The Store-Bought Dark Chocolate Bar You Should Buy Every Time

Shopping for dark chocolate is tricky. The sweet's sourced via a complex global network, with availability across a huge array of brands. Determining the quality of the chocolate can be difficult — you'll typically need to unwrap a bar to see if the chocolate is high quality. All the while, the food is expensive, making it frustrating to misfire. So to help with the selection, our own Food Republic reviewer sampled and ranked 14 store-bought dark chocolate bars. The best option? Tony's Chocolonely 70% Dark Chocolate.

Our FR writer lauded the bar's balance of sugar and bitter flavors, all while maintaining a delicate creamy texture. The positive sentiment is echoed online. "I've had 70% dark chocolate that is more bitter than this," states a YouTube reviewer, noting the sweet flavor makes for an accessible option. "Best chocolate that's readily available right now," adds a Reddit reviewer regarding the brand. Customers use the bar for both enjoying standalone as well as in baking applications — the company conveniently sells large six-ounce bars for bulk usage. Widely sold at retailers like Whole Foods, Walmart, Target, and Amazon, Tony's Chocolonely Dark Chocolate 70% makes for a deliciously dependable dark chocolate purchase.

Started in 2005 in Amsterdam, Netherlands by three television personalities, Tony's Chocolonely Chocolate sells bars with a unique twist. The originality comes through before you even take a bite. Unlike industry-standard squares, the sweet is divided into fractured pieces, made to reflect the inequality in the cocoa industry. This serves as a representation of the company's ethical mission; Tony's Chocolonely is certified by both Fair Trade and B-Corp.

Partnering with fair wage cooperatives in West Africa, Tony's Chocolonely processes cocoa into well over a dozen flavors. The options range from classic milk chocolate to dark milk pretzel to caramel sea salt. The company also sells individually wrapped chocolate bites, available with a caramel sea salt flavor. In fact, Food Republic ranked 10 of the Tony's Chocolonely chocolate flavors, too; the dark chocolate landed in sixth place, but only because other bars with add-ins proved more texturally interesting. Still, for when you need a classic dark chocolate option, Tony's Chocolonely rendition is worth keeping in mind.