Have you ever plucked a ripe cherry tomato from the vine while gardening, and eaten it on the spot? First, there is that satisfying pop when you bite through the skin, and then the sun-warmed sweetness of nature’s candy fills your mouth. On the back end, there’s a tang, that brief but memorable aspect of tomato flavor that makes it so distinctive. If you have, then you know that some tomatoes are meant for eating fresh off the vine.
Gardeners and horticulturists breed tomatoes for certain traits. Some of them are great for making Grandmom’s famous marinara. Others have that meaty, dense characteristic that makes them perfect for picking early to make fried green tomatoes. I could eat a tomato any way you give it to me, but those special flavorful fruits best enjoyed fresh are my favorite.
Tomatoes are easy to grow, and as long as you can keep the hornworms away, you can expect a great harvest. Give them a sunny spot, and don’t forget the fertilizer. You’ll be enjoying delicious fruit in as few as two months. Here are 17 of the tastiest tomatoes you can grow to enjoy fresh from the vine.
Brandywine Tomato
Brandywine Blend Pole Tomato Seeds
Pineapple Pole Tomato
Pineapple Pole Tomato Seeds
Moneymaker Tomato
Moneymaker Pole Tomato Seeds
Kellogg’s Breakfast
A golden beauty from West Virginia, perfect for sandwiches or Gazpacho.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Kellogg’s Breakfast’
This tasty tomato originated in West Virginia at the hands of Mr. Darrell Kellogg. With a great balance of sweetness and acidity, this makes one heck of a tomato sandwich. Large one to two-pound fruits are meaty with few seeds, which makes them great for slicing.
‘Kellogg’s Breakfast’ tomato is a beautiful golden tomato with a color that deepens to pinkish orange as it ripens. The fruits are a bit irregular with attractively lumpy shoulders. You’ll see these ripen 80-90 days after planting and will continue throughout the season. These make a gorgeous Gazpacho. Keep it simple and let this tomato shine as the main ingredient.
Gold Medal
A visually stunning tomato, known for its sweetness and resistance.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Gold Medal’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Yellow/red
- Structure: Indeterminate
‘Gold Medal’ is a stunning two-tone tomato. The one to three-pound fruits are deep yellow with rose-red creeping up from the blossom end. The flesh is firm and sweet, with very low acidity. Counted among the sweetest when eaten raw, this variety was the 2008 winner of The Seed Savers Exchange Tomato Tasting.
This is one lovely fruit. The red blush at the base is pretty on the outside, but the interior has the most wonderful marbling. ‘Gold Medal’ makes a stunning Caprese salad, as the sweetness of this tomato pairs well with the spice of fresh basil and balsamic acidity. It’s also highly resistant to blight. Give this one a little extra time to ripen for the best flavor.
Big Rainbow
A stunning and flavorful tomato, with large, colorful fruit.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Big Rainbow’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Yellow/red
- Structure: Indeterminate
This gorgeous heirloom tomato is big and bold with a classic, balanced flavor. Both sweet and tangy, ‘Big Rainbow’ is beautiful as well as delicious. The fruits are very large, weighing in at an average of two lbs. The plant has a moderate growth rate and can reach heights of eight feet over the season.
‘Big Rainbow’ has good resistance to cracks, so the fruit is very attractive. Shades of red and yellow, and every color in between, mingle on the inside and outside. There is just a hint of green on the ribbed shoulders. This ribbing makes slices look extra fancy!
Red Brandywine
A cherished tomato variety with rich, balanced flavor and history.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Red Brandywine’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Red
- Structure: Indeterminate
This tomato is near to my heart. It’s named for the Brandywine River, of which a tributary runs through my parent’s yard in Chester County, Pennsylvania. If you’re looking for a classic, well-shaped red tomato with a rich, well-balanced flavor, look no further. These pretty fruits grow on six-foot vines that require some support to keep them off the ground.
The name of this variety comes from Thos H. Brinton, a Quaker from Chadd’s Ford, Pennsylvania. Among the ‘Brandywine’ varieties, there are pink, black, and yellow varieties, as well as the red. They are some of the most well-recognized and widely grown heirloom tomatoes in the United States.
Jaune Flamme
Experience the swift delight of French sunshine in every bite.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Jaune Flamme’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Apricot
- Structure: Indeterminate
French for yellow flame, the ‘Jaune Flamme’ tomato is as pretty as a picture. Small fruits are apricot colored and ripen quickly. Expect to harvest your first tomatoes about 70 days after transplanting. The variety originated in Helliner, France, and made popular in the states in the late 1990s.
