The popularity of heirloom tomatoes is based on two characteristics – their stunning array of colors and the unique flavor profiles of each variety.
The large number of heirloom tomato varieties however can be quite overwhelming.
Don’t despair! You can find the best-tasting tomatoes, from sweetest to most robust, using this guide.
The guide is arranged in categories defined by the color of the tomatoes, as that is one of the stronger variables around taste.
Jump to: Nationwide Taste Tests | Pink Tomatoes | Black | | Red | Striped | Orange | White | Green
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Nationwide Taste Tests of Heirloom Tomatoes
Many gardeners, chefs, and seed companies have performed taste tests on the most popular heirloom tomato varieties, resulting in a wide range of opinions.
Some notable taste tests from different parts of the country include:
Because the flavor of heirloom tomatoes is so dependent on micro-climates and growing conditions, the most reliable taste tests are going to be those that are trialed as close to your home and garden as possible.
I live and farm in Minnesota, so the flavor profiles listed below are skewed to tomatoes grown in Zone 4 or Zone 5. It is important to note that tomato flavor can also vary farmer to farmer, depending on how each farmer or gardener might grow them and on the individual micro-climate.
Acid vs Sweet in Heirloom Tomatoes (by Color)
As a general rule, the sweetest heirloom tomato varieties are typically not bright red; rather, they are shades of orange, yellow, or purple. Keep this in mind as you review the “flavor by color” information below.
How Color of Heirloom Tomatoes Relates to Flavor
Pink Heirloom Tomatoes:
The large pink heirloom tomatoes have what most of us think of as the “sweetest” tomato flavor – a balance of acid and sweetness, but favoring the sweeter side.
The most well-known of the pink heirloom tomatoes is the Brandywine, which competes with the lesser-known Caspian Pink as “best tasting”.
The Brandywine has become the standard-bearer for the pinks, as it is a good size for slicing and typically has that blast of sweetness many people want in a tomato.
The 5 most popular highly rated pink tomatoes:
- Brandywine: a sweet tomato, offset by a slight acidity that achieves a balanced rich, succulent, old-fashioned home-grown tomato taste. Depending on growing conditions however, it can also turn out to be fairly bland. The key is not to overwater tomatoes once they have set fruit.
- Caspian Pink: similar flavor profile to Brandywine, and frequently beats Brandywine in taste tests. It ripens earlier than Brandywine.
- Mortgage Lifter: known for its mild sweet flavor and meaty texture, this pink-fleshed beefsteak can tip the scale at two pounds.
- Prudens Purple: another early Brandywine type. Considered sweet, juicy, and meaty; does well in short-season areas.
- Cherokee Purple: sometimes included in the “black” category. A complex flavor with an initial smokiness followed by a slightly sweet aftertaste. Often compared to a Zinfandel wine.
Black (or Dark Purple) Heirloom Tomato Varieties:
The “black” heirloom tomatoes (usually maroon or a purple-brown color) tend to have an earthy, almost smoky sweetness to them, with a bit less acid flavor than bright red tomatoes.
The flavor profile is often referred to as “smoky, complex, and wine-like”.
The 8 most popular of the highly rated black heirloom tomatoes:
- Paul Robeson: gaining in popularity, Paul Robeson is getting good marks all around the country for its “smoky,” “complex” distinctive flavor.
- Purple Calabash: often compared to red wines such as Cabernet. The taste is rich and full of old-fashioned tomato flavor with just the right blend of sweetness and acidity. The flesh is smooth and meaty with evenly distributed seeds.
- Japanese Black Trifele: a pear-shaped variety. The flavor is deep, chocolatey, smoky, and rich.
- Carbon: among the darkest of the black heirloom tomatoes. Exceptionally rich and sweet flavor. My favorite black tomato!
- Black Krim: intense, slightly salty taste.
- Black from Tula: perceived by many as the “best-tasting black”, with thin skin and a sweet, complex flavor.
