WHERE TO TASTE THE BEST CHOCOLATE IN GENEVA
by Chené Koscielny and Caro Blackwell
Images by Caro Blackwell
Chocolate is cheaper than therapy – and you don’t need an appointment!
The so-called food of the gods has been around for over 4,000 years bringing joy and happiness to generations of queens and princesses before thankfully also becoming available to ordinary women (and a few men too).
In Geneva we are lucky to be surrounded by some of the best chocolatiers in the world – most within walking distance from one another.
For Easter, why not take a couple of hours to explore the city’s chocolate shops to admire their Easter creations and try some of the specialities they are famous for. Here are some of our favourites.
TEUSCHER – for their champagne chocolate egg truffles
Dolf Teuscher started making chocolates more than 70 years ago. Today, the brand uses all-natural ingredients and ships craft chocolates around the globe. They use original recipes handed down over generations to create 100s of varieties, but their best-sellers are the champagne truffles and at Easter they create the most delicious champagne (Perrier Jouet) filled egg-shaped chocolate truffles. Milk or dark chocolate or a mix of the two.
Price: Around CHF30 for a basket of 6 eggs. So worth it!
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16 Rue de la Corraterie 1204, Geneva,
LADURÉE for their chocolate á L’ancienne and chocolate macarons
The Ladurée store on the Quai des Berges – such a pretty shop with pastel coloured walls and stunning displays. For a real treat sip their Hot Chocolate Ancienne – bliss in a cup.
La Durée is famous for their macarons, of course, and we just love their chocolate macarons – you can buy a box of four – with a crunchy dark chocolate exterior with a violet-flavoured or pistachio-flavoured ganache filling.
The milk chocolate maracons have a white chocolate rose-flavoured ganache filling and a raspberry-flavoured filling. This costs around CHF15.
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33 Quai des Berges – a shop with small seating area.
FAVARGER – for their chocolate-tasting bar
Favarger, one of biggest names in Swiss chocolate, inaugurated the first chocolate tasting bar in Geneva in 2019. The chocolate bar is a gourmet immersion and sensual experience. High wooden tables, elegant bar stools, subdued lights, jazzy music, retro-chic ambiance and of course the best selection of quality chocolate you can imagine.
Melting or crunchy pralines, heart-shaped ganaches, blackchocolates and colourful domes… we worked our way through 42 chocolates from 8 themes during their opening night – in the name of research!
Choose a plate of 6 gourmet chocolates (there are 8 different themes to choose from) and let your tastebuds explode as they explore new and exciting tastes and combinations.
Enjoy your tasting plate with a cup of coffee or another drink and take home your favourites in little pretty boxes.
Our favourite: The wasabi dark chocolate from the Hot and Spicy selection. Not too sweet, not too strong – but a definite hint of wasabi in a melt-in-the-mouth pure dark chocolate.
The man behind the masterful chocolate creations is Marc-André Cartier, the brand’s chef of fresh chocolates
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19 Quai des Berges
STETTLER – for the original pavé de Geneve
Stettler is one of the older chocolate makers in Geneva. The shop has been on Avenue Blanc since 1947. Their speciality is the Pavé de Genève (Geneva paving stones) which are cubed pieced of chocolate truffled dusted with cocoa powder. The pavé, which was invented by Paul Stettler, is a softer chocolate and the only chocolate that you should keep in the fridge! It has a melting point of 17 degrees. It contains cocoa butter, coconut oil, butter and cocoa powder. A box of 20 cost around CHF25.
Warning: You will become addicted.
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49 Avenue Blanc.
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On this site
AUER for their chocolate-covered almonds
Opened in 1939, this chocolaterie is still run by the Auer family. Their specialties include Pavé Glacé and Amandes Princesses, the best chocolate covered almonds in town – grilled and caramelised almonds covered in a luscious milk chocolate and dusted with cocoa powder.
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Auer Chocolatier SA, Rue De Rive, 4 – 1204, Geneva
PHILIPPE PASCOËT – for the rose-coloured milk chocolate slab
Philippe Pascoët is one of Geneva’s best-known chooclatiers, who brings a French twist to Swiss chocolates. This master chocolate-maker from Brittany settled in Switzerland and dedicated his life to chocolate, much to the delight of chocolate gourmands and lovers.
Over several years, Philippe Pascoët has accumulated multiple prizes and honours competing within the big league of the chocolate world.
He has 3 shops in Geneva, including a beautiful little boutique inside The Ritz Carlton hotel.
One of his latest specialities is the the Ruby Chocolate – it is pink in colour and a milk chocolate and it is to die for!
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GENÈVE
Rue de la Cité 15
CAROUGE
Rue Saint-Joseph 12
Hotel Ritz Carlton
Quai du Mont-Blanc 11
