Chefs Agree: These Are the 5 Best Jarred Pickles You Can Buy at the Grocery Store

Pickles can sure stir up big feelings. First, there’s the no-pickle camp — an ideal couple configuration where the first “Can I have your pickle?” becomes a lifelong agreement. From there, pickle-lovers faction out into different groups by brand and type (are you a bread-and-butter person? Deli half-sours?) and brand.

I grew up on Vlasic kosher dills. To this day, the crunch, the snap, the concentrated full sourness of those spears and just-right softness of the seeds tickle me the same way they did when I was a kid. I remember forking them one by one out of the jar, dripping juice all over my shirt and my mom’s kitchen floor. 

I thought nothing would change my allegiance; I regularly turned my nose up at other brands and types. That is, until I discovered Cleveland Kitchen’s classic spears, which are lightly fermented with live cultures — each tangy, zippy piece infused with flavor from the whole garlic cloves and dill stalks draping the pickles. And now, while I do have two jars of Vlasic in my fridge right now (Stackers and spears) for when nostalgia strikes, you can’t convince me that there are more superior store-bought pickles in the game than Cleveland Kitchen’s.

However, my strong opinion hasn’t prevented chefs from trying. While many chefs now make their pickles in-house, in a clutch they’ve also still got loyalty to their supermarket brands. Here are the top five brands chefs choose, and why.

Billy Kramer, founder and owner of nationally ranked NFA Burger, stands solidly behind this classic brand. He opened his shop after spending 25 years researching burgers across the country, trying “a ton of pickles” before deciding that these were it. “I love the flavor, and the texture of thick-cut pickles provides a better crunch than others,” he says. 

He also uses the leftover juice for his signature sauce: “A sweeter pickle would counteract the spice in it.” Plus, “the color pops off the screen when taking pictures, which is a bonus!” he jokes. 

John Elliott, the executive corporate chef of beloved Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar, also crowns Mt. Olive the king for burgers and sandwiches. “I grew up in Eastern North Carolina, where it’s always been a local staple I naturally gravitate toward. Part of it’s familiarity, but I also like the straightforward dill flavor and crisp texture,” he says. 

Buy: Mt. Olive Kosher Dill Pickle Chips, $2.94 for 32 ounces at Walmart 

Recognized with multiple MICHELIN Bib Gourmand nods and named creator of one of the “Best Sandwiches in North America,” Todd Ginsberg, the chef-partner of Fred’s Meat & Bread (part of Rye Restaurants), knows a thing or two about using pickles properly. These are his top pick, with a “sweet heat that’s particularly good on greasy, rich burgers, pork sandwiches, smoked meat BBQ plates, fried chicken, or on a charcuterie board alongside cured meats for contrast,” he says. 

“They have a noticeable kick, but you’re not overwhelmed by the spicy bite,” Ginsberg says. In fact, “the bread and butter pickle we make for our burger stack at Fred’s is based on this flavor profile!”

John Ondo, the executive chef of Charleston’s romantic Peninsula Grill, also keeps Wickles’ Dirty Dill Spears and Wicked Okra in his refrigerator for snacking.

Buy: Wickles Pickle Original Chips, $3.99 (on sale!) for 16 ounces at Amazon

Bubbies is another brand Ginsberg likes, particularly on a Reuben or any classic deli sandwich with pastrami or corned beef. “They’re naturally fermented and are more ‘old-world’ — garlicky, dilly, briny, and not sweet,” he says. He often chops up the traditional dill flavor into a relish, or mixes it into a potato or egg salad. “They get points for the deeper sourdough-style tang from the fermentation,” he adds, noting that they are his go-to standalone snack and the perfect side to turn a simple sausage into a complete meal.

Meanwhile, Bubbies is Ondo’s go-to brand for bread-and-butter pickles. “A quick ‘I got out of work late’ dinner for me is ham and Swiss on rye with bread-and-butter pickles,” he says. “Ham is reserved for bread-and-butter pickles and only bread-and-butter pickles! You want that sweetness to counteract the saltiness and smokiness.” Although, he’ll rotate between these and kosher dill for burgers.

Buy: Bubbies Bread & Butter Pickle Chips, $8.24 (on sale!) for 33 ounces at Amazon

For “turkey and Italian cold-cut sandwiches and subs,” Ondo prefers Claussen dill chips or sandwich slices. Ana Moreno, chef-owner of Mesa Mia in Clovis, California’s Nourish Old Town collective, also leans toward this classic brand, and likes them best on their own. “I prefer to eat pickles on the side, like chips,” she says, switching between Claussens’ and Maille’s cornichons, which have her “going straight into the fridge just to eat them out of a jar or in a handful” when she’s not using them to complement “some rich cheese and crackers.”

Buy: Claussen Kosher Dill Pickle Chips, $4.249 for a 20 ounces at Walmart

“Above all else, I try to find a refrigerated pickle,” says Newman Miller, chef-owner of Mr. Tubs restaurant and Scout & Scholar Brewery in Bardstown, Kentucky. “They seem to keep the best texture and have better juice overall, which is half the fun of pickles.” He uses these in recipes like his coleslaw and adds the juice to potato salad. 

Ondo also likes this brand’s Hot Spears for snacking. “The juice from them makes a good little addition to your Bloody Mary mix,” he adds.

Buy: Grillo’s Pickles Classic Dill Spears, $7.99 for 32 ounces at Amazon

Did your favorite store-bought pickle brand make the list? Tell us about it in the comments below.

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: Chefs Agree: These Are the 5 Best Grocery Store Jarred Pickles You Can Buy