À la Mère de Famille

"There isn't any shortage of history or confections at Paris' oldest candy shop, which has been in business since 1791. The Dolfi family, which acquired the shop in 2000, has since opened up a number of locations around Paris, but the Faubourg Montmartre flagship with its gleaming (and landmarked) green-and-gold façade is still considered the alpha and omega of Paris confectionaries. Don't leave without trying a warm slice of the "Cake aux Folies de l'Ecureuil," a chocolate marble cake with caramelized hazelnuts and almonds." - Lindsey Tramuta

"The exterior of À la Mère de Famille—an emerald-green storefront with more windows than walls—looks like a jewelry box, or rather, a chocolate box; you can see the cakes and chocolates and towers of beautifully packaged bars from down the block. Open since 1761, one of the many pleasures of this particular confectioner is the breadth of old-world caramels, nougat, boiled sweets, and marshmallows. And nothing much has changed inside, either. Taking in the old tile floor, the floor-to-ceiling shelves stacked with preserves and syrups, and the elaborate table displays as you make your way to the ice cream counter (go for the chocolate) is an exercise in both nostalgic pleasure and calorie control."