- Vorlon: a cross between Prudens Purple and Cherokee Purple resulting in a meaty, rich, sweet taste.
- Purple Russian: the best black heirloom tomato in a plum variety. Meaty, sweet, and excellent for salads and sauces.
Red Heirloom Tomatoes:
Bright red heirloom tomatoes, sometimes mistaken for hybrids, are more varied in their flavor profiles than hybrids. They tend toward robust higher acid flavors.
Did you know? The bright red, smooth tomatoes prevalent in grocery stores are usually “hybrid varieties”. They have been bred to have thicker skin for shipping purposes. The process of hybridizing tomatoes for shelf life and visual attributes has unfortunately altered the flavor.
Just know that red heirloom tomatoes have thinner skin than hybrids and will not last as long on your countertop!
The 7 most popular of the highly rated bright red heirloom tomatoes:
- Costoluto: “old-fashioned tomato flavor”; performs well when skinned and used in slow-simmered sauces. The flesh is meaty with an abundance of juice and tart tomato flavor.
- Druzba: smooth, juicy fruits with robust sweet-tart flavor; meaty and great for canning.
- Aussie: big, impressive beefsteak variety. Old fashioned, robust tomato taste.
- Stupice: best flavor I can find in an early tomato (early tomatoes tend to lack flavor); small
- Thessaloniki: prolific crack-free heirloom with a meaty, “earthy” flavor.
- Carmello: considered by the French to have the “perfect acid-sugar balance”. Productive, with a juicy texture. Dona is a smaller version of Carmello.
Striped (Bi-Colored) Tomatoes:
Striped tomatoes (sometimes called marbled or bicolored), are beautiful and they tend to have a rich, juicy, super-sweet flavor that is low in acid (exception is the Green Zebra).
The 5 most popular of the highly rated striped or bi-color tomatoes:
- Gold Medal: popular for its appealing sweet taste and marbled beauty, originating from the Black Forest region of Germany.
- Green Zebra: tangy heirloom, with a very robust flavor (i.e., high acid).
- Mint Julep: Often confused with Green Zebra, Mint Julep is a hybrid pear-shaped heirloom tomato with a sweet taste.
- Black Vernissage: small and very prolific heirloom with a rich flavor similar to the Russian black tomatoes.
- Indigo Rose: a hybrid bi-color heirloom tomato with a tangy flavor. The blossom end remains a dark purple color with the bottom of the tomato turning orange when ripe.
Orange & Yellow Heirloom Tomato Varieties:
Orange heirloom tomatoes (not yellow), are sweet and therefore taste lower in acid than bright red heirloom tomatoes. These are the varieties that will remind you that tomatoes are, botanically speaking, fruits.
Yellow (and white) heirloom tomatoes tend to be mild, creamy, and low in acid. Two yellow heirlooms that are more robust (higher acid) in flavor are Hughs and Limmony.
The 6 most popular of the highly rated orange and yellow heirloom tomatoes:
- Persimmon: One of the best flavors of all the orange heirloom tomatoes. Meaty with few seeds. Creamy meaty, texture.
- Juane Flamme: small (large plum size), sweet and low-acid, bursting with juice. Almost a tropical flavor. My favorite small orange.
- Kellogg’s Breakfast: vibrant sweet taste, meaty with few seeds, medium size.
- Limmony: a yellow beefsteak with a strong, robust, zesty, citrusy flavor. It is also sometimes spelled Lemony.
- Hughs: a surprisingly robust flavor from a yellow heirloom tomato; large and meaty; a great slicer with a lot of flavor.
White Tomatoes
White tomatoes aren’t brilliant white. They’re more of a pale yellow. Pale yellow and white tomatoes are noticeably less acidic than red tomatoes.
Some consider them the sweetest tomatoes and some consider them the blandest tomatoes. The common factor is low acidity.
