Antica Dolceria Bonajuto

Antica Dolceria Bonajuto is a wonderful hidden gem in Modica, serving as Sicily’s oldest chocolate factory, dating back to 1880. Upon stepping inside, you immediately encounter the rich history and production method of Modica chocolate, making it feel less like a shop and more like a small, edible museum. Bonajuto is famous for producing Modica chocolate using an ancient, Aztec-influenced, cold-processing method. This technique prevents the sugar crystals from melting, resulting in a texture far different from the smooth chocolate we typically know. We took the opportunity to try a few samples, including the most original vanilla flavor. The texture is intensely distinctive: crunchy and sandy. While it is definitely an acquired taste (my daughter didn't like it at all!), I truly enjoyed the unique, granular feel and the intensely aromatic flavor. Even if you aren't a big chocolate lover, I highly recommend entering the shop just to read about the production process and the fascinating history of this ancient Modican tradition. It's a wonderful, educational stop that offers a unique piece of Sicilian heritage.

We participated in a guided tour at Antica Dolceria Bonajuto, where we learned all about the process of making their chocolate, from start to finish. The tasting session was amazing – each chocolate was rich and full of flavor. We also enjoyed shopping in the charming store, picking some delicious treats to take home. A must-visit for anyone who loves chocolate and wants an authentic Sicilian experience!

You have to visit this place if you’re a chocolate lover. It’s a little bit different than the chocolate that people are used to, but it’s still great. The staff if very friendly, gave us chocolate to try before buying and told us how it’s made. You can also get cannoli here. The most perfect cannoli I have ever eaten, crispy on the outside and soft not too sweet cream on the inside. Variety of flavours to choose from.

A must go for a chocolate lover! Chocolate in Modica is different, they make it as ancient recipes mixing only cacao paste and sugar, therefore it doesn’t melt in the mouth but create a totally different experience! It tastes wonderful! And with many different flavors! The cassatina allo cioccolato is very very good!

A bit of a loud and confusing place, with multiple lines and a lot of shouting to order. But it works, and you get your order very quickly. We ordered a cold chocolate milk and a chocolate granita. I particularly enjoyed the chocolate milk, and I found the chocolate granita to be fine as well. For my girlfriend's taste, it was slightly too bitter, but for my taste, it was good.

The service was really great. They were helpful and provided lots of samples to help us make our choice. The chocolate was definitely more bitter than normal because of the higher cacao content but we really enjoyed it and all the variations. Got three bars, some hot chocolate and a chocolate cake piece. The chocolate cake was delicious. The shop is down a side street but ample signage.

After a long cycle and facing yet another hill ahead, I was grateful to stumble across this spot in Modica. Their freshly made cannoli were an absolute treat — crisp shells filled on the spot with rich, creamy ricotta that hit the perfect balance. Just what I needed to recharge before the next climb. A little slice of Sicilian heaven, and a must-visit for anyone passing through.

We came here for the chocolate Making tour, as well as to buy Modica Chocolate. We would highly recommend, the tour is very informative, hands on (such as cracking a cocoa bean and tasting it) as well as getting a behind the scenes look on how the world's most loved bean is harvested. The chocolate is also delicious. Tour offered also in English which was very clear and detailed.

This is the chocolate shop in Modica you need to go to. The others are just background noise! If you want some real artisan chocolate goods, then come to this cozy alleyway that serves heaven. I like how it's a little museum, the staff is very nice, and you can see into the back kitchen where the magic happens. Among the many unique chocolate products, you can also get chocolate beer/liquor and yummy cannoli. Don't skip out on the chocolate bar made with donkey milk, chocolate with chili, and vanilla one!

Cannoli and (Modica) chocolate. This *used* to be the best cannoli in Modica. It may not have the crown any more (per the locals), but it it is still very very very good - albeit large. They make the shells fresh, they fill the shells while you wait, etc - it's pretty much exactly what cannoli should be. And yes, if you're from the USA, you probably have no idea what cannoli *could* be Oh yes, this is also an excellent place to try out quite a variety of Modica chocolate (and go to the nearby chocolate museum to see the origins of this throwback to old-school chocolate!)

