Funny enough, the country known for the best craft bean-to-bar chocolate machines was never known for craft chocolate.

Despite being deeply rooted in the culture of good food and fine flavor, it took Italy at least a decade to catch up on the worldwide trend of artisans crafting chocolate from scratch. While Italian companies supplied the world with the most advanced, specialized and customized machines for bean-to-bar production on a small scale (from Packint to Selmi and FBM Boscolo), the craft chocolate culture was still underdeveloped in Italy.

The land known for the creation of guanduja never showed a real interest in that pure dark chocolate full of complex tasting notes that was becoming so popular in the USA. Until a few years ago, the Italian brands making bean-to-bar chocolate from fine-flavor cacao could be counted on one hand: Domori, Amedei, and a couple of chocolatiers experimenting with chocolate making. However, in 2022 the cult of good chocolate has finally reached the peninsula!

From the Chocolate Valley in Pisa to the historical Modica-style chocolate, there is now a vast assortment of Italian brands dedicated to fine flavor, ethical sourcing and craftmanship between tradition and innovation. They have won international chocolate awards, are sold in renowned specialty chocolate stores and have developed recognizable brands. The Italian craft bean-to-bar chocolate movement is finally a solid reality.

Here are 15 Italian craft bean-to-bar chocolate makers you shouldn’t miss out on (in no particular order).

1) AMARO CIOCCOLATO

Location: Brianza, Lombardia

Agronomist, enologist and then craft chocolate maker, Marco Colzani is known for passionately turning raw materials like fruits, vegetables and cacao into fine drinks and foods. Artisan at his core, he produces Amaro Cioccolato starting with fine-flavor cacao from Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Sao Tome, Peru and Ecuador with the precious help of Rachele Ambrosoni. Together they run Spazio Cacao, an innovative hub that welcomes curious visitors and chocolate lovers for factory visits and interactive workshops.

Suggested purchase: Tasting Box with 12 Napolitains (72% Dominican Republic – 78% Sao Tome – 80% Venezuela)

2) KARUNA CHOCOLATE

Location: South Tyrol, Trentino Alto Adige

Power couple Katya Waldboth and Armin Untersteiner from Karuna Chocolate have won more international awards than they can probably remember. In the refreshing valleys of South Tyrol, they produce all-vegan and organic chocolate collections that span from flavored white chocolates to pure single-origin dark bars. Tanzania, Belize and India are just some of the countries where they source fine-flavor cacao through a transparent supply chain of trusted distributors. Their custom mold and unique packaging design have enchanted many chocolate lovers worldwide.

Suggested purchase: 62% Mexican Cashew Nougat and Hazelnut (vegan)

3) LIM CHOCOLATE

Location: Fossano, Piemonte

LIM Chocolate is the one-man show of Federico Dutto, chocolate artisan in the heart of Fossano. He believes in the delivery of unique sensorial experiences born from the respect for the raw materials, a sincere approach to the craft and a lot of patience in the process. Sticking to pure dark chocolate between 70 and 76% cacao content, international distributors and retailers are now fighting over the supply of his traditional yet modernly-designed creations.

Suggested purchase: 76% Jembrana (Bali, Indonesia)

4) BONAJUTO

Location: Modica, Sicilia

Pioneer of bean-to-bar chocolate in Italy, Bonajuto has made history since 1880 with its unrefined, unconched and Mexican-style chocolate characterized by a rustic texture and bold flavors. Under the ownership and attentive supervision of chocolate maker Pierpaolo Ruta, the vast array of flavored chocolate bars like Mandarino, Zenzero and Noce Moscata is now offered internationally by the best specialty distributors from New York to Tokyo, or you can always check them all out directly in the historical store in the center of Modica city.

Suggested purchase: Cardamom Dark Chocolate

5) ANGIOLINI CIOCCOLATO

Location: Pisa, Toscana

A sincere love for fine-flavor cacao shines through the Angiolini Cioccolato creations. Founders Giovanni and Alex Angiolini, father and son, make sure that every single-origin bar, from Guatemala to Venezuela, delivers a specific set of delicate aromas to enchant the most demanding palates. With its elegant packaging, the Angiolini chocolate bars managed to enter into the most prestigious specialty stores in Italy.

Suggested purchase: 72% Criollo de Merida

6) NEXO CHOCOLATE

Location: Milano, Lombardia

Keyla Cotrina is the driving force behind Nexo Chocolate. Bean-to-bar maker, store owner and entrepreneur, every day she transforms fine cacao from Ecuador, Peru and Tanzania in specialty chocolate to be savored. The store in Sagrate, Milano is the best place to keep up with her seasonal, limited-edition and latest creations, and to also enjoy educational and fun chocolate workshops. Nobody knows how she also finds the energy to stay so active on all her company’s social media!

