MyTastr

Best sauerkraut, according to chefs

Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Ari Weinzweig, Sporked taste test, KQED Bay Area Bites raw-kraut tasting and KQED Bay Area Bites. Recommendations come from zingermansdeli.com, sporked.com, kqed.org and tastingtable.com.

Condiments · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    The Brinery Naturally Fermented Sauerkraut

    Chosen by
    David Klingenberger’s Ann Arbor kraut, fermented for two months: Zingerman’s Deli has put it on its Reubens “for years now,” and on sandwiches at the Roadhouse. Weinzweig: “I can vouch from years of eating experience, are excellent!” Now shipping nationwide.
    Where to buy · thebrinery.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: zingermansdeli.com ↗
  2. 2

    Sonoma Brinery Sauerkraut

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Raw, fermented, just cabbage, salt and water. Sporked: “SO crunchy. It’s SO funky.” KQED put it in its top two for depth and balanced funk.
    Where to buy · sonomabrinery.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: sporked.com ↗
  3. 3

    Cleveland Kraut

    Chosen by
    • Tasting Table ranking of 7 krauts (winner: Roasted Garlic)
    • Sporked taste testClassic Caraway
    Also chosen by
    Refrigerated, bagged, extra crunchy. Tasting Table’s winner in every category; Sporked calls the Classic Caraway milder and cabbage-forward, “the best… for sauerkraut newbies.”
    Where to buy · clevelandkitchen.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: tastingtable.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best sauerkraut, according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is The Brinery Naturally Fermented Sauerkraut, chosen by Ari Weinzweig (Zingerman’s Deli). David Klingenberger’s Ann Arbor kraut, fermented for two months: Zingerman’s Deli has put it on its Reubens “for years now,” and on sandwiches at the Roadhouse. Weinzweig: “I can vouch from years of eating experience, are excellent!” Now shipping nationwide. Source: zingermansdeli.com ↗
What are the other top picks for sauerkraut?
No. 2 is Sonoma Brinery Sauerkraut, chosen by Sporked taste test; KQED Bay Area Bites raw-kraut tasting. No. 3 is Cleveland Kraut, chosen by Tasting Table ranking of 7 krauts (winner: Roasted Garlic); Sporked taste test (Classic Caraway). 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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