Romolo Chocolates - Erie, Pennsylvania

Linda B.

Tony is a bitter old man who doesn't want to listen to what his customers are saying to him and talks over you and refuses to admit when he is wrong! Ordered 1 lb of chocolate coated sponge candy and 1 lb uncoated. We were told we would get more uncoated due to them being the same weight regardless. Picked up today, it wasn't ready, had to wait 10 minutes for them to package it, and a 3rd person put it in our bag and taped it shut without us really even seeing it. Got home, opened it and weighed the bags. Chocolate covered was 16 oz. Uncoated was 3 oz. Then Tony tried telling us about all the special work and labor that goes into the process of making the sponge. You make all the uncovered first for your chocolate covered sponge! Your "special" labor is pulling 3 oz off a tray and putting it in a bag that is not labeled with the accurate weight! I have a problem with that but Tony didn't want to hear it and went on about how much he does for the city and proceeded to tell me to shop somewhere else!! My kids and spouses spend upwards of $200/month when visiting and we have as well... This man better learn some customer service skills, because no matter how good a product is, my money will spend elsewhere as he suggested! Maybe now I know why he split from Stefanelli's! I couldn't work with/for him either!!! The people who work for him must be saints!! THEY are always friendly and quick with a smile. Too bad he doesn't reflect his employees!

Lawrence C.

I'm feeling quite frustrated after my recent visit. Romolo's chocolates are undeniably good, especially the sponge candy, but my experience left me disheartened. They offer a small, simple smiley face gift, clearly intended for children. As someone who appreciates small gestures and the simple happiness often associated with treats like chocolate, I found it charming and wanted one myself. In my own business, we believe in going the extra mile to make a client happy, and a small, inexpensive token like this would be freely given, regardless of age. After all, isn't the joy of chocolate universal?
I spent around $80 on gifts for my employees and girlfriend, looking forward to brightening their upcoming Friday and Easter. Given my purchase, I hoped they might make an exception for the smiley face. When that wasn't possible, I even offered to buy it – the tag said $2, and I would have happily paid $5. However, I was told repeatedly that it was exclusively for kids and not for sale otherwise. They suggested a larger item, but I explained I wasn't looking for more calories; I was simply drawn to the cheerful little smiley face itself.
It felt like my desire for this small bit of whimsy was completely dismissed. While the staff member I interacted with was friendly and pleasant (she was cute and clearly just following rules she couldn't change), the store's rigid adherence to this policy felt unwelcoming and short-sighted. It's disappointing when strict rules overshadow genuine customer goodwill, especially over something so minor. It sadly cast a pall over the whole experience, making everything feel a bit colorless despite the quality of the chocolates.
Romolo is a local favorite, and I understand traditions, but this inflexibility has unfortunately soured my view. It makes me question returning, especially when excellent brands like Godiva or Max Brenner are readily available online, often prioritizing the overall customer experience. It's not just about the product's cost or quality; the atmosphere and feeling valued matter immensely.
For these reasons, I'm leaving two stars: one for the genuinely good sponge candy, and one for the friendly staff member who, despite her kindness, couldn't overcome the store's frustratingly inflexible policy. It's a shame that such a small thing could lead to losing a customer, but this encounter likely marks my last visit.

Tracy R.

Delightfully delicious chocolate, our favorite of the 3 chocolatiers in Erie. Best sponge candy in the town, and really helpful staff who told us the story of the name change from Stefanellis to modern day.

I bought so much chocolate to bring home, and everything was delicious! Besides the sponge candy, I recommend the dark chocolate non-pareils and the milk chocolate covered mint honeycomb (which is not an actual honeycomb, just a cool brittle style of candy making)

There is also a small gift shop and an ice cream shop, so plenty to look at, and the smell of chocolate wafting through the air is heavenly.

Jason H.

My son and I love chocolate! And we love trying chocolate from different places, so when we were in Erie PA it was no surprise we ended up at Romolo. The day we went the place was packed, although the line moved along quickly. My daughter got a rose green tea and tiramisu which she said was delish. My son and I picked up a mix of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, PB cups, gummy bears and dark chocolate pistachio bars. We’ve tried a bit of everything at this point and can say without a doubt everything fantastic!!! 🍫🍫🍫 It’s probably a good thing we don’t live closer to Romolo, or we’d be there all the time!! The staff was super friendly and very helpful, didn’t feel rushed at all despite how busy they were. The atmosphere was very quaint and really well done, could see spending a little time hanging out on the cafe side. If you like chocolate, or love it, and will be in Erie you must stop by and give it a try!!!

sharon B.

You have to check out this shop. It is so cute and nice big sitting area outside also. Chocolate is so good and cute gift ideas. Very nice girl that checked us out at the register.

Arlene P.

We went here for the first time last week( from out of town ). We had to go the next day because we had eaten a whole bag of their sponge candy, bought the large one to take home. Their chocolate is amazing!

Serhii ?.

Romolo is a rather unique place of the chocolate factory of the same name.  Here you can find a store of own products, a souvenir shop and a coffee shop.  The coffee shop has a great location.  You can sit inside or on the cozy outdoor patio.

Friendly staff, delicious pastries, delicious ice cream.  In my opinion, if the dine in order was served in glass instead of disposable dishes, it would make the cafe more cozy and atmospheric

A.J M.

Wheelchair accesible ( to the right of entry ) manual doors , clean well stocked great selection , no pandemic precautions . No Wi-Fi detected . The aroma in there is to die for ( my CGM read tilt , just kidding they do have sugar free treats for us diabetic needle drivers ) all manner and versions of dark,white,milk chocolate ,slabs ,slices ,covered ,wrapped, Bon bons ,truffles and fudge , to eat your way out would be exquisite torture but could be a prequel to “my 600 lbs life “ there is an outdoor seating area both in sun and shade depending on your preference . We are truly blessed to have such incredible local chocolate.