MyTastr

Best pepperoni, according to chefs

Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from J. Kenji López-Alt, NEPA Pizza Review and Danny Palumbo. Recommendations come from seriouseats.com, nepapizzareview.com and sporked.com.

Meats · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    Vermont Smoke & Cure Pepperoni

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Kenji López-Alt says it must be natural-casing pepperoni that curls into “crispy grease chalices,” and adds: “My favorite brand is Vermont Smoke & Cure.” In NEPA Pizza Review’s bake-off of 11 sticks it placed fourth, ahead of Dietz & Watson and DeLallo. A smoked stick from Vermont, sold in many supermarkets and online.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: seriouseats.com ↗
  2. 2

    Battistoni Cup & Char Pepperoni

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Sporked’s #1 after tasting nearly 30 pepperonis raw and baked on pizza, with a unanimous perfect score: “The flavor is flat-out spectacular… spicy, porky, and fatty,” with slices that curl into crisp cups and are “highly snackable whether they’re raw or cooked.” NEPA Pizza Review bought 11 supermarket and Amazon sticks and baked each on pizza; Battistoni scored 8.9 for taste. Made in Buffalo; easiest to find online and in Northeast stores.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: sporked.com ↗
  3. 3

    Applegate Naturals Uncured Pepperoni

    Chosen by
    Rated 7.5/10 in Sporked’s retail-bought tasting of nearly 30 pepperonis, raw and baked on pizza, for a “complex” flavor (“Applegate does good deli meats”). Pre-sliced, uncured and stocked in most US supermarkets, so it is the easiest pick here to find.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: sporked.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best pepperoni, according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is Vermont Smoke & Cure Pepperoni, chosen by J. Kenji López-Alt (Serious Eats); NEPA Pizza Review. Kenji López-Alt says it must be natural-casing pepperoni that curls into “crispy grease chalices,” and adds: “My favorite brand is Vermont Smoke & Cure.” In NEPA Pizza Review’s bake-off of 11 sticks it placed fourth, ahead of Dietz & Watson and DeLallo. A smoked stick from Vermont, sold in many supermarkets and online. Source: seriouseats.com ↗
What are the other top picks for pepperoni?
No. 2 is Battistoni Cup & Char Pepperoni, chosen by Danny Palumbo (Sporked); NEPA Pizza Review. No. 3 is Applegate Naturals Uncured Pepperoni, chosen by Danny Palumbo (Sporked). 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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