Learn About Chocolate

Chocolate Pairing

Whether it's girls night out, an afternoon brunch with friends or just because, any time is the perfect time for entertaining with chocolate pairings.

Below we've shared expert food & beverage pairings for our variety of rich, Intense Dark chocolate flavors as well as signature SQUARES.

Ghirardelli SQUARES Pairings

Tea Time.

Chocolate is such a natural culinary partner to tea & coffee that it's hard to find a combination you don't love. Put the kettle on & spend the afternoon in delicious exploration!

As a rule, pick complementary flavors that enhance rather than overpower one another. Pair dark chocolate with bolder, darker roast coffees and milk chocolate and caramel with medium or light roasts. Enhance the fruity flavor notes in coffee with fruit and chocolate combinations like Cherry Tango or Dark & Raspberry.

Herbal teas are a great source for flavor complements to chocolates—pair mint with mint, fruit with fruit, spice with spice, etc. Delicate floral teas like chamomile or jasmine pair best with white and milk chocolates and caramel chocolate flavors. Here are some of our recommended pairings with our signature Ghirardelli SQUARES:

Milk & Caramel

Creamy milk chocolate is a natural with the roasted, toasty flavors of oolong or hojicha teas. For a coffee pairing, try it with light or medium roasts that include notes of cardamom, clove and vanilla.

Dark & Mint

A black tea and mint blend holds its own with dark chocolate and mint, and the flavors of mint and rum in dark roasts pair nicely with this Ghirardelli SQUARE.

Dark & Raspberry

Select an herbal tea that combines berries and black currant for bright, fruity flavors that are a perfect pairing for chocolate and raspberry. Any herbal tea blend with berries is going to give you the same complementary tasting.

Dark & Sea Salt Caramel

Smoky Lapsang Souchong with milk offers an intense and complex complement to dark chocolate, while the caramel brings out the underlying sweetness in the tea. For coffee, nutty blends are a perfect partner here as well. Don't forget the cream!

Intense Dark 72% Cacao

Citrusy Earl Grey brings a note of bergamot brightness to dark chocolate for tea; a dark roast espresso blend is substantial enough to stand up to its intensity for coffee.

Dark 60% Cacao

Bittersweet chocolate is dreamy with a malty Assam Black tea or the muscatel flavors of Darjeeling tea with notes of roasted hazelnut.

Intense Dark Chocolate Pairings

Evening
Dream

60% Evening Dream

Light and Vibrant

Pairing Suggestions
Sophisticated but approachable, Intense Dark Evening Dream 60% Cacao delivers notes of ripe red fruit and impeccable chocolate intensity, with a rich, round flavor. Share with chocolate lovers who enjoy flavors ranging from bold to more nuanced and delicate. A perfect introduction to dark chocolate, Evening Dream is deeply satisfying and easy-to-love, with plenty of character. Luxuriously creamy Intense Dark Evening Dream 60% Cacao makes a well-balanced pairing partner to salty snacks and big red wines, but has enough bittersweet edge to counter sweet dessert wines and dried fruit. Fudgy but not too sweet, this is a chocolate for celebrating in all seasons. Pour a glass of bubbly alongside for holiday celebrations or enjoy with the tropical notes of mango and coconut under summer skies.

Twilight
Delight

72% Twilight Delight

Deep and Velvety

Pairing Suggestions
Our Intense Dark 72% cacao is a deep, velvety chocolate with hints of mocha, blackberry and dark cherry that create a rich chocolate intensity. Invite a little mystery into your next gathering when you unwrap a bar and the mood shifts and conversation deepens. With hints of jammy fruit and dark complexity, this vividly nuanced bar offers plenty to talk about. Try it with fruit-forward wines, sparkling rose, berry-infused teas, or deeply fruited coffees. The perfect sophisticated after-dinner treat, offer it alongside Spanish Manchego or a piquant Dry Jack.

Midnight
Reverie

86% Midnight Reverie

Luxurious and Deep

Pairing Suggestions
With 86% cacao, this luxuriously deep Intense Dark chocolate delivers the ultimate chocolate intensity. Its full-bodied flavor is accompanied by hints of dark cherries and dried plums. A chocolate bar for the bold, Midnight Reverie’s dark magic is perfect for sharing with those who love dark chocolate with the same deep passion you do. A chocolate that can hold its own in the company of ruby port and big red wines, it’s just as delightful with stout beer and dark, fudgy espresso.

Toffee
Interlude

Toffee Interlude

Crunchy and Carmelized

Pairing Suggestions
Crunchy toffee, caramelized almonds, and deep velvety dark chocolate combine to make an irresistible, slightly sweeter Intense Dark flavor. The sweet nuttiness of Toffee Interlude makes it the ideal pairing partner to salty snacks—think rosemary almonds or sea-salted buttery cashews. It’s perfect with bold dark roast coffee and cream and matches the buttery richness of an oaky Chardonnay. Offering sweet memories of classic chocolate nostalgia, this is a bar for sharing. Keep Toffee Interlude on hand for movie night or spontaneous moments over warm coffee.

Hazelnut
Heaven

Hazelnut Heaven

Deep and Nutty

Pairing Suggestions
The sweet nuttiness of Hazelnut Heaven makes it the ideal pairing partner to salty snacks—think rosemary almonds or sea-salted buttery cashews. It’s perfect with bold dark roast coffee and cream and matches the buttery richness of an oaky Chardonnay. Offering sweet memories of classic chocolate nostalgia, this is a bar for sharing. Keep Hazelnut Heaven on hand for movie night or spontaneous moments over warm coffee.

Sea Salt
Soiree

Sea Salt Soiree

Salt and Almonds

Pairing Suggestions
Sea Salt Soiree’s blend of dark chocolate, roasted almonds, and coarse crystals of sea salt makes this Intense Dark flavor the epitome of sweet and salty perfection. Crunchy and complex, this memorable bar is perfect for a mid-day break or to share with friends. Crunchy crystals of sea salt and almonds make this the perfect partner to the bold flavors in Stilton, Irish Cheddar, and Aged Gruyere cheeses. You’ll love it with espresso and with nutty, toasty green tea.

Mango
Sunset

Mango Sunset

Tropical Delight

Pairing Suggestions
Intense Dark Mango Sunset makes a perfect pairing partner to salty-sweet snacks, tropical flavors, and spicy dinners with friends. Get your tiki glasses and cocktail umbrellas ready! Intense Dark Mango Sunset is made for pairing with the coconut and pineapple flavors in retro pina coladas. The chocolate's sweetness sings in contrast to the citrusy tartness of Brazil's native Caipirinha or a margarita with lots of freshly-squeezed lime. For a salty pairing, offer bowls of toasted, curried cashews.

Cherry
Tango

Cherry Tango

Fruit and Almonds

Pairing Suggestions
Intense Dark Cherry Tango's almond and fruit flavors make it the perfect pairing partner with cheese, sparkling wines, complex Spanish flavors, and coffee. Set the scene with the smoky, complex flavors of a saffron-tinted paella cooked over an open fire under summer stars. Ice bottles of semi-seco rosado Cava to sip on while dinner cookies and nibble on big wedges of Manchego cheese, endless bowls of marcona almonds, candied walnuts, and salty, crunchy fried corn. Match the smoky, spiced entree with a dessert of Intense Dark Cherry Tango. Better yet, mix some bars in with the pre-dinner nibbles for a salty, sweet start to your evening fun.