‘Jaune Flamme’ tomatoes have a fruity flavor with a nice balance of sweet and tart. They ripen to about four ounces and retain their pretty color. They grow in clusters on tall vines, which are heavy producers of these heirloom fruits.
German Green
Indulge in the bold, spicy sweetness of vibrant green freshness.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘German Green’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Green
- Structure: Indeterminate
It’s unusual to see someone snacking on a raw green tomato, but if you happen upon this it’s likely to be a ‘German Green.’ This robust beefsteak tomato ripens to a bold neon green with deep green shoulders. There is nothing subtle about this green goddess. The flavor is as bold as the color. This heirloom variety is sweet and fruity with a hint of spice and takes about two months to fruit from transplanting.
‘German Green’ tomatoes are large, weighing in at a pound or more. In spite of the name, this variety has no other connections to Germany. Rather, the seeds may have been passed along by a German-speaking Amish seedsman to Ruby E Arnold of Tennessee. It was Ms Arnold who publicly introduced the tomato.
Cherokee Carbon
Savor the rich, award-winning taste of burgundy brilliance.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Cherokee Carbon’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Red to purple
- Structure: Indeterminate
If you’ve never given purple tomatoes a try, this is the one to taste. This beautiful hybrid has two award-winning, heirloom parents. It boasts the flavor of an heirloom, with the crack-resistant beauty of a hybrid. The plants are large and sturdy, which is a good thing. They produce and need to hold up an abundance of large fruits.
‘Cherokee Carbon’ has a big, bold flavor. This tomato won an award for the best-tasting tomato at the “Heirloom Garden Show” in 2005. The fruits are large and heavy, in a rich shade of burgundy. A slice of this on your hamburger will have your taste buds singing.
Pineapple
Indulge in the golden sweetness of hefty ‘Pineapple’ tomatoes.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Pineapple’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Yellow with red marbling
- Structure: Indeterminate
These large, hearty, tasty tomatoes share their name with another fruit, not for their flavor, but for their golden hue. ‘Pineapple’ tomatoes are large and heavy, up to two pounds each! Their deep yellow flesh is solid, with few seeds and touches of red throughout. They have a sweet fruitiness and low acidity that makes them wonderful for snacking on raw.
‘Pineapple’ tomatoes grow on tall vines which need ample support. These are hearty fruits, and they need something to hold onto. Wait until they have a slight softness to them for the best flavor. They take about 80 days from transplanting to the first ripe fruits.
Moneymaker
Experience the lucrative delight of bountiful, flavorful ‘Moneymaker’ tomatoes.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Moneymaker’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Red
- Structure: Indeterminate
‘Moneymaker’ is a heat-tolerant variety that earned its name by making money for farmers. It’s also a great tomato to grow in your home garden. This large plant can grow up to eight feet tall and produces a ton of beautifully uniform fruit. These fruits are firm and meaty, with a delightful sweet and tangy flavor.
This makes an excellent greenhouse tomato, as it loves heat and humidity. It is very popular with Southern gardeners for this reason. It matures quickly, and you won’t believe the incredible color of these tomatoes!
Golden Jubilee
Celebrate the sun with vibrant, vitamin-rich ‘Golden Jubilee’ tomatoes.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Golden Jubilee’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Yellow
- Structure: Indeterminate
These sunshine-yellow tomatoes are worth celebrating. ‘Golden Jubilee’ is a 1943 winner of the All-America Selections award. Its excellent disease resistance and solid, dense flesh are desirable traits for this vining variety. The plant is a heat lover but grows well in cool weather as well.
‘Golden Jubilee’ has beautiful dark yellow, three-inch fruits that are exceptionally high in vitamin C. The flesh is meaty and low-acid with a mild and sweet flavor. This is a great producer of high-quality fruits that grow very well in hot, humid environments.
Super Sweet 100
A beautiful and bountiful tomato perfect for containers and salads.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Super Sweet 100’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Red
- Structure: Indeterminate
Prolific and pretty as a picture, ‘Super Sweet 100’ looks gorgeous in the garden and makes a wonderful container plant. Hundreds of cherry tomatoes hang from the plant in heavy clusters. They ripen from top to bottom, creating a beautifully uniform, multi-colored effect. The plant is attractive enough to be ornamental, but you won’t be able to help yourself from plucking these sweet tomatoes.
