Terrakoa: Marseille's New Chocolate Haven

Marseille has a vibrant culinary scene...every other week a new restaurant or shop opens, celebrating a fine palette, seasonal ingredients and a discerning relationship to good food. Recently, Terrakoa opened on the lovely Rue Sainte in the 7th arrondissement. It is a sensory journey from a cacao plantation in Madagascar to the heart of Marseille. 

Housed in a beautifully restored Art Deco building, originally designed by architect Eugène Chirié in 1928. Founder of Terrakoa, Stéphane Lafet, was inspired by a totally transparent relationship to how chocolate is made. In 2018, Lafet bought a 12-hectare cacao plantation in an area of Madagascar renowned for its world's renowned cacao beans. The plantation uses agroforestry practices - sustainability and environment are front and center. 

The cacao beans used on this plantation and for the chocolate in this shop are carefully harvested, fermented and dried before being shipped to Marseille. The shop features an on-site workshop, where the beans are roasted and transformed into delicious chocolate. 

The shop itself is worth a stop - just to look at. Warm, earthy tones that reflect Madagascar - bamboo canes, woven wicker trays. The space is a place built to relax and savor freshly roasted coffee and chocolate. 

Terrakoa also offers interactive workshops where guests can experience the journey of chocolate. If Marseille is on your travel list this year, don't miss this experience!