The 3 most popular of the highly rated “white” heirloom tomatoes:
- White Tomesol: creamy, mild, sweet flavor; starts white and matures to pale yellow.
- White Queen: nicest shape and whitest color of the white varieties, averaging about 12 ounces.
- Great White: large 1-2 pound creamy white fruit; very sweet and juicy.
Green Heirloom Tomatoes:
The commonality of green heirloom tomatoes is a bright acidity, but the degree of sweetness tends to vary quite a bit.
The 3 most popular of the green heirloom tomatoes:
- Aunt Ruby’s Green: bright and well-balanced with sugar. Incredible juiciness.
- Green Zebra: tangy and zingy are adjectives often attached to Green Zebra. Very popular for taste and eye appeal.
- Green Giant: huge green meaty heirloom tomato with great acid-sugar balance; starts “granny smith” green and matures to a soft yellow-green.
Guides for successfully growing heirloom tomatoes
- For germinating seeds indoors
- Growing tomatoes in pots
- Best seed catalogs for tomatoes
- Best trellis systems for tomatoes
- Season extension for tomatoes
Other Attributes of Heirloom Tomatoes
In addition to unique flavors and colors, heirloom tomatoes have different growth habits, yields, etc. If you are having trouble deciding which ones to grow, it will help if you base your decision around how you will use it.
This summary of distinctive characteristics of heirloom tomatoes will help make the selection process much easier.
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I’m sure that many varieties are similar with slight variations in flavor and completely different names, but I’m my part of the world (the Dakotas) my garden will always have these three: Black Krim, Amana Orange and Pantano Romanesco. A fourth would be Cherokee green
@dorothy stainbrook, Thanks for the site, Dorothy. I grow a big variety of tomatoes every year, and always have a good variety of heirlooms. Tried my first Jubilee a few days ago and fell in love. Its the first orange tomato I’ve grown. This year, I’ve also got Pink Caspians, Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, Black Prince, Brandywines…….and then a host of Bigs, Betters, Bush’s, Biltmore’s, and Boxcar’s.
Thanks for that input David! I haven’t grown Jubilee before so may have to give that a try next year. The others I have grown and also love. Last year I had a new one for me that I really liked called Hughs. It was pale yellow but had a lot of flavor unlike most of the pale yellow ones. My favorite heirloom cherry is Gardeners Delight and my favorite roma is Opalka. Do you have any favorite cherry or roma tomatoes?
Interesting David. I’ve never tried Pantano Romanesco or Cherokee green. Always up for trying new heirloom varieties. They do seem to taste different though, based on the microclimate of where you grow them. Thanks for the ideas!
I have had problems getting the whole tomato to ripen…greening I think it’s called…which large red tasty variety would be best?? Thanks
Well, I’d have to have a lot more information to really be able to answer this. What variety are you planting? What zone do you garden in? If you mean your tomatoes have “green shoulders”, that is common for some heirloom varieties and not for others. Druzba is a Hungarian heirloom that is acidic and no green shoulders. Carmello is a French tomato that is acid/sugar balanced with no green shoulders. Aussie is a huge Australian tomato with no green shoulders. My first guess is it’s the variety you’re growing.
This article might help a little in selecting a good variety: https://farmtojar.com/2013-heirloom-tomato-and-pepper-varieties-heathglen-mn-farmers-markets/
This has been very helpful!
i am dissapointed with my beefsteak tomatoes, near the stem they stay orange forever that part is also green inside what to do?
Some of the varieties are know for green shoulders (in your case orange shoulders). Try a different variety and make sure you have consistent watering. They need more water at the beginning sto get going and less water after they have fruited so they can develop their sugars. A couple of heirloom beefsteak varieties that don’t “usually” have green shoulders would be Druzba, Box car Willie and Mortgage Lifter.
