I'm Convinced These Italian Chocolates Are the Only Ones Worth Giving This Valentine’s Day

Growing up in northern New Jersey, my most-loved treats all had a thread of Italian and Italian-American flavors. The creamy, crunchy bite of a fresh cannoli, cookies flavored with warm hazelnut or pistachio, and the boozy coffee-soaked bites of tiramisu are familiar favorites.

That’s what makes the brand Venchi so special to me. Since 1878, it has expertly crafted Italian chocolates with flavors like almond, cannoli, tiramisu, and hazelnut. Each bite brings me back to my childhood, which is why I wholeheartedly believe it's the only chocolate worth gifting, especially on Valentine’s Day. And, lucky for all of us, Venchi just launched brand-new sets that will make you fall in love with these chocolates too. 

Assorted Valentine’s Day Chocolates Gift Box, 5.22-Ounce 

I’ve tried both milk and dark varieties and have a multitude of favorites (I’ll always be partial to dark chocolate), though you really can’t go wrong with any option. Venchi’s creativity shines with its flavors. Many of those added flavors, whether fillings or toppings, are sweet, so the balance of a slightly bitter chocolate option creates the perfect bite for me. The chocolate itself is rich and flavorful on its own, with a creaminess and a less acidic cocoa taste than other chocolates I’ve tried. 

One must-buy item that the brand makes are the cute one-bite chocolates, unique thanks to their textures and flavors. They have a few different styles, though my favorites remain the same. The gianduitti chocolates are shaped like small gold bars (arguably worth more, honestly) filled with gianduja, which is a blend of chocolate and hazelnut paste. The dark chocolate ones are my favorite for their balance of bitter, nutty, and sweet. They’re basically like poppable, chewable bites of Nutella. 

Gianduia N.3 Gianduiotto Chocolates, 13-Pack 

I also love the flavored chocolates that reimagine different desserts. This cannolo dark chocolate reminds me so much of the chocolate-shell cannoli I grew up eating. It is filled with a ricotta filling, dotted with candied cherries and orange with a crunchy biscuit crumble. And this creative spin on tiramisu, which has alternating layers of coffee paste, mascarpone cream, and dark chocolate, is another gem. And the almond one (included in this set) tastes like biting into a rainbow cookie, one of my favorite treats. 

Venchi also makes pearls that are similar-looking to the truffles we all grew up with, just elevated. The dark gianduia and hazelnut pearls are my favorite so far. There’s a whole hazelnut enrobed in gianduja, wrapped in a dark chocolate semi-shell. 

Tiramisù Chocolates, 10-Pack 

You can also buy full bars, which I think are an underrated gift option. For a simple pick, you can’t go wrong with the dark chocolate hazelnut bar, which is dotted with whole Piedmont hazelnuts for a crunchy, nutty, not-too-sweet finish. The milk BacioDiDama bar is another favorite — it's the only milk chocolate I’ll eat. The top layer is milk chocolate gianduja and the bottom layer is white chocolate. In between are pieces of buttery hazelnut cookies. Altogether, this bar tastes like I’m back in an Italian bakery, grabbing cookies for after dinner. 

I love these chocolates so much that I have a $50 assorted bag sitting on my bedside table that my partner makes fun of weekly. And I’m not ashamed to say there are four open chocolate bars sitting next to it, too. Right now, you can shop a variety of them in the brand’s newest Valentine’s Day launch. This box features the cannolo chocolate I love, along with a version of the BacioDiDama bar. For anyone intrigued by tiramisu, you might want to check out this gift set. 

There are heaps of ways to give these to loved ones. My partner has given me a gift box before, though you could also choose from chocolate bar sets, mix and match with a variety or give packs of specific flavors you know they’ll love. Shop pieces from the Valentine’s Day collection now if you love a theme, or go rogue like I do. You’ll be delighted either way. 

Shop More of My Favorite Venchi Chocolates: 

60% Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Bar

Milk BacioDiDama Bar

Cannolo Chocolates, 5-Pack

Dark Gianduia and Hazelnut Pearl, 10-Pack 

Valentine's Day Mini Hamper with Assorted Chocolates, 2.96-Ounce 

Baroque Maxi Book with Assorted Chocolates, 11.42-Ounces 

Italian Desserts Treat Bag, 7.05-Ounce