What is the best olives, according to chefs?

MyTastr’s top pick is Frankies 457 Pitted Castelvetrano Olives, chosen by Christopher Kimball (Milk Street); Susan Choung (Good Housekeeping). Won Milk Street’s tasting, plain and cooked in pasta: “meaty, balanced and beautifully briny,” and they held their shape in the pan. Choung: “I will not abide a mushy olive. Luckily, these Castelvetranos are firm.” Serious Eats’ editors stock them for salsa verde, tapenade and martinis.

What are the other top picks for olives?

No. 2 is Mezzetta Whole Italian Castelvetrano Olives, chosen by Jorge Thomas (Swaledale Butchers). No. 3 is Mina Pitted Moroccan Olives, chosen by Marissa Stevens (Pinch and Swirl).

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.

Best olives, according to chefs

Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Christopher Kimball, Susan Choung, Jorge Thomas and Marissa Stevens. Recommendations come from 177milkstreet.com, goodhousekeeping.com, seriouseats.com and eatthis.com and 1 other sources.

Pantry Staples · The ranking

1
Top pick
Frankies 457 Pitted Castelvetrano Olives
Chosen by
- Christopher KimballFounder, Milk Street · co-founder, America’s Test KitchenWikipedia ↗
- Susan ChoungSenior food editor, Good Housekeeping
Also chosen by
- Susan Choung · Senior food editor, Good Housekeeping source ↗
- Serious Eats editors source ↗
Won Milk Street’s tasting, plain and cooked in pasta: “meaty, balanced and beautifully briny,” and they held their shape in the pan. Choung: “I will not abide a mushy olive. Luckily, these Castelvetranos are firm.” Serious Eats’ editors stock them for salsa verde, tapenade and martinis.
Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: 177milkstreet.com ↗
2
Mezzetta Whole Italian Castelvetrano Olives
Chosen by
- Jorge ThomasChef, Swaledale Butchers
Also chosen by
- Milk Street tasting panel source ↗
- The Daily Meal tasting panel source ↗
“They’re mild and buttery, with a firm, meaty bite – lovely to put out with drinks and a plate of cured meat” (Thomas). Milk Street’s close second: “super fresh” with a “great snap.” The Daily Meal ranked it first of 18 jarred olives.
Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: eatthis.com ↗
3
Mina Pitted Moroccan Olives
Chosen by
- Marissa StevensRecipe developer, Pinch and Swirl
Moroccan-style and pitted, for salads, grains and pasta. Stevens: “I can count on them to have a good texture, where a lot of jarred olives are mushy … Mina strikes the right balance.”
Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: eatthis.com ↗

We may earn a commission when you buy through links on MyTastr. It never affects the ranking. Disclosure

Questions, answered

What is the best olives, according to chefs?: MyTastr’s top pick is Frankies 457 Pitted Castelvetrano Olives, chosen by Christopher Kimball (Milk Street); Susan Choung (Good Housekeeping). Won Milk Street’s tasting, plain and cooked in pasta: “meaty, balanced and beautifully briny,” and they held their shape in the pan. Choung: “I will not abide a mushy olive. Luckily, these Castelvetranos are firm.” Serious Eats’ editors stock them for salsa verde, tapenade and martinis. Source: 177milkstreet.com ↗
What are the other top picks for olives?: No. 2 is Mezzetta Whole Italian Castelvetrano Olives, chosen by Jorge Thomas (Swaledale Butchers). No. 3 is Mina Pitted Moroccan Olives, chosen by Marissa Stevens (Pinch and Swirl). 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

More pantry staples

See every ranking →