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Best salami, according to chefs

Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Justine Sterling, Nicole Cherie Jones, Tim Bereika, Danny Palumbo and 2 more. Recommendations come from sporked.com, seriouseats.com, richmondgrid.com and tastingtable.com and 1 other sources.

Meats · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    Olli Salumeria (Toscano or Antipasto pack)

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Sporked’s best selection: the Antipasto pack’s Genoa, Toscano, Napoli and Calabrese are “like a prepackaged charcuterie board.” Sterling’s favorite was the Toscano: “the fennel pollen flavor really makes the savory, meaty flavor of salami pop.” Serious Eats chose the same Toscano for its fennel pollen and Sangiovese. Made in Virginia from 160-year-old family recipes. Richmond’s Secco Wine Bar serves Olli’s salame on its boards: “We really liked what we tasted” (chef Tim Bereika).
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: sporked.com ↗
  2. 2

    Creminelli Fine Meats salami (Tartufo or Wild Boar)

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Cristiano Creminelli, from a family of Italian salumi makers, opened this Utah salumeria in 2007. Serious Eats calls the black-truffle Tartufo “truly a treat that should be eaten slowly and savored.” Palumbo took the Texas wild boar salami home from Sporked’s tasting of nearly 30: “all the wonderful funk of game meat without any of the offputting tang… some of the best salami for charcuterie board making.”
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: seriouseats.com ↗
  3. 3

    Columbus Italian Dry Salame

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    A San Francisco salumeria founded in 1917 and stocked in most supermarkets. Sporked’s best Italian-style salami: “a wonderful pepper kick and a slight hint of garlic,” with red wine adding a “bitter, funky” edge. Tasting Table ranked Columbus Calabrese #2 of nine brands for its nuanced pepperiness; Maxwell bought Columbus herself (only two other brands sent samples). Chef and recipe developer Melanie Portman: “This is what I reach for when I’m building an antipasto board… I’ve served it next to imported salami and guests can’t tell the difference.”
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: sporked.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best salami, according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is Olli Salumeria (Toscano or Antipasto pack), chosen by Justine Sterling (Sporked); Nicole Cherie Jones (Serious Eats). Sporked’s best selection: the Antipasto pack’s Genoa, Toscano, Napoli and Calabrese are “like a prepackaged charcuterie board.” Sterling’s favorite was the Toscano: “the fennel pollen flavor really makes the savory, meaty flavor of salami pop.” Serious Eats chose the same Toscano for its fennel pollen and Sangiovese. Made in Virginia from 160-year-old family recipes. Richmond’s Secco Wine Bar serves Olli’s salame on its boards: “We really liked what we tasted” (chef Tim Bereika). Source: sporked.com ↗
What are the other top picks for salami?
No. 2 is Creminelli Fine Meats salami (Tartufo or Wild Boar), chosen by Nicole Cherie Jones (Serious Eats); Danny Palumbo (Sporked). No. 3 is Columbus Italian Dry Salame, chosen by Danny Palumbo (Sporked); Samantha Maxwell (Tasting Table). 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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