The "Top 10" heirloom tomatoes were selected from the top 10 most popular tomato varieties from a survey of our TomatoFest customer base of home gardeners and tomato farmers. The results of our survey resulted in the "Top 10" Favorite Heirloom Tomatoes.

"Our survey demonstrated again that consumers still want the maximum of those "old fashioned" robust flavors in choosing what tomato varieties to grow in their home garden. The same with farmers growing for produce markets and restaurants where taste is the priority," says Ibsen. "Tomatoes that are considered to be among the "best tasting" varieties, whether that means big, bold, complex flavors with lots of acid, or those varieties perceived to be sweeter, with well-balanced flavors are the priority considerations for popularity of heirloom tomatoes in America."

The most popular tomato varieties continue to be the tomato varieties that offer that big burst of old-fashioned, complex, rich tomato flavors that provide a generous amount of acids to balance the sugars resulting in a tang of tartness. The "heirloom tomato classics," the old-time, favorite, red, pink and "black" beefsteak tomatoes, still provide the foundation of loyalty among tomato growers. Tomatoes with a high level of sweetness, like some of the favored yellow, orange and striped tomatoes also reign high in rankings.

The "TOP 10" Tomato Descriptions

• Black Cherry - The only truly black cherry tomato. Large, sprawling, vigorous tomato plants that yield abundant crops in huge clusters of 1", round, deep purple, mahogany-brown, cherry tomatoes. Fruits are irresistibly delicious with sweet, rich, complex, full tomato flavors that burst in your mouth, characteristic of the best flavorful black tomatoes. Beautiful to mix with other colored cherry tomatoes. Disease resistant. Once you try these...you want MORE. Indeterminate. 64 days.
• Brandywine, Sudduth Strain - Around 1880 a Mrs. Sudduth of Tennessee gave seeds said to be in her family for 100 years, to tomato seedsman, Ben Quisenberry of Ohio. Prolific potato leaf plants produce 1-2 lb. large, pink tomatoes. This is believed to be the original Brandywine. Excellent well-balanced, sweet/acid flavors! Indeterminate. 85 days.
• Chocolate Stripes - A consistent WINNER for taste and appearance.Large tomato plants that yield a plentiful crop of 1 lb., mahogany colored tomatoes with dark, olive green-striping. Fruits have delicious, complex, rich, sweet, earthy tomato flavors. Produces well into the autumn. A great sandwich tomato and salad tomato. Indeterminate. 79 days.
• Blondkopfchen - An heirloom tomato from eastern Germany. The name of this adorable heirloom cherry tomato means "little blonde girl". Plant yields a phenomenal amount of 1/2", grape-sized, brilliant yellow/gold, cherry tomatoes in clusters of 20-30. Blondkopfchen is undoubtedly one of the BEST TASTING cherry tomatoes. Deliciously sweet with a slight citrusy tart finish. I have had this in our garden as our favorite snacking tomato for many years and use this cherry tomato for introducing tomatoes to kids who claim they don't like tomatoes. Just put this in your mouth and see if you can keep from smiling. A tomato variety that grows well in most climates including cooler growing regions. Indeterminate. 75 days.
• Black Krim - Krim is Russian and Ukrainian for Crimea, a peninsula in the Ukraine. This rare, and outstanding tomato yields 3-4" slightly flattened dark-red (mahogany-colored) slightly maroon, beefsteak tomatoes with deep green shoulders. Fantastic, intense, slightly salty taste (which is great for those not wanting to add salt to their tomatoes). Black Krim is one of our best black tomatoes. Also suitable for container/patio garden. Perfect choice for slicing, salads and cooking. Indeterminate. 75 days.
• Brandywine, OTV - A potato-leaf heirloom named and released by Carolyn Male and Craig LeHoullier who state this tomato, "the best strain of Brandywine set apart from others by its smooth, creamy, almost buttery texture, and harmonious sweet flavor." Tomatoes are a rich red with a slight orange undertone and weigh an average of 1 lb. Sets fruits well in the southern climates. This is our favorite red-colored Brandywine for size of fruit and taste. Indeterminate. 72 days.
• Amana Orange - A HUGE heirloom beefsteak tomato named for the Amana Colonies in Iowa. Plants produce above average amounts of beautiful light-orange, irregular shaped (fluted) heirloom tomatoes that can grow to 2 pounds or more, with an average diameter of 5 inches. Excellent sweet, almost tropical fruit flavors. This tomato variety has been included in my tomato garden for more than 20 years. A winner! Indeterminate. 90 days.
• Azoychka - A very productive Russian heirloom found at the Bird Market in Moscow. ("Azoychka" is a woman's name.). This variety produces an abundant crop of smooth, 3-inch, 10-16 oz., slightly flattened, oblate, meaty, yellow/orange tomatoes with a luscious sweet citrusy flavor. Azoychka has become one of the favorite in my garden for harvesting a crop for market. Dependably productive, delicious and deservedly in demand. Unlike most yellow tomatoes this variety has a good acidic balance to its fruity sweetness resulting in lots of robust, complex flavors. A great variety suited to coastal and both warm to cooler growing regions. Great for eating in salads, sliced into a sandwich, cooking in sauces or canning. Rare tomato seeds. Indeterminate. 70 days.
• Cherokee Chocolate - A stabilized version of Cherokee Purple. Craig LeHoullier stabilized this rogue heirloom in 1995, originating from the popular old heirloom from Tennessee, Cherokee Purple. Big, sprawling vigorous plants that yield 3-4-inch, 10-14 oz., mahogany-colored beefsteak tomatoes. Cherokee Chocolate has developed a great following among celebrity chefs because of its exceptionally rich, complex, tomato flavors and wonderful chocolaty appearance. Indeterminate. 80 days.
• Sunset's Red Horizon - This outstanding heirloom tomato, named by tomato grower, Gary Ibsen, for Sunset magazine in 2003, is a native to Southern Russia. Huge, red, 4 to 6-inch, meaty, heart-shaped fruits are borne from a big leafy plant with wispy vines. Introduced to the west by Nik Peplenov who immigrated to the US in 1999 and brought with him his favorite heirloom tomato seeds from the Rostov Don region of Russia. They are not only one of the first tomato varieties to produce, but produce fruit well into November (in Oregon and in California). Proven resistant to frost, blossom end rot and cracking. Delicious fruit with huge tomatoey flavors. Indeterminate. 80 days.