The Best Caviar to Buy

It’s a hard day in the Food & Wine office when you’re tasked with tasting 60 caviars (kidding, obviously). Our team of testers had never had that many caviars in one sitting before — frankly, we expected the caviars to be difficult to differentiate from one another. To our surprise, every tin was vastly different, from the color of their pearls to the way they popped in our mouths.

How we tested the caviar

Most caviar producers will assign their caviar a grade that reflects how premium they consider the roe to be. This considers numerous factors, such as color, egg size, taste, consistency, and price. Typically, the higher grade a caviar has, the larger their eggs are, the lighter their color is, and the more complex their flavor is. Some of the most frequently used grading terms, from least to most premium, are “Classic,” “Royal,” “Supreme,” and “Imperial.” 

While a caviar of any grade can be extraordinary, for this taste test, we didn’t include anything that has a grade more premium than “Royal” (like “Supreme” or “Imperial”) to ensure that the caviars were on a relatively equal playing field.

We categorized the caviars by type of fish roe and tasted them without seeing the label, allowing us to understand and appreciate each breed’s unique characteristics. Since metal spoons can oxidize roe, tampering with the flavor, we tasted the caviar with mother of pearl spoons (made from mollusk shells). We also tried every caviar with plain potato chips to see whether or not they complemented something salty.

After a long, shamelessly luxurious afternoon, these seven caviars stood out from the rest.

Most versatile: Petrossian Royal Ossetra Caviar  

If Petrossian’s iconic blue tin won’t sell you, its balanced, elegant flavor will. This osetra caviar has a smooth, buttery mouthfeel that will make you want to pop a bottle of Champagne. It’s so straightforwardly delicious that it would be just as enjoyable to eat on top of a crunchy latke as it would straight from the tin. $129 for 30 grams, petrossian.com

Most complex: Paramount Royal Siberian Caviar

You might think you know what to expect from caviar, but we can guarantee, you’ve never tried a caviar like this before. Sustainably raised in Italy, this is a roe for the bold — it’s salty, cheesy, and jam-packed with umami. The assertive flavor can be mellowed out with some crème fraîche, but we recommend enjoying this caviar on its own in order to appreciate its glorious complexity. $73 for 28 grams, paramountcaviar.com

Best for potato chips: The Caviar Company Kaluga Hybrid Caviar 

For a satisfying caviar that also pairs perfectly with a bag of potato chips, look to The Caviar Co.’s Kaluga Hybrid. It has an earthy, almost fudgy flavor that pops in your mouth and can only be improved with a salty, crunchy serving vessel. Plus, its chocolatey bronze color made it one of the more beautiful caviars we tasted. $130 for 28 grams, thecaviarco.com

Best budget-friendly: Noir Caviar Co. Hackleback Caviar

Not only is hackleback one of the only sturgeon varieties that is wild-caught, it’s also some of the most affordable roe you can buy. This one from Noir, a Solex Catsmo brand, is reminiscent of a tapenade. Its flavor is cheesy and briny, but unlike many other low-cost American caviars, it’s not fishy whatsoever. This is a great option for anyone who wants to dip their toe into the world of caviar without breaking the bank. $45 for 30 grams, solexcatsmo.com

Best for parties: California Caviar Company Royal White Sturgeon Caviar

If you don’t have a reason to throw a party, this caviar alone is cause for celebration. This sustainably farmed white sturgeon caviar has a powerful, yet balanced taste — a salty, umami-forward flavor that’s ideal for bumps. Place the glass jar on a kitchen island at your next gathering with a bottle of bubbly. $93 for 28 grams, californiacaviar.com

Best for cooking: Marky’s Sevruga Caviar

A caviar like this American one from Marky’s can add so much more to a dish than sheer luxury. Their Sevruga caviar is excellent for cutting the fattiness of a dairy-forward meal. Its intensely salty, briny flavor would be the main character on mashed potatoes, spaghetti carbonara, or even vanilla ice cream. $125 for 28 grams, markys.com

Best splurge: Browne Trading Company Royal Belgian Osietra Caviar

Do you want to embrace the opulence of caviar? Go for something delicate and sophisticated, like this Belgian osetra caviar from Browne Trading Company — the only caviar of its kind that is imported to the United States. The flavor is at once savory and creamy, with soft pearls that burst with every bite. $166 for 30 grams, brownetrading.com

Honorable mention: Caviar Russe Pacific White Sturgeon

There’s an air of drama with this caviar. The color is a gorgeous jet black with a tint of blue, and it shines without coming off slimy. The flavor has a pronounced lactic quality with a Parmesan-like tang. We recommend using it as a topper for something equally rich and bright, like pasta alla limone. $115 for 50 grams, caviarrusse.com

Honorable mention: Imperia Kaluga Hybrid Reserve Caviar

While this kaluga caviar might not be as approachable as our top pick, out of all the kaluga hybrids we tasted, this was by far the most sophisticated. Its loosely packed beads have a subtle butteriness and a silky consistency that is an absolute treat to eat on its own. $225 for 130 grams, imperiacaviar.com

Honorable mention: Adamas Siberian Caviar

Distributed by Island Creek Oyster Company, this Italian caviar is intense in a good way. The roe, which are small in size, have a strong amount of salinity and a slight fishiness, too. Although the flavor might be too strong for some, if you love all things briny, we recommend dolloping it on a potato chip. It’s also the most expensive caviar we tasted, but it’s a great splurge for those who want to try a caviar unlike anything else.  $169 for 30 grams, shop.islandcreekoysters.com

Honorable mention: Marshallberg Farm Royal Osetra Caviar

This golden-hued caviar, farmed in North Carolina, has a malolactic, buttery flavor. It spreads like butter too — the consistency is delicate and creamy, almost like a pâté. Take good advantage of that texture and spread this caviar onto some crackers, or use it as the filling for an epic caviar sandwich. $125 for 30 grams, thecaviarfarm.com