20 of the best tomatoes to grow
We've picked our 20 favourite tomato varieties to grow for salads, cooking and more.
Tomatoes come in all shapes and sizes, from large beefsteaks grown on cordons to tiny cherry varieties, suitable for cultivating in a hanging basket.
With 10,000 varieties to choose from, it can be hard to know which are the best tomato varieties to grow. Some are great for adding fresh into salads, while others come into their own when they’re cooked.
We've picked our 20 favourite tomato varieties to grow. Find out which we rate the best for salads, grilling and more, below.
More on growing tomatoes:
- How to grow tomatoes
- How to grow the tastiest tomatoes
- Caring for tomatoes
- Three ways of growing tomatoes (part one)
- How to ripen late tomatoes
Tomato 'Incas'
Tomato 'Incas' is a very early plum tomato with bright red, meaty fruit with a thick flesh. It's perfect for barbecuing and using in sauces and purees.
Type: Bush
Height: 100cm
Buy tomato ‘Incas’ seeds from Dobies
Tomato 'Ildi'
A cherry variety bearing sweet yellow pear-shaped tomatoes, 'Ildi' is perfect for eating raw and in salads. It's ideal for container growing.
Type: Cordon
Height: 180cm
Buy Tomato ‘Ildi’ seeds from Thompson and Morgan
Tomato 'Costoluto Fiorentino'
'Costoluto Fiorentino' is an old-fashioned beefsteak tomato producing medium to large mishapen and ribbed fruits with an excellent flavour. Suitable for slicing and using in sauces.
Type: Cordon
Height: 150cm
Buy tomato ‘Costoluto Fiorentino’ seeds from Waitrose
Tomato 'Astro Ibrido'
A fantastic- tasting plum tomato variety, 'Astro Ibrido' is perfect for using in sauces and preserves. Suitable for growing in containers. You may also find it sold as tomato 'Scipio Ibrido'.
Type: Cordon
Height: 90cm
Buy tomato ‘Astro Ibrido’ seeds from Amazon
Tomato 'Rio Grande'
'Rio Grande' is a plum tomato producing heavy crops of deep-red fruit. Perfect for sauces.
Type: Bush
Height: 45cm
Buy tomato ‘Rio Grande’ seeds from Amazon
Tomato 'Tigerella'
Rich, tangy 'Tigerella' has a unique flavour and striped flesh. It's ideal for salads and sauces.
Type: Cordon
Height: 200cm
Buy tomato ‘Tigerella’ seeds from Amazon
Buy tomato ‘Tigerella’ plants from Primrose
Tomato 'Super Sweet 100'
An incredibly sweet cherry tomato with thin skin, tomato 'Super Sweet 100' is ideal for use in salads. High yields.
Type: Cordon
Height: 150cm
Buy tomato ‘Super Sweet 100’ plants from Primrose
Buy tomato ‘Super Sweet 100’ seeds from Amazon
Tomato 'Red Alert'
Tomato 'Red Alert' is a cherry tomato bearing bright red, sweet fruits. It's heavy cropping and with a good flavour - ideal for salads and cooking.
Type: Bush
Height: 45cm
Buy tomato ‘Red Alert’ seeds from Waitrose
Tomato 'Gardeners’ Delight'
Tomato ‘Gardeners’ Delight’ is a large cherry variety. It has a delicious tangy flavour, and is reliable and prolific when grown under cover or outdoors. It was voted best for salads.
Type: Cordon
Height: 1.5m
Buy tomato ‘Gardener’s Delight’ plants from Thompson and Morgan
Buy tomato Gardener’s Delight seeds from Dobies
Tomato 'Moneymaker'
Tomato ‘Moneymaker’ is a salad variety. This is popular for its reliably huge yields in poor soil and bad summers. A top all-rounder, it's great for use in sandwiches and salads, roasting and grilling.
Type: Cordon
Height: 2m
Buy tomato ‘Moneymaker’ seeds from Amazon
Buy tomato ‘Moneymaker’ plants from Suttons
Tomato 'Sungold' AGM
Tomato ‘Sungold’ holds the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit (AGM). It's a cherry variety, with orange fruit. It was voted the sweetest tomato and is best eaten raw. It also has good disease resistance.
Type: Cordon
Height: 2m
Buy tomato ‘Sungold’ plants from Thompson and Morgan
Buy tomato ‘Sungold’ seeds from the RHS
Tomato 'Tumbling Tom'
Tomato ‘Tumbling Tom’ is a cherry tomato, voted best for growing in hanging baskets. This compact variety has sweet fruit, and is available in classic red and yellow varieties.
Type: Bush
Height: 30cm
Buy tomato ‘Tumbling Tom’ seeds from Dobies
Buy tomato ‘Tumbling Tom’ plants from Thompson and Morgan
Tomato 'Ailsa Craig'
'Ailsa Craig' is a salad tomato. This flavour-packed variety has been around for 100 years and for good reason; it has thin, dark-red skin and a firm texture.
Type: Cordon
Height: 1.5m
Buy tomato ‘Ailsa Craig’ seeds from Suttons
Buy tomato ‘Ailsa Craig’ plants from Amazon
Tomato 'Shirley' AGM
Tomato ‘Shirley’ holds the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit (AGM). A salad tomato, it's ideal for growing in an unheated greenhouse. It matures early and has good disease resistance.
Type: Cordon
Height: 2m
Buy tomato ‘Shirley’ plants from Thompson and Morgan
Buy tomato ‘Shirley’ seeds from Thompson and Morgan
Tomato 'Marmande' AGM
Tomato ‘Marmande’ is a beefsteak tomato. Its meaty texture and strong flavour makes it perfect for slicing into sandwiches and for cooking. Can be grown outside. The Royal Horticultural Society has give it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Type: Cordon
Height: 60cm
Buy tomato 'Marmande' seeds from Suttons
Buy tomato ‘Marmande’ plants from Thompson and Morgan
Tomato 'Golden Sunrise' AGM
Tomato ‘Golden Sunrise’ is a salad tomato with unusual, vivid-yellow fruits and a sweet flavour. Perfect for salads. The Royal Horticultural Society has give it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit.
Type: Cordon
Height: 2m
Buy tomato 'Golden Sunrise' seeds from Waitrose
Buy tomato ‘Golden Sunrise’ plants from Primrose
Tomato 'Rosada'
Tomato 'Rosada' is a sweet-tasting cherry tomato variety, with small, plum-shaped fruits, perfect for salads and pasta dishes. The Royal Horticultural Society has give it its prestigious Award of Garden Merit.
Type: Cordon
Height: 2m
Buy tomato ‘Rosada’ seeds from Thompson and Morgan
Buy tomato ‘Rosada’ plants from Thompson and Morgan
Tomato 'Black Russian'
Tomato 'Black Russian' bears medium-sized purple-brown tomatoes with a delicious flavour. It's perfect for indoor or outdoor cultivation.
Type: Cordon
Height: 2m
Buy tomato ‘Black Russian’ seeds from the RHS
Buy tomato ‘Black Russian’ plants from Primrose
Tomato 'Orange Santa'
Tomato 'Orange Santa' is a fantastic cherry plum tomato variety, with a super sweet flavour. It's best for growing in a greenhouse.
Type: Cordon
Height: 1.8m
Buy tomato ‘Orange Santa’ seeds on Amazon
Tomato 'Black Cherry'
Tomato 'Black Cherry' is a beautiful cherry variety, bearing masses of mahogany brown fruits with a delicious flavour.
Type: Cordon
Height: 150cm