100% is not for everyone … it can be quite bitter. I’ve only be able to find a handful of brands which make 100% … my two favs are Chocosol and Wild Mountain, then Camino, Altereco.
Try 90% and work up to 100%
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Oh, I have no aspirations to like 100% cocoa 
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Totally understand … life is too short. 
While I prefer the bitterness of unsweetened coffee, I like a little bit of sugar with my chocolate. My favourite range is 75-85%. Some 70% bars are too sweet for me whereas others are fine.
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The 85% was too sweet as well? It’s been too long since I tried either.
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I get that.
As for chocolate, I do alternate between 85-100% and splurge on “healthier” bars.
Giddy YoYo is also another. Like the other chocolate makers, they have bars with various cacao % and flavours.
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85% is definitely not too sweet.
I meant specifically Lindt’s 85%, which was your original point of contention with their dark chocolate: that it is too sweet.
The higher the cocoa content, the less sweet the chocolate bar, usually — unless Lindt adds extra sugar to their dark chocolate.
Agreed. They use primarily forasteros beans in their chocolate, which tend to have harsh flavors and high acidity. It’s not as noticeable in milk chocolate or lower cacao percentages, but when you get up to the 75-85% cacao range (which I prefer as a dark chocolate lover), all you can taste is acid. Valrhona has the same problem. I dislike high acidity and fruity flavors in chocolate (although I like most fruit with chocolate, go figure), so I look for brands that choose beans/blends with roasty toasty flavors like coffee, toffee, dark caramel, etc.
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I don’t care much for high acidity in chocolate, either. Which brands do you recommend?
I’m a big fan of Callebaut for baking/desserts. Tony’s Chocolonley makes a great 70% bar for eating. I also like Chocolove’s various 70+% offerings, Moser-Roth’s 85%, and Endangered Species Extreme dark, for brands that are readily available at grocery stores near me. For higher-end special order stuff, Amedei, Bonnat, Domori, Felchlin, Dolfin, etc. Chocosphere.com has a great selection of bars. Oh, and when I’m in Germany, Rausch Plantagen’s 70-85% bars! 
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Are any of the chocolates above available in Ontario? (Just trying to keep things on track…)
@moderator-team Do you think it would be worth starting a chocolate thread?
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We already have quite a few here…
but you can always start a new one 
Of course there is! I’m having a hard time keeping up with all the threads on ho… I’ll probably start a new thread tomorrow since I’m watching the Golden Globes right now
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Looking forward to it! There’s lots of different aspects and perspectives to chocolate.
I watched the RC show, but we’re recording the actual awards so we can zap through the nonsense and ads
I saw one lone Tony Chocolonely near the cash registers at Winners in London, ON today.
I believe Amadei and Dolfin are sold at gourmet shops in Toronto. Some Amadei is also sold at Eataly, in Toronto and online.
Vincenzo’s, my favourite place to shop in Waterloo, ON, sells Dolfin.
Ontario has one of the finest chocolate makers in the world- Soma. Chocolate really doesn’t get much better than theirs. I don’t know if they sell in Ottawa, but they can ship there.
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I just ordered some Soma to be shipped for a friend’s birthday, today.
I like some of Soma’s stuff a lot (3 or 4 of their filled chocolates especially, some cookies, some drinks, the gelato ). There are quite a few products I find are not my cup of tea, especially some of the seasonal and whimsical offerings.
For about 5 years, around 2010-2015, I was spending around $1000/ year at Soma, on hostess, bday, Easter and Xmas gifts. The owners are good friends with around half a dozen former Chowhounds.
While I like Soma, I still like eating chocolate from elsewhere.
2 other interesting and tasty brands made in Toronto:
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Jan 12, 2026
@ottawaoperadiva Shoppers Drug Mart in Ontario carries Tony’s now. 180 gram bar for $7.49.
The price of Ritter Sport has gone up to $6.29 CAD for 100 g at Shoppers Drug Mart as of Jan 12, 2026.
Some varieties are on sale at Food Basics this week.
Ritter Sport at Metro. $4.99 CAD/100g.
I suspect the price is going up soon, and that’s why some have no price underneath.
Creme Egg at Shoppers Drug
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