Anti-Valentine's Day sentiment abounds these days and it seems there's an ever-growing camp of jaded V-Day non-conformers looking for ways to avoid the hearts and stuffed animals.

But if you do want to celebrate the old fashioned way - by cloying your lover with sugar-laden decadence, that is - here's a list of local sweets purveyors that will make everyone's heart beat faster:


Miette
85 Webster St., Oakland
(510) 663-1300

Jack London Square’s Miette doesn’t sell boxed chocolates, but the selection of baked goods and confections might just woo your Valentine. The pastry shop, whose name means “crumb” in French, has a focused aesthetic: the petite cakes have a simple, feminine feel. Miette bakes cookies, macarons and confections, including caramel corn and chocolate and salted caramels. Cakes, cupcakes and tarts can be ordered for pickup with two days notice.

Ladyfingers Bakery
150 Santa Clara Ave., Oakland
(510) 428-1822

Around since 1979, Ladyfingers Bakery offers a selection of individual desserts. Mini éclairs and strawberry cream puffs, mini tarts, petit fours, truffles and, of course, ladyfingers are available. Dipped strawberries, available in dark, milk or white chocolate.

James and the Giant Cupcake
6326 San Pablo Ave., Oakland
(510) 596-8834

Eurydice Manning of James and the Giant Cupcake make cupcakes that display creativity and a sense of humor. At her San Pablo shop, you can get Elmo or Cookie Monster cupcakes - frosted blue with Oreo mouths - French toast and maple bacon or bubblegum cupcakes. With this selection you can tailor the treat to your sweetheart. Vegan and gluten-free options are available, too.

Powell’s Sweet Shoppe
3206 College Ave., Berkeley
(510) 658-9866

Powell’s Sweet Shoppe is not only in the candy business, it's in the nostalgia business. The College Avenue store is a kaleidoscope of brightly packages and often hard-to-find candies - some brands dating back to the 1900s. Here you can get Candy Cigarettes, Goo Goo Clusters, Squirrel Nut Zippers and Nik-L-Nips. The store also carries gluten-free, vegan and high-fructose-free candy.

 
For the chocolate lovers:

Michael Mischer Chocolates
3352 Grand Ave., Oakland
(510) 986-1822

Michael Mischer Chocolates sells designer chocolate bars studded with nuts or dried fruit and beautiful chocolates filled with everything from lavender and honey to root beer. 

Barlovento Chocolates
638 Second St., Oakland
(510) 238-8787 

Barlovento Chocolates - operated by Peter Brydon his family - is sold at local farmers’ markets and from their Second Street home. Offerings include truffles, caramels, chocolate bars and chocolate-covered, dried Bing cherries and marshmallows. All chocolate is single origin from the Barlovento region of Venezuela. You can find Brydon at the Grand Lake market on Saturdays.

The Oakland Chocolate Company
638 Second St., Oakland  (by appointment only)
(510) 654-6966

The Oakland Chocolate Company uses exclusively Jamaican cocoa beans to produce its handcrafted chocolates. Products are sold at the Old Oakland farmers’ market on Fridays and several local stores carry them, as well.
 
Bittersweet Café
5427 College Ave., Oakland
(510) 654-7159

Bittersweet boasts an extensive assortment of chocolate products. The cocoa-centric café sells chocolate bars from around the world in exotic flavors, as well as drinking chocolate and confections.
 
Le Bonbon
2050 Mountain Blvd., Oakland
(510) 339-2962

Not only does Le Bonbon sells an array of chocolate bars and convections by both well-known companies such as Scharffen Berger and smaller brands, the shop also carries some candy and locally made fudge.