MyTastr

Best rose water & orange blossom water, according to chefs

Two picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Stella Parks, Laila Ibrahim and Antara Sinha. Recommendations come from seriouseats.com and bonappetit.com.

International Pantry · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    Cortas Rose Water & Orange Blossom Water

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Lebanese since 1930, distilled from rose petals and bitter-orange blossoms, with nothing added. Ibrahim, a Palestinian-Jordanian chef, is “especially fond of Cortas” for orange blossom water, and pastry chef Stella Parks keeps Cortas (or Al Wadi) rose and orange blossom water for fruit desserts and rich dairy and nut sweets. Bon Appétit calls it “reliable and worth seeking out.”
    Where to buy · foodsofnations.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: seriouseats.com ↗
  2. 2

    Al Wadi Al Akhdar Rose Water & Orange Blossom Water

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    The other Lebanese standard, often sold as a two-pack of rose and orange blossom. Parks names it alongside Cortas for baking; Bon Appétit’s guide to floral extracts calls Al Wadi and Cortas “reliable and worth seeking out.” Rose water from distilled petals with nothing else; inexpensive, and easy to find at Whole Foods and Middle Eastern grocers.
    Where to buy · foodsofnations.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: seriouseats.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best rose water & orange blossom water, according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is Cortas Rose Water & Orange Blossom Water, chosen by Laila Ibrahim (chef, Serious Eats); Stella Parks (BraveTart). Lebanese since 1930, distilled from rose petals and bitter-orange blossoms, with nothing added. Ibrahim, a Palestinian-Jordanian chef, is “especially fond of Cortas” for orange blossom water, and pastry chef Stella Parks keeps Cortas (or Al Wadi) rose and orange blossom water for fruit desserts and rich dairy and nut sweets. Bon Appétit calls it “reliable and worth seeking out.” Source: seriouseats.com ↗
What are the other top picks for rose water & orange blossom water?
No. 2 is Al Wadi Al Akhdar Rose Water & Orange Blossom Water, chosen by Stella Parks (BraveTart); Antara Sinha (Bon Appétit). Only two picks cleared the bar so far. Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?
Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

The tasters behind this ranking

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