‘Super Sweet 100’ tomatoes are, as their name implies, very high in sugar content. They are also extra rich in vitamin C. The plant is disease resistant, as an added bonus. You’ll love these sweet fruits tossed into a salad, though they are sweet enough to eat them all by themselves.
Black Krim
Explore the allure of rich, dark tomatoes from the Crimean Peninsula.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Black Krim’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Purple
- Structure: Indeterminate
‘Black Krim’ is an interesting variety named for the Crimean Peninsula on the Black Sea, where they originated. This plant absolutely needs full sun, as it requires extra light to achieve its striking color. The fruits are large and squat, and they range in color from deep red to nearly black.
Between its unique appearance and incredible flavor, this variety is very popular with professional chefs. The sweet, rich flavor always performs well in taste trials. The more the fruit is exposed to heat, the darker it will be.
Sun Gold
Savor the irresistibly sweet burst of vibrant orange tomatoes.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Sun Gold’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Orange
- Structure: Indeterminate
These beautiful cherry tomatoes have a similar appearance to the ‘Super Sweet 100.’ Rather than ripening to a rich red, these pretty cluster fruits turn tangerine orange. ‘Sun Gold’ begins to ripen early, but they tend to split, so you’re not likely to see them at the grocery store.
‘Sun Gold’ has great disease resistance and matures in about 65 days. the only thing better than the beautiful look of these tiny tomatoes is the flavor. The fruits are so sweet, tangy, and juicy that you might not make it back to the house without eating the whole bowl!
Rose de Berne
Experience the exquisite flavor of early-ripening ‘Rose de Berne’ tomatoes.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Rose de Berne’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Pink-red
- Structure: Indeterminate
‘Rose de Berne’ is a Swiss variety that is early to ripen. Its lovely shape and flavor place it in a similar category to the illustrious ‘Brandywine.’ Throughout much of Europe, this variety is considered to be the best-tasting tomato. Nicely symmetrical, reddish pink fruits are crack and disease-resistant.
These beautiful tomatoes have a reputation that precedes them. Their flavor is the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity in a medium-sized package. For their size, these fruits ripen early in the season. They don’t stop early, though; they will continue to produce well into the fall.
Lemon Boy
Vibrant yellow tomatoes offer a tangy-sweet flavor.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Lemon Boy’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Yellow
- Structure: Indeterminate
‘Lemon Boy’ tomatoes are such a bright shade of yellow that you might mistake them for actual lemons. Like a lemon, these fruits have a delightful tang, but the sweetness tempers the tartness in this variety. These fruits are both beautiful and delicious, and their mild, meaty flesh is easy to slice and eat raw. They have a mild citrus flavor.
The large vines that make up the ‘Lemon Boy’ plant are highly disease-resistant, and nematodes seem to avoid them. They produce a great many medium-sized, smooth tomatoes over a long season. Harvest them just before peak ripeness for a little extra tang.
Soldacki
This Polish heirloom offers a big, bold flavor and robust size.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Soldacki’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Pink
- Structure: Indeterminate
This Polish variety made its way to the States in the early 1900s. ‘Soldaki’ bears medium to large, flattened round fruits with incredible flavor. In the late season, some fruits may crack or be misshapen, but they still taste amazing. It’s best to pick them as soon as they mature to avoid these issues.
The flavor is big and bold, with a good balance of sweet and tangy. The first fruits will be smaller, but later in the season, expect ‘Soldaki’ to produce fruits of a solid pound. This is a great salad tomato and holds its own in a sandwich.
Chef’s Choice Orange
A vibrant orange tomato with a tangy, low-acid flavor.
Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Chef’s Choice Orange’
- Sun Needs: Full sun
- Color: Orange
- Structure: Indeterminate
“Chef’s Choice Orange’ is an early maturing tomato for an orange fruit bearer. It has good disease resistance and retains its bold color when cooked, so this is an all-purpose tomato. The plants are large and leafy, which helps to protect the fruits from sunburn.
The bright and cheerful color matches the flavor profile of this tomato. They are low in acid with a beautiful tangy finish to their sweet, firm flesh. A single plant will produce about two dozen fruits in a season.
Final Thoughts
Sweet, tart, tangy, and juicy, fresh tomatoes are delicious straight off the vine. If you love the warm, sweet taste of a fresh sun-ripened tomato, these varieties will not disappoint. All of these tomatoes are recognized for exceptional flavor and texture, the tastiest tomatoes around. Some of them have even won awards for their fresh flavor. Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go have a fresh tomato sandwich for lunch!
