Sue Lewis Chocolatier

Nestled in the surprisingly bright brick-and-mortar basement of Perth’s newest cosmopolitan locality, the State Buildings of the Treasury Precinct, is Sue Lewis Chocolatier – producer of fine, sustainable and small-batch, single-origin chocolate.

Home to The traditionally restored heritage State Building are a conglomeration of luxury and finery: the six-star, contemporary luxury hotel COMO The Treasury, Aurelio Costarella’s flagship store of haute couture, Perth’s newest fine dining institution The Wildflower under the watchful eye of renowned David Best.

But if you follow your nose down into the depths of the building, you’ll find an offering of fresh chocolates handmade from the world’s ethically sourced couvertures and local seasonal ingredients. Bittersweet aromas of cocoa, berry and spice waft fill the studio that you can almost taste them in the very air. Organic ingredients are preferred, and each piece is low in sugar and free of preservatives.

And the skilled hands behind each delicacy belong to Sue Lewis, a chef of over 20 years experience in London’s restaurants who learnt the art of chocolate making under the tutelage of master chocolatier Paul A. Young.

But after falling for the Western Australian climate and the lackadaisical warmth of its people, Perth become a new home in 2011. Her popularity grew quickly, as did her fame, with British Airways High Life Magazine naming her studio as one of the world’s best.

And after falling for an oozing mix of chocolate-coated strawberry and balsamic, I can understand just why. For the chocolate lovers, and the lover of a chocolate lover, especially with Christmas Day fast approaching, there is no better in Perth.