So, what are the general optimal soil, light and watering conditions to bring out the richest flavors? I had an amazing big yield of mediocre tasting tomatoes this year, despite growing 8 varieties. Only two stood out, a Brandywine type (volunteer) and a Sun Sugar (non-heirloom) cherry tomato. Less water?More lime? Any general tips for enhancing flavor? Thanks!
Hi Nancy, optimal temperature conditions are 75 degrees (but you can’t easily control that), optimal soil would be a sandy loam with lots of compost mixed into it. Watering is where it gets tricky for flavor. At the beginning of growth tomatoes need about an inch a week. After they have set fruit and it is starting to color up however, you need to back off watering for them to set their sugars for flavor. Overwatering at this stage will mute the flavor profile.
Choosing the right varieties for your tastes is a big deal also. All tomatoes are a mix of acid and sugar and some people think the best flavor comes from the sweeter varieties and some people like the more robust, higher acid tomatoes (i.e., me!). Often when people say they want that “old fashioned flavor” they are looking for a higher acid tomato variety.
High acid tomatoes that I like include Druzba, Hughs, Box Car Willie, Green Zebra. Higher sugar tomatoes are the Brandywine, Caspian Pink, Purple Cherokee and most of the dark purple Russian varieties.
This post might help with varieties: https://farmtojar.com/comparison-heirloom-tomato-varieties/. Adjective that mean high acid will be “bold” or “old fashioned” or “robust”. Adjectives for sweet varieties will be “sweeet”, “rich”, “mild”
If you want a tomato that’s easy to grow and produces big juicy tomatoes that you can slice , or can get some german Johnsons, they are always my best producers and the blight hits and then they produce again at the end pretty heavy. Very good tomato, I taste a lot of tomatoes like the Cherokee purple who people are going crazy over and I swear they look like a German johnson cross with a black type of some kind. They taste very similar, except the Cherokee has a slight smokey taste. The mortgage lifter has german johnson in it. These tomatoes are meaty with little seeds. They make absolutely perfect juice that’s ten times better than the store bought garbage , best vegetable soup ever. Red eyes and bloody Mary’s have never been better. They produce at least twice as many fruits per plant , per pound than any other plant I’ve tried. They never get blossom end rot. The only problem I have is a little cracking when it rains heavy, but they heal up like blood clots on your skin. Really good choice for beginners.
Excellent suggestion Jason! I have tried the Old German and really liked them, but not the German Johnson. I will give it a go next year. Love the analogy of blood clots on the skin….spoken like a true tomato lover!
Last year I grew Indigo Rose on the deck. At first I was excited tons of tomatoes early. But they were the slowest to ripen. At the end of the season there we’re still a bunch that never ripened. And there was never a day when I picked more than two. And the taste was just ok.
Hi John, my first clue to your problems with this variety is that you grew it on the deck (I’m assuming in a container). Tomatoes grown in pots are typically harder to grow and produce less yield, mostly due to the lack of space for their roots to grow and somewhat due to more need for “consistency” of watering.
I grew my Indigo Rose in the ground and they were prolific. While not early, they were not late either but rather ripened along with my other small to medium sized tomatoes. I will say they are tricky to tell when they are ripe. They remain bluish on the top of the tomato but the bottom turns from bright green to orange. When the bottom is orange they are ripe.
The other thing is, they have a more acidic taste than many tomatoes, which some people love and some people find it to taste “sour”.
Hopefully that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions or comments. Thanks for sharing!
I love the Green Zebra. I would like to try other types, any recommendations?
@Stephen Galloway,
I agree with Aunt Ruby and this year I’m also trying Kangaroo Paw Green
Well if you like the robustness of the green zebra that means in the sugar to acid balance, it favors a little more acid. Higher acid red heirlooms would include Druzba, Box Car Willie and Costoluto. Roma types would be Opalka. Yellow/oranges would include Juane Flamee and Hughs. Most of the black heirlooms and striped heirlooms are on the sweeter side. Aunt Rubys is a good green one (it’s big though).
You bet, so nice of you to let me know!