Do you mean “best” overall, best dark/milk/white, or best value/bean‑to‑bar? Here’s a concise 2025 roundup across categories (U.S.-friendly), with recent award winners and reliable tastings:

Top award winners and highly regarded bars in 2025

• International Chocolate Awards (regional & world competitions) — the 2025 season highlighted multiple craft/bean‑to‑bar winners from small producers (e.g., Friis‑Holm, Dormouse Chocolates and other regional champions) and feeds into a World Final held in late 2025. These competitions are a good guide to the highest‑scoring fine chocolate makers. (internationalchocolateawards.com)
• Good Food Awards 2025 (chocolate category) — U.S. winners included Askinosie, Dick Taylor, Xocolatl Small Batch and other craft makers recognized for flavor and ethical sourcing. These are solid choices if you want award‑winning U.S. bars. (goodfoodfdn.org)
• Notable press coverage / critics — Vigdis Rosenkilde (Norway) has been repeatedly praised (her Quellouno 70% was widely reported among the top dark chocolates), and Food & Wine and other outlets continue to single out small‑batch bars as the most interesting flavor experiences. (foodandwine.com)

Recommendations by type and budget (U.S. availability)

• For the absolute “best” craft single‑origin dark chocolate (splurge): look for recent International Chocolate Awards/World Final winners and top craft bean‑to‑bar makers such as Vigdis Rosenkilde, Friis‑Holm, Kasama, and top entries from the Americas winners list—these emphasize origin, Minimal ingredients and nuance. (foodandwine.com)
• Best U.S. craft/bean‑to‑bar values: Dick Taylor, Askinosie, Xocolatl Small Batch, Goodnow Farms and similar brands — Good Food Awards spotlighted several U.S. winners in 2025. (goodfoodfdn.org)
• Best supermarket / everyday dark chocolate (good value): recent supermarket tastings (UK/Australia press in 2025) show that some mainstream bars (e.g., higher‑percent Lindt variants, and certain own‑brand premium lines) can be very good for the price—so don’t rule out premium store brands for daily chocolate. (Regional tests vary; look at ingredient clarity and cacao %.) (theguardian.com)
• Best flavored / creative American bars: Goodnow Farms and other small U.S. chocolatiers won for inventive flavored bars in 2025 competitions and the Good Food Awards. (goodfoodfdn.org)

How to pick the “best” chocolate for you

• If you want purity and terroir: choose an award‑winning single‑origin bar with few ingredients (cocoa + sugar). Look for bean‑to‑bar makers that list origin and fermentation details. (internationalchocolateawards.com)
• If you want great flavor plus creativity: try winners from the Good Food Awards or International Chocolate Awards flavored categories. (goodfoodfdn.org)
• If you want everyday value: compare higher‑percent mass‑market bars (70%+) from trusted brands; recent tastings show some supermarket bars perform very well. (theguardian.com)

If you tell me which style you prefer (dark, milk, white, single‑origin, flavored, budget vs splurge) I’ll give a specific top 5 you can buy in the U.S. with links and approximate prices.