8 Mexican Chocolate Brands You Need To Know About

Mexico is the birthplace of chocolate and, as one of the country’s culinary gifts to the world, you can bet there are some excellent, hand-crafted examples out there of what real chocolate should be like. We stopped into Mexico City’s Central Cacao, a delightful shop with delicious chocolate, and checked out some names in the chocolate trade you should have on your radar.

Kakaw

Kakaw’s factory is in the cool, dry climate of San Cristóbal de las Casas in Chiapas, but they source their beans directly from producers in the warmer, more humid regions of Tabasco and Guatemala. They use artisan methods to ferment, dry and toast their cacao, and pay their producers a higher price through direct purchase, instead of using a distributor. They sell chocolate bars with various additions, like amaranth or peanuts, as well as the traditional chocolate tab used to make Mexican hot chocolate with water.

Que Bo!

Que Bo!, Isabel la Catolica 30 local 15-16, Centro Histórico, Mexico City, Mexico, +52 01 55 5518 7672

La Broma de Teo

La Broma de Teo (Teo’s Joke) started as a small project among friends making artisanal chocolate from their kitchens. They work with organic beans and use artisan processes to make all types of chocolate, with combinations including almonds, amarenth, macademia nuts, mandarin, agave honey, mezcal and more. They sell their products in various parts of the republic, and have a chocolate-tasting bar in Guadalajara, Jalisco.

Yé-la

An association of agricultural producers, the Yé-la project started with communal lands in the region of Chinantla, Oaxaca that were designated a conservation area. Chocolate growers and producers joined together to protect this important jungle product. They produce chocolate using a white cocoa bean called pataxtle, and produce bars and other chocolate products with a distinctly cream-colored shine.

Frucao

A do-everything operation based out of Chiapas, Frucao cares for every detail of its chocolate-making process, from planting the seeds to end-processing the chocolate bars, often mixed with dried fruits like oranges and cranberries. They also grow vanilla and cinnamon on their land in Southern Mexico.

Ki’Xocolatl

You will find Ki’ Xocolatl products at high-end shops throughout the country. They grow their own beans on the Yucatán Peninsula and their products are 100% Criollo cacao, 100% organic and combine traditional, indigenous techniques with Belgian ones. Under the direction of chocolatier Mathieu Brees, they are an award-winning Mexican chocolate brand you need to try.

La Rifa

A chocolate bar and restaurant, La Rifa is famous for the quality of its chocolate drinks. You can find them at their main location in Coyoacán and also at Central Cacao in Colonia Roma. Run by young cook Daniel Reza Barrientos, La Rifa sources its beans from Cumuapa, Cunduacán in Tabasco, and works closely with the family that produces them. Try their chocolate, hot or cold, and you’ll see what Mexican chocolate is all about.

La Rifa, Calle Ignacio Allende 45, Del Carmen, Coyoacan, Mexico City, Mexico, +52 01 55 9155 7684

La Leyenda

La Leyenda is a support network for producers of small-batch coffee, cacao, and amaranth, based in Mexico City. They focus their promotion on the specific origin of each product and what environmental factors make it unique. They offer tastings and workshops throughout the city, and you can buy their products online through their Facebook page.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.