A hand-picked list of the best sardines to eat.
Each sardine is carefully selected and cleaned by hand, following the time-honored traditions of Galicia. The fish are delicately roasted over an open flame to maintain their tender texture without sacrificing firmness. After roasting, the sardines are packed individually with a light touch of lemon essence and immersed in premium olive oil.
As do Mar, based in Olbia, Sardinia, is a family-run business known for its artisanal and sustainable approach to canned fish. Since 1980, they’ve adhered to the highest standards, using only “Friend of the Sea” certified tuna. It was a high quality tuna to try!
Daporta is a small cannery from Galicia. They only produce a few hundred units of sardines per year and I was lucky enough to find one at Cincinnati's Jungle Jims. And their tin of Sardinillas may have been the best tin I've had yet
I picked up Belmar Sardinhas at Central Market. They recently had an event focused on Portuguese cuisine. Portuguese cuisine certainty includes its sardines which can be delectable. Belmar was a standard-fare sardine that satisfied my lunch needs.
Matiz's heartier sardines, three per tin, deliver a rich, natural taste without added peppers. Harvested from the Eastern Atlantic, these sardines in quality olive oil highlight their umami flavor and flaky texture. Ideal for quick, nutritious meals, they embody the simplicity and satisfaction of tinned fish.
Ramón Peña is a premium-end cannery that offers products across the Tin Hat universe. Our team checked out its sardinillas and it was no disappointment. The sardinillas offered that same palette complexity found in a larger Sardine while they still fit on a cracker. For something of this caliber, we chose to eat them by the fork. The tin demonstrates that not all fish are created equally.
Mina Sardines are an affordable meaty sardine from Morocco. They were delightful to eat with a fork and presented a nice clean flavor.
The sardines had a light oily flavor and complemented the elect crackers quite well. They proved that Sardines need not originate from the coastal waters of Spain, Italy, and Portugal. Rather, a good sardine can can come from anywhere including the Balkans’ coastline.
Their taste is a delightful buttery one and their texture is tender and firm. For someone new to sardines, these are certain to leave a good impression. Clean, tasty, and reasonably priced - what a great starting point.
Brunswick offers a starter sardine. Their sardine is simple, oily, and inoffensive. The sardine places perfectly on a cracker with hot sauce. It can also be eaten out of the can with ease.
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