There’s no definitive answer as to where in Mesoamerica cacao was first used to produce chocolate. However, we know the pre-Olmec people of Mexico created drinking chocolate, possibly as early as 1,750 BC.
So…it’s safe to say Mexico has a long history with what is perhaps the world’s best-loved food.
But have you ever tried authentic Mexican chocolate? You have likely heard of cocoa (the substance made after cacao has been roasted) and its associations with Central and South America. But have you ever wished to try chocolate in the lands where it was first discovered and introduced to the human diet? Today, we’ll discuss some of the best places to indulge in chocolate in Mexico City.
Whether it’s white, black, or milk chocolate, chocolate is a delicious, sweet treat that seems to carry a little magic. It is a foodstuff that very few seem able to resist. In its earliest days, cocoa was used for religious ceremonies and consumed as a drink. At times, the raw product was even used as a currency, such was the value attached to it.
Later, cocoa arrived in Europe and became popular as a beverage – it was the drink of choice among intellectuals and the well-to-do.
That is until a man from Holland produced a solid mass of chocolate in 1828. This discovery was to change everything! By 1847, an Englishman was selling chocolate in tablet form (not dissimilar to today’s chocolate buttons or squares). Being easier to consume, this made the product much more profitable, and soon chocolate could be found anywhere there was international trade.
This enchanting confectionery has never lost its appeal since. It is said by some (those with a sweet tooth, like us) that eating chocolate is always a good idea – wiser words were never spoken! With this in mind, join us as we recommend our five favorite places to taste the best chocolates in Mexico City.
And if we leave you eager to dive deeply into Mexican culinary culture, please browse our selection of Mexico City Food Tours. If you’re left with terrible cravings, check out our Chocolate tasting experience!
1. Oscuro Puro
This small place in the middle of Colonia Roma is a place to spend time indulging in quality cocoa.
Here, chocolate is considered more than just a snack or meal complement. It is a whole meal in itself, a journey of diverse taste sensations. In Oscuro Puro, Mexican chocolate is offered in the shape of cookies, bread, cakes, and other desserts.
Alongside this tasty food, you can expect cocoa beverages, handcrafted beer, wine, and excellent conversation with two chocolate experts in the bar – don’t miss it!
- Guanajuato 138, Colonia, Roma Norte
2. La Rifa
La Rifa can be defined as an experimental factory where the features of different kinds of cocoa are allowed to flourish to create cakes, beverages, and very original chocolate bars.
You may try the best “raw cocoa” from Mexico, taste a bar of chocolate flavored with herbs and spices like cardamom, or attend a tasting.
This artisanal place for lovers of chocolate in Colonia Juárez will transport you to the fields of Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Tabasco. La Rifa will show you all the marvels that can be made from this exceptional bean, the cacao.
- Calle Dinamarca 47, Juárez.
3. Qué Bo
Qué Bo is the only chocolate store in Mexico that is considered one of the best in the world according to “Le Guide de Croqueurs de Chocolat,” the world’s most respected guide of chocolate tasters.
In all branches, exotic chocolates, bonbons, and desserts represent the evolution of cocoa used in Mexico.
All products from Qué Bo celebrate the characteristic flavor of chocolate, and you will be amazed by the original combinations of chocolate and mole (Mexican sauce), worm salt, hibiscus, pan de Muerto, or café de olla.
- Cuauhtémoc 180, Coyoacán
4. MUCHO
The Museum of Chocolate, Chocolate World, or MUCHO for short, differs somewhat from the other choices on our list. In addition to tasting and buying delicious chocolate, here you can also partake in a didactic experience, actively getting to know the history of chocolate and how it’s prepared.
In this hidden place in Colonia Juarez, you will learn all about pre-Hispanic uses of cocoa and discover the most important growers of this plant worldwide. You will enter a room with the walls covered with tablets of chocolate, and you will be able to drink traditional xocolatl in Fonda Cacao.
- Calle Milán 45, Juárez
5. Le Caméléon
In Le Caméléon, Mexican -sourced raw materials are combined with Belgian techniques to create bonbons, jams, and snacks that stir childhood memories and enable a fascinating exploration of chocolate’s place in Mexican culture.
The chocolate products of Le Caméléon, located in Polanco, are completely artisanal and prepared with no preservatives or additives. Though the preparation techniques may be innovative, what you’re eating is traditional, unadulterated chocolate of the highest quality!
You can be part of Le Caméléon’s tasting club, or simply attend once in a while and enjoy chocolate and hibiscus bars, chipotle, chai, or grasshoppers.
- Alejandro Dumas 125, Polanco.
Now that we’ve established that chocolate is edible happiness, take advantage of the healing properties and health benefits that cocoa offers and get adventurous in visiting some of these sweet and chocolatey places! You’ll feel all the better for doing so, we’re sure of it.
If you have any questions about this blog or our tours, please get in touch.
