Take a walk along the block just south of Union Square in New York, and you'll see an image of a fictional bald man who has reshaped the face of chocolate. Though Max Brenner himself doesn't exist, the company that bears his name is up for a Luxist Readers' Choice Award in the best truffles category.

Founded in 1996 in Israel, Max Brenner bears the combined names of its originators Max Fichtman and Oded Brenner. The company opened ten stores in the Holy Land in its first three years; in 2001, Max Brenner was purchased by Strauss Group, a large food conglomerate. Five years later, the company made its first foray into the U.S. market.


Today, Max Brenner boasts locations in Australia, Israel, Philippines, Singapore and the U.S. Walk into a store in New York and delicacies on the menu include The Melting Chocolate Truffle Heart Cake, served with vanilla bourbon ice cream, red berries and milk chocolate ($13), and White Chocolate Truffle Carrot Cake, which comes with orange and mint salad, whipped cream, and a milk chocolate granita chaser ($12).

For those who live outside of Max's chocolatey radius, a delicious array options are available online. In the truffle department, there's the liqueur-drenched Luxury White Truffle With Coconut ($15) and the fine cocoa-imbued Luxury Gingerbread Truffle ($15), among others.

Vote for the company you believe makes the best truffles. Readers' Choice Winners will be announced on March 1st.