Wondering about the best Filipino chocolates to take home with you?
Chocolate and the Philippines go together like me and my bff, Lily. As a total chocoholic who’s been friends with a Filipina sweet tooth, I know first-hand that gifting chocolate is key for any expat looking to impress my friend around Valentine’s Day (araw ng mga puso in Tagalog language). But not just a quick supermarket candy run, I’m talking swoon-worthy, silky smooth Filipino chocolate that makes every love song on the radio actually feel true.
Yeah, Filipinos take their cacao seriously, whether as sweet tablea to dip pandesal rolls in during merienda or as high-quality artisanal treats packed beautifully in every mall kiosk and specialty shop. I should know. I’ve spent hours combing through them every time I visit, trying to find the perfect pasalubong (gifts) to bring back for Lily’s family. From mango-flavored bonbons (yes, it works!) to purple ube chocolate bars so gorgeous they look like they were made for royalty rather than my mother-in-law.
And in this guide, I’m spilling all my hard-earned secrets so you can ace Valentine’s Day chocolate gifting and have your partner brag to her friends about her romantic Ninong (foreign godparent). I’ll showcase all the best chocolate brands, flavors, and places to pick them up, guaranteed to have you two slow dancing with every Hershey’s kiss. Because when love, chocolate, and the Philippines combine, the sweetness is simply irreplaceable – in more ways than one!
Table of Contents
Traditional Filipino Chocolates
Looking for the most iconic local brands that every Filipino grows up loving from childhood? These OG chocolate makers are staples in any pasalubong shop or grocery aisle, so let me give you the 101.
Nips
This old-school candy comes in a rainbow of bright colors like those M&Ms. Their signature look? They also melt in your mouth with the creamiest sweet milk filling ever. Total childhood throwback!
Flat Tops
At Christmas, I always notice Flat Tops chocolate bars stuffed in Lily’s family’s media noche. What gives? Turns out, these decadent dark chocolate tablets are a staple dessert pairing. And now I sneak them from the fridge too!
Goya
Goya takes the OG chocolate crown for their top-quality local cacao beans used for creating the iconic Goya chocolate bars. This 100% cacao goodness straight from the Davao region makes for rich, thick choco bites. Given their popularity, Goya also have several versions of milk chocolate powders for a satisfying cup.
Filipino Artisanal Chocolate Treats
Once I got the hang of household name chocolates like ChocNut and Nips, Lily introduced me to the exciting world of artisanal Pinoy chocolate and wow. From single-origin, small-batch bars made from cacao grown on local farms to chef-made bonbons that look straight out of a 5-star restaurant, these are the fancy (yet affordable) finds perfect for a delicious care package back home.
Auro
With flavors like passionfruit & chamomile and equally sleek packaging, Auro is perfect for the dark chocolate connoisseur in your life. Handmade in small batches, the attention to detail and complex notes make it clear why they’re a rising luxury name. Plus, their cacao beans? Well, the company only uses those grown in Davao del Sur!
Theo + Philo
How cool is this – Pinoy chocolatier Philo Chua teams up with local cacao farmers for exclusives you won’t find anywhere else. Drawing inspiration from the country’s agricultural heritage growing cacao, Philo’s is on a mission to showcase high-quality chocolate straight from its roots. From lush mango to calamansi lime bars, their Philippines-inspired flavors burst with bright, tropical fruitiness.
Hiraya
Hiraya sources its single-origin Filipino cacao from indigenous tree-to-bar makers around the country. Super smooth with fruity notes, I love their Davao chocolate spread – aka next-level Nutella!
Kablon Farms
Nestled in South Cotabato, this farm makes chocolate truly bean-to-bar. Their subtle vanilla + caramel blond bars are a must for gifting. And if you visit their shop, their thick 60% Spicy Raw Chocolate with hints of muscovado sugar is the ultimate pick-me-up.
Ideal Chocolate Gifts For Filipina Partners
Now comes the fun part – using all my Pinoy chocolate wisdom to actually pick out the perfect gift for your honeybun. But here’s my hot take: while us foreigners go crazy for exotic local flavors, Filipinas still appreciate classic high-end imports you can’t easily get back home. I’m talking rich Swiss chocolate, artisan French bonbons, and designer Italian confections from legendary makers like Lindt, Godiva or Ferrero Rocher.
I always stuff my luggage with beloved American chocolate brands before visiting the Philippines – think Hershey’s Kisses, Reese’s peanut butter cups, M&M’s, Snickers, and Twix. Basically, all the iconic candy aisle grabs we take for granted stateside are a rare treat for Pinoys.
A few luxe American picks I like to gift Lily are Ghirardelli’s rich chocolate squares, especially their seasonal flavors, Russell Stover chocolate gift baskets filled with assorted creams and nutty treats, and for the dark chocolate lover – a selection of Guittard’s velvety baking bars crafted in San Francisco.
Easy Tagalog Phrases For Buying Chocolates
Over the years, I’ve picked up my fair share of Tagalog. But trying to navigate the busy chocolate shops in malls like SM, Landmark, or Greenbelt still leaves me tongue-tied without my wife to translate. Luckily, just a few key phrases go a long way in having friendly conversations with store clerks and waiters during your chocolate quest.
Here’s a starter pack I recommend memorizing that covers all your cacao shopping needs:
- “May tsokolate ba kayo dito?” – Do you have chocolate here?
- “Ano pong magandang brand ng tablea ang ire-rekomenda niyo?” – What good tablea chocolate brand would you recommend?
- “Pakibalot nga po ng [flavor] na Tsokolate, pang regalo para sa aking nobya” – Can you please wrap [flavor] chocolate as a gift for my girlfriend
Ready To Try Dark Chocolate Treats From The Philippines?
Well, there you have it – everything you need to know to pick the perfect pasalubong chocolates and treats to impress your Filipina partner! By now, your luggage should be stuffed with Goya table discs, colorfully wrapped Nips candies, artisan Tigre y Oliva bonbons, and maybe even a durian chocolate or two if you’re feeling daring.
But don’t stop your delicious Pinoy chocolate journey here.
My advice? You can dive deeper into mastering life (and love!) in the Philippines with help from the Ling app. It’s my go-to app for picking up everyday Tagalog phrases or finally understanding all the latest chismis my madre-in-law chatters about.
With bite-sized lessons and fun quizzes adapted to my skill level, I’m picking up conversational vocabulary in no time. Because chocolate gifts may win Filipinos’ smiles now and then, but speaking straight from the heart in their national language? That’s how you truly connect with the Philippines and with the partner who calls it home!
