I Asked 7 Chefs for Their Favorite Chocolate Bar, and the Winner Was a Total Surprise

AllRecipes.com ^ | November 16, 2025 | Karla Walsh

[Twotone]

Come trick-or-treat season or any time you’re presented with a choice from a candy jar, selecting just one chocolate bar from the mix is about as difficult as picking a favorite child (or so I’ve heard from parents). Sweetness levels vary widely, as does the source of the chocolate, the mix-ins or fillings, the texture, and more.

To help us narrow down the competition and build a shortlist of the best bars for s’mores, snacking, and sneaking into cakes, we called up a handful of our favorite culinary pros from coast to coast for some sweet talk. Read on to discover which chocolate bar these chefs love—plus, brilliant ways to add it to your menu this week.

snip

The Best Chocolate Bar, According to Chefs

Just like with chocolate chip cookies, many of us have a different definition of “perfect” when it comes to chocolate bars. The chefs shared quite a diverse collection of favorites, ranging from trick-or-treat mainstays to trendy artisan chocolates. But only one drew multiple votes, earning the crown from chefs in our poll: Tony’s Chocolonely.

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TOPICS: Food; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: chocolate

[kalee]

Did you search online?

[kalee]

Amazon sells a Thornton’s Continental Chocolate Gift Box. Thornton’s is a 100 year old company that is now owned by Ferrero.
Amazon reviews are not very positive, they indicate that the Ferrero acquisition has resulted in changes that affect taste in a negative manner.

[DAC21]

Cautionary tale. First a lot of “woke” running through this article “ sustainability...empowering female farmers...”

Also lead and cadmium can be a problem especially in dark chocolate. Dark chocolate “potentially” also has the most healthiest benefits....antioxidants, flavanoids.

Consumer Reports ran heavy metal tests, but who knows if the brands found to be safer, or worst for that matter are consistently better or worst.

Consumer Reports identified several dark chocolate bars with high levels of heavy metals, including Trader Joe’s 85% Cacao Dark Chocolate, Theo’s 70% and 85% Pure Dark Chocolate, Lily’s 85% Extra Dark Chocolate, and Green & Black’s 70% Organic Dark Chocolate. Evolved Signature Dark 72% Cacao Chocolate Bar was also high in both lead and cadmium. It’s important to note that every product tested by Consumer Reports had detectable amounts of lead and/or cadmium, and the levels are a major concern for children and pregnant women.

Safer level chocolate

According to Consumer Reports, the dark chocolates with the least heavy metals are Mast Organic Dark Chocolate 80% Cocoa and Taza Chocolate Organic Deliciously Dark Chocolate 70% Cacao. Other bars with lower levels found in the study include Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate (86% and 72% cacao) and Valrhona Abinao Dark Chocolate 85% Cacao.

[Chickensoup]

I saw the reviews. Pity.

Thanks

[Chickensoup]

I did but not successfully as others here.

[Chickensoup]

I did but not successfully as others here.

[sgt_lau]

My new favorite is Dubai chocolate. It’s not a brand, but a variation. Milk chocolate with a pistachio paste filling. It sounds yucky, but the filling has a pleasing crunch from finely ground nuts and I highly recommend it.

[Chickensoup]

I have heard of it.

I will look closer.

[tired&retired]

Tomato processing is seasonal. Chocolate is year round.

[tired&retired]

“I don’t like nuts or peanut butter and chocolate together...”

OH NO! I didn’t know anyone existed with that disorder.. LOL

[who knows what evil?]

Slave-free chocolate? Pass.

[who knows what evil?]

I loathe and despise most things Vermont, but I have seen Lake Champlain Chocolates turn up on a number of these ‘Best Chocolate’ lists...it IS good stuff.