San Francisco Chocolate Salon 2023 Awards Announced

JUDGES AWARDS

The Honored Judges of the San Francisco International Chocolate Salon 2023 have released the results of their voting and top picks for this annual culinary event.


 

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

Best Chocolate Bar

GOLD

  • Amano Artisan Chocolate

SILVER

  • Socola Chocolatier
  • CocoTutti Chocolates
  • Volo Chocolate

BRONZE

  • The Good Chocolate
  • Rainy Day Chocolate

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Charlotte Truffles
  • Michael's Chocolates
  • Forte Chocolates
  • COBA The Coffee Bar

Top Artisan Chocolatier

GOLD

  • Michael's Chocolates

SILVER

  • CocoTutti Chocolates

BRONZE

  • aL chocoLat Boutique
  • Kokak Chocolates
  • Socola Chocolatier
  • flying noir

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Amano Artisan Chocolate
  • R & J Toffees
  • Forte Chocolates
  • Volo Chocolate
  • COBA The Coffee Bar

Most Delicious Ingredient Combinations

GOLD

  • Michael's Chocolates

SILVER

  • flying noir

BRONZE

  • Kokak Chocolates

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Bon Sucree
  • Codinha Chocolate
  • 1.2.3 Chocolat

Best Traditional Chocolates

GOLD

  • CocoTutti Chocolates

SILVER

  • Amano Artisan Chocolate
  • Socola Chocolatier
  • Rainy Day Chocolate
  • Goufrais Southern California
  • Michael's Chocolates
  • Kokak Chocolates
  • The Xocolate Bar

BRONZE

  • Volo Chocolate
  • The Good Chocolate
  • Z Ciocolato
  • Brigadeiro Sprinkles
  • Bon Sucree
  • Codinha Chocolate
  • Sonoma Chocolatiers
  • Kindred Cooks Caramels
  • flying noir

HONORABLE MENTION

  • na

Best Dark Chocolates

GOLD

  • Michael's Chocolates

SILVER

  • flying noir

BRONZE

  • CocoTutti Chocolates
  • Volo Chocolate

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Amano Artisan Chocolate

Best Milk Chocolates

GOLD

  • Volo Chocolate
  • Rainy Day Chocolate
  • Kokak Chocolates

SILVER

  • Brigadeiro Sprinkles

BRONZE

  • flying noir
  • CocoTutti Chocolates
  • Socola Chocolatier
  • The Good Chocolate
  • R & J Toffees
  • Codinha Chocolate
  • Fookie

Top Toffee in Salon

GOLD

  • R & J Toffees

SILVER

  • Rainy Day Chocolate

BRONZE

  • Sonoma Chocolatiers
  • CocoTutti Chocolates

Best Caramels or Truffles

GOLD

  • Kindred Cooks Caramels

SILVER

  • Michael's Chocolates
  • Socola Chocolatier

BRONZE

  • flying noir

HONORABLE MENTION

  • CocoTutti Chocolates
  • aL chocoLat Boutique
  • Charlotte Truffles

Best Organic or Fair Trade Products

GOLD

  • Volo Chocolate

SILVER

  • Rainy Day Chocolate
  • The Xocolate Bar

BRONZE

  • flying noir
  • Goufrais Southern California
  • The Good Chocolate

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Socola Chocolatier
  • Brigadeiro Sprinkles
  • Amano Artisan Chocolate
  • Siamaya Chocolate
  • Fabula Tea

Best Comfort Chocolate or Snack Product

GOLD

  • Fookie

SILVER

  • Socola Chocolatier
  • p.o.p. candy co.
  • Z Ciocolato

BRONZE

  • Kokak Chocolates
  • Bon Sucree

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Goufrais Southern California
  • The Good Chocolate
  • Brigadeiro Sprinkles
  • Kindred Cooks Caramels
  • Michael's Chocolates
  • CocoTutti Chocolates
  • Codinha Chocolate
  • tinyB chocolate
  • R & J Toffees
  • The Chaga Company
  • 1.2.3 Chocolat
  • COBA The Coffee Bar

New Product Award

GOLD

  • Brigadeiro Sprinkles
  • Kokak Chocolates
  • CocoTutti Chocolates
  • The Xocolate Bar

SILVER

  • Kindred Cooks Caramels
  • 1.2.3 Chocolat
  • COBA The Coffee Bar

BRONZE

  • R & J Toffees
  • Siamaya Chocolate
  • Bon Sucree
  • Codinha Chocolate
  • Sonoma Chocolatiers
  • Socola Chocolatier
  • tinyB chocolate
  • Godavari Chocolate
  • flying noir
  • Fabula Tea
  • Volo Chocolate

Best in Salon

GOLD

  • Michael's Chocolates

SILVER

  • CocoTutti Chocolates

BRONZE

  • Kokak Chocolates
  • Sonoma Chocolatiers
  • Socola Chocolatier
  • flying noir

HONORABLE MENTION

  • COBA The Coffee Bar
  • R & J Toffees
  • Bon Sucree
  • Codinha Chocolate
  • aL chocoLat Boutique
  • Charlotte Truffles
  • Forte Chocolates

JUDGES COMMENTS (SELECTED)

Yummy! Chocolate combinations. Love the citrus flavors lime, lemon, and tropical flavors passion fruit, guava, mango… dark chocolate dipped orange my favorite! Coco tutti is the Best! Lime + Lemon + Strawberry bars. Thank you! 🤟🏻🤙🏻


Flying Noir's Taiin was one of my favorite new truffles with its interesting, complex flavors of orange, star anise and pepper. Aano's Citrus Melange á Trois bar was delicately infused with a delightful combination of citrus flavors; I also liked the just-right heat in Aman's Mango Chili bar, and the wonderful flavor combination in their Cardamom Black Pepper bar. The exotic selection by Siamaya was enticing and their Massaman Peanut Curry bar was great. Volo and Forte's bars and truffles were also standouts. There were too many great tastes at this year's Salon that it was difficult to limit my votes!


