★★★★★Yelp
"A tiny shop right next to Nathan's, with windows full of candied apples and sweets."Neha G. · New York · Jun 2026
Open 365 days a year
Williams Candy
Williams Candy
Family-friendly sweets on Surf Avenue Since 1941
Family-run since 1941
Open 365 days
Family favorite
Coney Island staple
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Fan Favorites
The treats people come back for.
Bright, nostalgic, kid-approved classics made for boardwalk walks, beach days, birthday trays, and post-Nathan's dessert runs.
What People Say
Five-star love from regulars and first-timers.
Families, tourists, and lifelong New Yorkers keep calling Williams Candy nostalgic, friendly, colorful, and worth the stop after Nathan's.
★★★★★Yelp
"Probably my favorite brick-and-mortar shop in all of NYC. It feels like stepping back in time."Sophie O. · Honolulu · Apr 2026
★★★★★Yelp
"Nostalgic. You cannot get Nathan's and not go hit the candy shop."Greg D. · Brooklyn · Jan 2026
★★★★★TripAdvisor
"Right next door to the original Nathan's. A great little stop for nostalgia."Porthos7 · Jul 2025
★★★★★Yelp
"Featured in Anora. I enjoyed the movie, so I came to check out Coney Island and Williams."Eva C. · Cupertino · Oct 2025
★★★★★Yelp
"A must-do at Coney Island. So fun and nostalgic."Ashley M. · Brooklyn · Sep 2025
★★★★★Yelp
"Friendly staff, reasonable prices, and many options. Skip the chain candy store and come here instead."Lauren M. · Manhattan · Aug 2025
★★★★★Yelp
"A great place for a sweet tooth. Fast and friendly service, and the caramel apples were delicious."Betancourt E. · Santa Ana · Aug 2025
★★★★★Yelp
"Seeing candy from back in the day took me back to my childhood. The candy apple was delicious."Ashlyne T. · Bluffton · Aug 2024
★★★★★TripAdvisor
"Fresh soft serve ice cream with numerous flavors. They fill the cone beautifully above normal height."Rajpal S. · Aug 2023
★★★★★Yelp
"Pink popcorn, marshmallow on a stick, candy apples, and cotton candy. This place is amazing."Cris T. · Brooklyn · Oct 2023
★★★★★Yelp
"Old-school candy shop with soft serve, candy apples, marshmallow sticks, cotton candy, and popcorn."Julie Ying X. · Brooklyn · Sep 2023
★★★★★TripAdvisor
"Good friendly customer service, and a wide range of sweets."Dan P. · Dec 2021
★★★★★TripAdvisor
"Awesome place to visit, with apple treats and a selection of desserts for adults and children."titotorbellino · Apr 2019
★★★★★TripAdvisor
"Who doesn't love a good candy shop? Have to get the pecan clusters or the marshmallows."Joel F. · Jun 2016
Party Trays
Candy for birthdays, offices, schools, and beach days.
Planning a larger order? Williams Candy can prepare candy apples, marshmallow sticks, popcorn, cotton candy, chocolate treats, and mixed sweets for parties and local events. Send the basics, then call the shop to confirm timing and availability.
Candy apples
Marshmallow sticks
Cotton candy
Popcorn
Chocolate treats
Visit Us
Find us on Surf Avenue.
1318 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11224. Steps from Nathan's Famous, one short block from the Coney Island–Stillwell Avenue subway, and moments from the boardwalk.
Address
Williams Candy Shop
1318 Surf Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11224
Coney Island · next to Nathan's Famous
1318 Surf Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11224
Coney Island · next to Nathan's Famous
Phone
Hours
Open 365 days a year, including winter.
Getting Here
Subway: D, F, N, Q to Coney Island–Stillwell Ave (1 block).
Walk: Boardwalk entrance at W 15th St.
Drive: Parking meters on Surf Ave and surrounding blocks.
Walk: Boardwalk entrance at W 15th St.
Drive: Parking meters on Surf Ave and surrounding blocks.
Nearby
1941
Founded
365
Days Open / Year
4.6
Google Rating
Our Story
A sweet stop for families, tourists, and Coney Island regulars.
Williams Candy Shop opened on Surf Avenue in 1941 and has been a Coney Island fixture ever since. We make our candy apples, marshmallow treats, and popcorn fresh every day, with chewy caramel, fresh toppings, and no shortcuts.
Read the full story
We're a Surf Avenue candy shop built for beach days, game nights, winter walks, and post-Nathan's dessert runs. Come visit after a Cyclones game, the Mermaid Parade, or a quiet walk on the boardwalk.
In 2024, Williams Candy appeared in Anora, the Sean Baker film that won five Academy Awards in March 2025, including Best Picture.
Fast Counter Pickup
Grab candy apples, soft serve, popcorn, and cotton candy before the train, beach, or game.
Easy Sidewalk Access
Surf Avenue entrance. Call ahead to confirm a specific accessibility accommodation.
Party Trays
Treats for birthdays, family events, schools, and offices.
Easy With Kids
Quick service, classic treats, and a location steps from the subway and boardwalk.
Inside & Out
Color, nostalgia, and real counter-service candy.
A quick visual taste of the candy apples, windows, counter cases, and old-school Surf Avenue atmosphere.
Featured In
Featured by NYC and national press.
The shop has been covered as a Coney Island landmark, an old-school candy stop, and an Anora filming location.
Next Door · Same Family · Since 1975
Pete's Clam Stop & Williams Candy.
Williams Candy and Pete's Clam Stop, directly next door at 1320 Surf Avenue, are owned and operated by the same family. Peter Agrapides Sr. opened Pete's Clam Stop in 1975, seven years before the family took over Williams Candy from the original Williams family in 1982. Today, his son Peter Agrapides Jr. is behind the counter at Williams Candy.
More about Pete's
The two shops share the same phone number, (718) 372-0302, and frequently run joint Mother's Day, Easter, and summer promotions. Pete's retains the old outdoor grab-and-go counter style that defined old-school Coney Island, where Agrapides says: "At Pete's the counters are on the street where all of them were."
Heads up: Pete's is seasonal and closes for winter. Call before a special trip to confirm current seafood-counter hours; Williams Candy remains the year-round sweet stop next door.
Williams Candy
1941
Pete's Clam Stop
1975
Agrapides Era
Since 1982
Same Phone
Shared Line
Frequently Asked