Chicken and waffles, elderflower, passion fruit, root beer float. Those aren't brunch specials. They're salt water taffy flavors sitting in barrels at Balboa Candy, the family-owned shop at 301 Marine Ave. on Balboa Island that has drawn visitors to the corridor for more than two decades.

The store stocks roughly 80 taffy flavors, according to CEO and part-owner Tim Bodenhoefer, whose family bought the business in 2004. The Bodenhoefers are the third owners of the Balboa Island location. Steve and Janeen Bodenhoefer purchased the shop with no prior candy industry experience, and their son Tim grew up working the counter alongside siblings Claire and Robert.

"We have about 80 flavors. We're kind of known for it," Bodenhoefer said in a January 2025 interview with The Bishop's Tower.

The family has since expanded to multiple Southern California locations, including La Jolla and Palm Springs, but the Balboa Island storefront remains the original. Beyond taffy, the shop sells retro and novelty candies, imported gummy candy, and house-made fudge. The store describes itself as "Famous for our Salt Water Taffy and Retro Candies" on its website.

Balboa Candy sits on one of Newport Beach's busiest pedestrian strips. A Stu News Newport photo feature published Thursday, July 24, captured the taffy barrels lining the store's interior, with photographer Mary Hurlbut documenting flavors that range from classic root beer float to the adventurous chicken and waffles.

The shop is a member of the Balboa Island Improvement Association, the organization that advocates for the island's commercial character. The BIIA's January 2026 resident survey identified street maintenance and traffic control during peak summer weekends as top concerns, a reflection of how many people Marine Avenue's shops pull in during the warmer months.

Visit Newport Beach, the city's official tourism bureau, lists Balboa Candy as a kid-friendly destination. The store keeps extended summer hours, with Yelp's July 2026 listing showing hours as late as 10 p.m. on some nights. For current hours and online ordering, visit balboacandy.com or call (949) 723-6099.