Erin then sat down for sundaes, but we couldn’t help but eye the delicious chocolate brownies, the Colossal Cookies, Dipped Strawberries, and the gorgeous handmade chocolate-dipped waffle cones and bowls for ice cream.

What we enjoyed:

• Sherry enjoyed Ghirardelli’s most popular sundae, the “World Famous Hot Fudge Sundae” – made with vanilla ice cream, handmade hot fudge from the chocolate kettle with whipped cream, diced almonds and a cherry!
• Erin tried their “Ocean Beach” which is their Sea Salt Caramel Sundae. This tower of a sundae is filled with vanilla ice cream, sea salt, caramel sauce, handmade hot fudge topped with whipped cream, sea salt and a Ghirardelli Square of milk chocolate.
• Erin and Sherry were also given a hand full of mini milk chocolate Easter bunnies filled with caramel.

Insider Tips:

• It’s fun to look up in the venue and see the old 19^th century Chocolate ads framed on the wall.
• If you had a sundae from years past, or from the original San Francisco location, it might not be on the menu, but the Chocolateers will make it for you. “The Cookie Bottom” sundae is one of them.
• For a limited time only, Ghirardelli is serving “the bourbon caramel sundae.” Ghirardelli is a proud sponsor of the 2017 Kentucky Derby, and teaming up with Makers Mark Bourbon creating a great sundae and a hard dark chocolate.
• The most popular wrapped chocolate at Ghirardelli is the milk chocolate and caramel in the gold wrapper.
• The Gaslamp Quarter location goes through 500 waffle cones a week!

Treat yourself today or perhaps the Easter bunny will fill your Easter basket with gifts from the Gaslamp Quarter’s Ghirardelli location! Open 7 days a week all year round!