These anchovies are so good you’ll want to eat them straight from the can

I’ve never met an anchovy I didn’t like, and I’ve eaten – and prepared – more than my share of excellent ones over the years. I spent years assuming that I had already eaten the best of the best, that I had seen and tasted every little salty fish there was to see and taste. Then, about a year ago, I went to dinner with my wife at a restaurant in Brooklyn called Fradei, where we were served a plate of the biggest, plumpest, fattiest, fruitiest, most delicious anchovies I’ve ever eaten. The waiter told me they were Cantabrian anchovies from Spain and I had a new mission: find them.

Since then, I’ve been on the hunt for anchovies so phenomenal you wouldn’t dare put them on a pizza. So exemplary that you’ll wonder if the only way to eat them is to eat them alone, held between two fingers and dangling above your waiting mouth. I bought some Cantabrian anchovies which were perfectly good, but not the exceptional ones I was looking for. And now I’ve found a brand that sells in small enough units that you don’t have to spend more than $100 to try it (many Cantabrian anchovies are sold primarily to restaurants in bulk, putting them out of reach for most retail buyers). These beauties are the closest to what I’ve eaten at Fradei. Additionally, I offer two other suggestions: one is a Sicilian anchovy that is delicious in a very different way, and the other is a cheaper Cantabrian option that has similarities to my top Cantabrian pick at a lower price. I loved all three brands, as did several Serious Eats colleagues with whom I shared them during an informal tasting.

I should be honest: these are expensive anchovies. Their prices make them more suitable for special occasions – or totally mundane occasions if your pockets are deep.

Best choice: Calvisius Cantabrian anchovies

These Spanish anchovies from Calvisius were the closest to the ones I ate at Fradei, and they are a different anchovy experience than almost any anchovy most people have probably had. The fillets are huge, plump, tender and brightly colored, more pink than brownish gray. They have a remarkable, lingering freshness of flavor and an almost fruity sweetness that doesn’t taste like it’s been packed in salt for weeks. You don’t get a lot of these in a can, so this is definitely one crazy anchovy.

A Sicilian alternative worthy of attention: Testa Sicilian anchovy fillets

These Sicilian anchovies are sold by Gustiamo, one of the best importers of premium Italian food products. Although they’re pricey, you get a good number of fillets packed in a small pot, meaning you can eat them on their own, use them whole in dishes like Niçoise salads, or even cook them in flavoring bases (although you might naturally want to opt for a more affordable anchovy for this). These anchovies have a firmer texture and a more classic salty-brackish flavor, with an earthy fruity touch from the oil-cured black olive.

A Cantabrian safeguard: Cantabrian anchovies from Donostia

If you want to taste a very flavorful Cantabrian anchovy that isn’t as high end as Calvisius, but still has some of that freshness and sweetness, this option from Donostia is a good choice. Their flavor and texture fall somewhere between Sicilian Testa anchovies and the crème de la crème of Calvisius, a sweet spot that several Serious Eats tasters chose as their favorite.