We were given many samples at this authentic chocolate shop where they have been making their own chocolate for many years. This is the famous chocolate from Modica, a gritty chocolate from the ancient Mayan recipes. They still keep the ancient tradition alive. Beatrice, an employee, gave us insight as to their history. We were quite impressed.

Our driver took us to one of the more well established chocolatiers in Modica. I was told there are a bunch of ersatz chocolate places here with cheaper prices. You have to suss out the real ones. And this place is for real. Established in 1880 ADB uses handmade and traditional methods with no compromises. What you get is pure chocolate (gritty by nature), sugar, and natural flavorings when applicable. We tried many different pieces. All were excellent. This is the real deal!

We made an appointment to have an English language tasting. The English tours were not yet offered for the season. I definitely recommend trying the samples tasting, as the lady gives historical background for each item, and why each was prepared in the manner it was. After sampling, we looked around the small sop and purchased a few of our favorite items to bring home and give as gifts. The chocolate is prepared in a cold method, without the addition of milk fats, yielding a slightly grainy texture (the sugar does not melt down). This interesting version of an antique method may not appeal to kids raised on Cadbury or Lindt chocolate... but it's a wonderful experience to try!

This is absolutely the most famous of the chocolatiers in Modica. And THAT is THAT... the most famous, period. Modica chocolate is what it is. Fantastic, of course, but the method they use to make the chocolate is the same no matter where you go, so it is not a hit and miss thing on quality. And since this town is so famous for their chocolate, you will have no trouble finding quite a few sources. So why not this one? Simply put, ATTITUDE. You walk into their shop, and along with the crowds, you find a staff that is severely stuck up. It is as though they believe that their fame is all they need, and customers are an unnecessary distraction. I came in here with an appointment to meet with them with the possibility to bring guests here on tours, and to be honest, from the first moment I was here, I simply could not wait to get out of here. They were rude and condescending from the first hello. As for their chocolate, of course it is good, but walk outside and find just about anyone else that will be happy to see you.

We loved this little shop in Modica. There wasn't much not to like about Modica, with many little chocolate shops dotted all over their main street. This is one of the oldest and most famous, though...so there was no way we could miss it! It's a bit hidden away in a little alley, and when you can walk in, you can see there is a large kitchen in back, but the actual storefront is quite tiny. The store is a small, dark shop with all of their different chocolates for sale lining the walls. When you see advertisements for Modica, chocolate tasting is advertised the way wine tasting is in Napa. Given my love for desserts and chocolate, nothing excited me more! However, after walking in here and seeing about 15-20 little bowls sitting on the counter, each filled to the brim with small squares of chocolate for sampling, my husband correctly pointed out that it's not quite like wine tasting, in that there really wasn't an explanation of each chocolate - no signage and no commentary from the salesperson. Instead, it was more like us shoving as many of the tiny pieces into our mouth with small comments between like "ooh, extra dark" and "hmm, has a floral taste," likely to make ourselves feel less bad about sampling every flavor! So if I were to change anything here, I'd say it'd be nice to get a bit more commentary on the history behind the chocolates and flavors. Still, they have an impressive amount of varieties, all made on premises. I'm a self-professed lover of dark chocolate, but this chocolate was dark like I'd never had before. I always like to tell people I'm eating healthy when I eat dark chocolate due to its antioxidants, and if any dark chocolate were to have antioxidants, it would be theirs! They literally called one bar "with sucre" to indicate sugar had been added, unlike the others, which is a good hint as to the darkness of the other bars. We still found it to be quite enjoyable - a whole new and delicious chocolate experience if you will. Before we purchased a few chocolates to bring home, the lady behind the counter also asked us to try a little green olive from a jar she had. After all of the chocolate samples, I was excited for a nice, salty contrast. These olives are sweet ones though, stuffed with sugar! They were actually phenomenal, though truly unexpected. We bought a jar of those to bring home too, and after a bit of trouble with TSA, have them safely sitting home with us now for the next time we have guests over. Overall, a fun experience. I'd definitely recommend a stop in here if you're in Modica.

I went crazy and sampled literally everything at this, the oldest chocolate factory in all of Sicilia. To die. The chocolate, bars, nougat. Uh Mah Gah. I would stuff my face with this all day, all night, and then take a bath with it if I could.