Avec Et Sans Artisanal Chocolatier in Baltimore: Small-Batch Chocolate and Confection

Avec Et Sans is a one-person chocolate workshop in Fells Point that produces hand-tempered chocolate bars, bonbons, and seasonal confections sold primarily through farmers markets and a small retail window rather than a storefront café.

What Avec Et Sans actually is

The operation is run by a single chocolatier who sources single-origin cacao and builds each product from the bean up. The name reflects a deliberate split in the product line: "Avec" (with) encompasses chocolate pieces studded with nuts, dried fruit, or other inclusions; "Sans" (without) focuses on pure, unadorned chocolate where technique and cacao quality are the only variables. The scale is intentionally small. Production happens in a shared commercial kitchen, and the chocolatier does not maintain a dedicated storefront. This means inventory is finite and seasonal, and the only reliable way to purchase is through direct channels.

Menu, pricing, and where to buy

Chocolate bars typically range from $8 to $12 for a 2- to 3-ounce bar, depending on whether they are single-origin dark, milk, or white, and whether inclusions are used. Bonbons are priced around $2.50 to $3.50 each or sold in assorted boxes of 6 to 12 pieces for $18 to $32. Seasonal confections, such as hand-dipped fruit or holiday-specific pieces, appear in limited quantities and sell through the same channels.

The primary retail outlet is the Waverly Farmers Market on Saturday mornings in Roland Park, where Avec Et Sans maintains a consistent booth. A second appearance at markets varies seasonally, so confirming the current schedule directly is necessary. Some specialty food shops in Baltimore, including a few in Federal Hill and Canton, have carried individual bars or pre-ordered boxes on consignment, but retail placement is not stable; the chocolatier prioritizes farmers market sales and direct orders.

How it compares to other Baltimore chocolate makers

Baltimore has two other notable chocolate producers within the city. Artifact Chocolate, located in Canton, operates a retail café alongside production and focuses on single-origin bars and drinking chocolate sourced from direct-trade relationships with farms in Latin America and Africa. Artifact's bars are priced similarly ($9 to $13), but the café experience, espresso program, and higher foot traffic make it a destination for browsing and sitting, whereas Avec Et Sans requires intentionality and advance knowledge of market schedules.

Choco Loco, also in Canton, is a larger operation that stocks mass-produced chocolate alongside some artisanal options and functions primarily as a gift shop. Its price point is lower overall, and variety is broader, but individual piece quality does not reach the hand-tempered standard of Avec Et Sans.

Choose Avec Et Sans if you prioritize chocolate made by a single artisan using careful tempering and high-cacao-percentage bars. Choose Artifact if you want to linger in a café environment and learn about single-origin sourcing over a cup of drinking chocolate. Choose Choco Loco if you need gift packaging and a wide range of price points in one visit.

Who it suits and who it does not

This chocolatier suits people who already understand the difference between industrial and hand-tempered chocolate, or who are willing to learn by tasting. Bonbons and seasonal pieces make good gifts for chocolate enthusiasts with specific tastes. The product also appeals to people shopping at farmers markets who want to support a one-person operation with transparent sourcing.

It does not suit someone looking for a walk-in storefront, a café to work in, or a gift shop with immediate large inventory. If you need chocolate today and have not checked the market schedule, you will leave disappointed.

What a first visit involves

Visit the Waverly Farmers Market on a Saturday morning between 8 and noon (market hours vary by season; confirm the chocolatier's booth dates beforehand via the farmers market website or social media). The Avec Et Sans booth displays bars, often with tasting samples available. Ask questions about origin and inclusions; the chocolatier is present and will answer directly. Bring cash or a card, as payment methods have historically varied. Expect to spend 10 to 15 minutes browsing and selecting, longer if you ask about specific bars. Popular items, especially seasonal pieces, do sell out. If you want a specific custom order or larger quantity, contacting the chocolatier in advance is advisable.

Hours, parking, and logistics

Avec Et Sans appears at Waverly Farmers Market in Roland Park on Saturday mornings. Market hours shift seasonally; the market typically runs May through November on Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon, and has a shorter winter schedule. Parking in Roland Park is street parking, often plentiful on Saturday mornings. The market is located in the Roland Park shopping center and is well-marked. Confirm current dates and times via the Waverly Farmers Market website or the chocolatier's social media before planning a visit, as market schedules and vendor participation can shift.

Avec Et Sans produces chocolate that reflects the work of one person committed to technical precision and ingredient integrity, making it a meaningful choice for anyone serious about chocolate in Baltimore rather than a casual sweet-stop.