As if the little ones needed a reason to love candy even more, a sweet little sweets factory has popped up in Hayes Valley, where every day sugary ropes of the good stuff are pulled, rolled and wrapped into mini morsels of confection perfection. Pappabubble is the newest sugar den to land in the neighborhood, and to find it, all you have to do it follow your nose.

The Sweet and Lowdown
This is the third US location of the artisan candy shop (NYC and LA came before), but it seems to have cracked the code of the new SF treat shop: beautiful, Instagram-worthy product displayed in an equally alluring storefront; gourmet, chef-concocted flavors (how about jackfruit or sparkling wine?); and master confectioners making the stuff right in front of you. Have you ever tried candy while it was still warm? We bet you won’t be able to resist.

A Candy by Another Name
Their specialty is what is technically called caramels, but not the burnt, brown, soft caramels we think of. This is rainbow colored hard candy in dozens of specialty flavors, served up in lollipops, pillows (think of little bite-sized poofs) and teeny logs, decorated with even smaller designs, words or pictures—the art behind the candy artisans behind the counter. For gifts or special occasions, you can order custom candies featuring the birthday-boy -or girl’s name inside.

The Candy Cooks
Candy is made in house everyday, usually in the afternoons. The incredibly friendly staff will happily explain the process, and even cut off little sections and offer warm, gooey samples. The candy makers move at a breathtaking speed, as they have to get their creation into its final shape before everything hardens, so the kids will be captivated.

Give It A Taste
The sample jars are abundant, so it’s best to go in with a game plan, or you could have some kiddos suffering from a serious sugar overdose on your hands. If you want to practice some delayed gratification, pick up a bag of mixed flavors for $5.50, or a lovely oversized lollipop for about the same. It will taste even sweeter since they know exactly how it’s made.

488 Fell St.
San Francisco, Ca
415-533-1188
Online: papabubblesf.com

All images courtesy of the author

Have you tried this special sweet shop yet?

—Erin Feher

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