Suggested purchase: 80% Chuncho (Cuzco, Peru)

7) VAI CACAO

Location: Olbia, Sardegna

Half heart in Italy and the other half in El Salvador, Vai Cacao’s founders Elisa and JuanRa take the cacao beans from their family-owned Finca Cuyancua in Izalco and bring them to Olbia for a complete tree-to-bar transformation. Gently roasted and stoneground, Ceremonial Cacao is their best seller, but they also offer cacao nibs and single-estate chocolate bars made with cacao from other farms in Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica that they directly source from. To showcase the most natural flavors of each origin, their processing is kept to the bare minimum and no preservatives nor artificial flavors are added.

Suggested purchase: 72% ATEHUÀN (El Salvador)

8) RUKET CHOCOLATE

Location: Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna

After becoming an experienced ice-cream maker, Marco Gruppioni was determined to acquire also the skills of chocolate making. In 2017, Rukét Chocolate was born. The chocolate factory in the heart of Ferrara is tiny, but manages to produce award-winning chocolate that has met the taste of international chocolate lovers. From the nutty 72% Tanzania to the floral 75% Haiti, there is a bar made with love for every palate.

Suggested purchase: 72% Mayan Red (Honduras)

9) TUSCANI CIOCCOLATO

Location: Uzzano, Toscana

Bulgarian ownership with a deep passion for Tuscany and fine food, Tuscani Cioccolato was founded by Julia and Kashmir who take on all the risks of directly importing carefully selected Nicaraguan cacao. From the Dolce Latte milk chocolate to the 100% Soave dark chocolate, every bite of indulgence is made bean to bar in their chocolate factory in Pistoia that welcomes tourists, visitors and professionals. Their attention for raw materials go beyond just fine cacao, including organic Toretto almonds, certified Piedmont hazelnuts, specialty sea salts, unique citrus hybrids to be covered in chocolate and much more!

Suggested purchase: 71% Bosco Rosso (Nicaragua)

10) DONNA ELVIRA

Location: Modica, Sicilia

Elvira Roccasalva is the unstoppable chocolate maker behind the legendary brand Donna Elvira. The temperature of her bean-to-bar process never exceeds 50°C (122°F) and conching is skipped entirely. This results in the enjoyment of sugar crystals spread throughout the chocolate that will slowly melt and help release the natural cocoa aromas. The single-origin dark chocolates keep company to the bars flavored with locally-sourced ingredients in a rustic experience of true craftmanship.

Suggested purchase: Peperoncino (chilli pepper)

11) GUIDO CASTAGNA

Location: Torino, Piemonte

Considered one of the most skillful and innovative chocolatiers in Italy, Guido Castagna gives his name to one of the very first Italian bean-to-bar brands. For demanding palates, the CENTOGRAMMI collection is the place to be: single origins and blends are processed following Guido’s own secret method to maintain the natural aromas of each cacao origin, from the citrusy Madagascar to the spicy Arriba. Year after year, Guido is the deserving recipient of several awards for his spreads, bonbons and bars.

Suggested purchase: 76% Lacrì Blend (Madagascar, Arriba, Venezuela)

12) NOALYA CIOCCOLATO

Location: Pisa, Toscana

Pisa is known as the Chocolate Valley of Italy, and Noalya Cioccolato sits right in the middle of it. Founder Alessio Tessieri has travelled for over twenty years to the countries where cacao grows, directly supporting, trading and interacting with cacao farmers in the most rural areas of the world. With more than 30 craft chocolate bars in the assortment, Noalya Cioccolato offers an unforgettable sensorial journey. Elegance and experience meet in every blend and single origin.

Suggested purchase: Tasting box Esprit Grand Cru Venezuela (12 mini bars)

13) CECILIA TESSIERI RABASSI

Location: Pisa, Toscana

Recipient of the Tavoletta D’oro 2022 for Single Origin Dark Chocolate and World’s Best Chocolate by Bloomberg, Cecilia Tessieri Rabassi is probably the most experienced female chocolate maker in Italy. After bringing the brand Amedei to success, she recently made a name for herself with her own luxury chocolate brand. Blends and single-origin bars come together in a stylish collection that makes for the most sumptuous gift boxes.

Suggested purchase: 80% MYWAY (blend)

14) ARUNTAM

Location: Milano, Lombardia

First cocoa sourcerer, then chocolate retailer, and finally craft bean-to-bar chocolate maker. Aruntam tells the story of Pia Rivera, courageous business woman that tapped into all aspects of the chocolate supply chain. The “Faces of the World” collection is a pure homage to the farmers that bring cacao to life around the world. The “Cultivars” collection is the line of bars for true dark chocolate connoisseurs. Lastly, the “Italian Life Style” collection brings you thorough the most traditional Italian ingredients.

Suggested purchase: Italian Life Style Collection

15) CIOCOMITI

Location: Malé, Trentino Alto Adige

From the family business in the food industry, Matteo Fedrizzi developed a particular passion for chocolate that pushed him to attend several trainings, courses and workshops in Italy to eventually found his own craft bean-to-bar chocolate company, Ciocomiti. Fine cacao beans from Vietnam, India, Ecuador, Brazil, Peru, Guatemala and Papua New Guinea reach the high altitudes of Trentino Alto Adige to be stone ground and become single-origin chocolate bars for every occasion.

Suggested purchase: 78% Grand Place (Vietman)