Michael's creates such exceptional and delicious combinations of ingredients and this time, the Bourbon, Caramel Pecan was even better. Flying Noir's creativity and flavor profiles are superb. XO Chocolate came up with a delightful play on camembert cheese. Kindred Cooks Mango Passion Fruit was mouthwatering . Amano always has delicious chocolate bars that you want to share with your friends and their packaging is improved. 1,2,3 Chocolat made a mousse that was heavenly. I actually wanted to scoop out a bowl and have it with a nice red wine. The chocolate covered matzoh from Cocotutti was satisfying and mouthwatering. aL Chocolat Boutique had two different truffles, the lemon lime and the citrus cheese cake that I so enjoyed. Brigadeiro Sprinkles Caipirinha was a delight. Goufrais' refrigerated chocolate was rich and creamy.


Xocolate Bar's take on 'charcuterie' was outstanding. The "brie"chocolate & chocolate salami was great fun and delicious"; 3D Candies blue Fig truffle was great. Michael's Chocolates never fails to delight. Consistently the best! Loved CocoTutti's Carmel chocolate matzoh. Unparalleled.


So much delicious creativity this time! All the chocolate egg variations were fun. It was nice to see new chocolate vendors too. Great Salon!


There were many excellent artisans at the Spring Salon, each with their own approaches and flavor ranges. The judging was quite difficult.


 

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS

The Attendees of the San Francisco International Chocolate Salon 2023 have released the results of their voting and top picks for this annual culinary event.


 

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

Top Artisan Chocolatier

GOLD

  • Volo Chocolate

SILVER

  • aL chocoLat Boutique
  • Michael's Chocolates

BRONZE

  • CocoTutti Chocolates

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Amano Artisan Chocolate
  • Kokak Chocolates
  • Charlotte Truffles
  • Socola Chocolatier

Most Delicious Ingredient Combinations

GOLD

  • Michael's Chocolates

SILVER

  • aL chocoLat Boutique

BRONZE

  • CocoTutti Chocolates

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Charlotte Truffles
  • Codinha Chocolate
  • 1.2.3 Chocolat

Most Artistic Designs

GOLD

  • aL chocoLat Boutique

SILVER

  • Michael's Chocolates
  • flying noir

BRONZE

  • Kokak Chocolates

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Charlotte Truffles
  • Codinha Chocolate
  • Socola Chocolatier

Best Milk Chocolates

GOLD

  • Volo Chocolate

SILVER

  • 1.2.3 Chocolat

BRONZE

  • aL chocoLat Boutique
  • Michael's Chocolates
  • flying noir
  • Charlotte Truffles
  • Socola Chocolatier
  • Fookie
  • The Xocolate Bar
  • Rainy Day Chocolate
  • Brigadeiro Sprinkles
  • Goufrais Southern California

Best Dark Chocolates

GOLD

  • Volo Chocolate

SILVER

  • Michael's Chocolates

BRONZE

  • Amano Artisan Chocolate

HONORABLE MENTION

  • tinyB chocolate
  • The Good Chocolate

Top Toffee in Salon

GOLD

  • R & J Toffees

SILVER

  • p.o.p. candy co.

BRONZE

  • Michael's Chocolates
  • Charlotte Truffles
  • Rainy Day Chocolate

Best Caramels or Truffles

GOLD

  • Socola Chocolatier

SILVER

  • Michael's Chocolates
  • CocoTutti Chocolates

BRONZE

  • Charlotte Truffles
  • aL chocoLat Boutique
  • 3D Candies

HONORABLE MENTION

  • Goufrais Southern California
  • flying noir
  • Codinha Chocolate

New Product Award

GOLD

  • 3D Candies
  • The Chaga Company

SILVER

  • Volo Chocolate
  • aL chocoLat Boutique
  • Michael's Chocolates
  • tinyB chocolate
  • Fookie

BRONZE

  • Kokak Chocolates
  • Charlotte Truffles
  • Goufrais Southern California
  • Codinha Chocolate
  • flying noir
  • 1.2.3 Chocolat
  • COBA The Coffee Bar
  • Siamaya Chocolate
  • Godavari Chocolate

Best in Salon

GOLD

  • Volo Chocolate
  • aL chocoLat Boutique
  • Michael's Chocolates

SILVER

  • flying noir
  • 1.2.3 Chocolat
  • CocoTutti Chocolates

BRONZE

  • Kokak Chocolates
  • Goufrais Southern California

HONORABLE MENTION

  • 3D Candies
  • The Chaga Company
  • Charlotte Truffles
  • Codinha Chocolate
  • COBA The Coffee Bar
  • Godavari Chocolate
  • Socola Chocolatier
  • R & J Toffees
  • p.o.p. candy co.