Here is a list, in random order, gathered from all the past discussions of this question (favorite, best) the search here pulls up:

Cherokee Purple (almost always #1)

Brandywine Suddaths (almost always #1 or #2)

Black Krim

Mortgage Lifter (various strains)

Giant Oxheart

Anna Russian

Coustralee

Aunt Ruby's German Green

Black Cherry

Eva Purple Ball

Kellogg's Breakfast

Indian Stripe

Needless to say there are hundreds more favorites/best but these turn up on every list every time the question comes up.

Dave

I'm pretty new to this game myself, but last year I had Purple Cherokees and Green Grape Tomatoes in the patch, and they were both great fresh. Cherokees added nice depth to a fresh-grilled burger, and the Green Grapes were sweet and zingy, great for tossing with chicken or dropping into an omelette.

But who knows, two of the seeds I'm trying this year were touted as "beats Purple Cherokee in taste tests," so there's always more to try.....

So far, Cherokee Purple. And Black Cherry, which is very addictive like grapes.

I like Brandywine and Mortgage Lifter.

Thanks guys!

I went ahead and ordered seeds for Cherokee Purple and Black Krim. If I get them in the beginning of June and plant the seeds immediately....I wonder if I'll have enough time to get some actual tomatoes. We normally have such high temps here but this year, it's like summer has barely started. I expect this weather at the end of March. If it's too late, it'll be fun to just see how far it goes and restart next year.

And of course, me on a seed site means I also got 15 other seeds for other herbs, veggies....but I am excited to try and start one Trinidad Scorpion pepper plant.

Mister_Caledon -- what are the new seeds you're starting?

<If I get them in the beginning of June and plant the seeds immediately....I wonder if I'll have enough time to get some actual tomatoes. >

I wondered about that when you first posted since it is awfully late for planting in your area I think. At least from what most of the folks on the CA Gardening forum say. But then you have a Fall growing season too if you start them indoors for Fall transplanting.

Dave

Hiya Sugi! To answer your question, my 2015 lineup is two plants each of:

1. Striped German
2. Paul Robeson
3. Mortgage Lifter
4. Cosmonaut Volkov
5. San Marzano
6. Sweetie
7. Purple Tomatillo

I'm pretty sure it was #'s 2 and 3 on that list with the "better-than-Cherokee-Purple" boast.

On a related note I could maybe also mention Cherokee Chocolate. My next-door neighbor passed one to me over the fence a few years ago when I had never seen such a thing before. Maybe it was just my surprise and curiosity, but I wolfed it down with a pinch of salt and a dab of olive oil.... superb!

Digdirt, don't forget Neves Azorean Red. Those are some flavorful tomatoes and quite easy to grow. I've never seen the plants for sale so every year it was "start from seed". You get some large tasty tomatoes from these indeterminates.

Pupilla, thanks for the wealth of info. I like to plant exactly 1 or 2 tomatoes because my neighbors used to run for the hills when I planted up to 8 in previous years. As it turns out, there is a limit to how many tomatoes one can consume before wanting to hurl. I do want to try the Ponderosa!

I stuff peppers often (quinoa, meat, etc.) but never did stuff a tomato. Guess I'll have to learn this year!

Dave, yea...I can usually put seedlings out in March here in Stockton. But this year has been different for sure. In May, I'd ordinarily be living with my AC on all day but I've turned it on about three times this year. I hope this means I can act like it's March.

Caledon, I love my San Marzanos. I did plant three of those this year except only two came up and then both were beheaded by snails. I hate snails. Do let me know re Mortgage Lifter (awesome name); I pondered that one instead of the Black Krim on Dave's list...

I am still in the process of searching.
Dave's list has a lot of all time favorite. I have tried plain "Brandywine" couple of times but I did not like it. The same goes for RC Mortgage lifter. Didn't do well for me. Also grew Black Krim. It was OK but not impressive. I found one, without knowing its name. It turned out to be Ananas Noire. This and CP are my top 2 choices. Then comes Japanese Black Trifele. Not a workhorse but fruits compare to CP. . I am also growing another all time favorite : RUTGERS..
Like I said I am still searching and trying to expand my list. This year I am growing close to 20 new varieties, for the first time. I'd be happy if 5 of those turn out to be what I like. The next season I will try a couple from Dave's list.

Sey

We have takeoff!

I planted three of each and I'm missing one Cherokee Purple but pretty sure it will come up. Nice seeds.

Since I only need one plant, I'll have to find someone who wants some plants. Or if I get lazy, I will just snip them. We have had some super hot (100+) weather. I'm surprised anything has come up.

Thanks for the recommendations!

Most tomatoes take about 120 days from seed to ripe fruits (average). So you should expect harvesting some time in October.
Good luck !

Sey

Love Black Krim and have grown CP before. Both have DTMs longer than Anna Russian, which is what I would have chosen for a late start. My Anna Russian went in the ground the first week of April (under a WOW) and my first fruit is about to turn. Given that the fruits are fairly big and heart shaped, it's a really good choice when you want a faster result. If you'll have BK by Oct. you'd probably have AR by early Sept.

My Anna Russian seems exceedingly slow and my CP and BK are beating the pants off it. So you never know :)

My CPs are the tallest after BrBoys. My other favorite , Ananas Noires, are robust but growing much slowly but do have flowers. My other black, (Black from Tula) is the fullest with most trusses , with dark foliage ( much much darker than other plants in the same bed). Arbuznyi was a late start ( Due to 2 failed germinating attempts) but it is finally flowering. Kumato was started much later (from Trader Joes fruit) and planted in a pot. That is the only one with no flowers yet.

Lots of anticipation, but little action. hahaha

Well, the prospect of not seeing fruit until October would have depressed me in my 20s, though I'd have never thought of planting tomato seeds then, but in my 40s, October is basically 2 weeks away. I feel like I just toasted NYE a month ago, lol.

So long as I win this battle with the snails, I'm sure I'll see at least some fruit. Will be good practice for next year! :)

I just seeded my winter tomatoes too. I read in a book called what to do in Southern California a month to month approach June is when you plant seed for winter tomatoes. I'll take a fall tomato too.

September is usually warm; but October can be chilly. It's cold here to me right now, been drizzling all week. Feels like April. Maybe we'll get some whoppers.

Last year the fall sown tomato just gave a few early fruit but they stuck around for summer and have good crops

Wormgirl, my BK, planted out at the same time as Anna Russian, is easily bushier and maybe taller than AR, but its fruit is a couple of weeks behind.

This is from my AR (picked probably too early but I don't trust the darn rabbits or whatever it was that tore into my tomatoes last year). It's from a fused blossom so not the classic heart shape.

Nice looking fruit there, caryltoo!

Well, 28 days since they were planted as seeds, they look nice. Nothing to write home about but not too shabby either.

In contemplating using 10 gallon pots for these because this is my first year planting in this particular yard, and I am just not certain about the sun that bed will receive. It's the south facing well for a north facing garden; right now it's getting sun from 8am - 5pm or so, but that will get considerably shorter, right? The front of the house is south facing but I sure do hate tomatoes in the front of the house...so I am thinking of potting them up and placing them into the west side yard on the east facing wall.

I dunno! I still have a few weeks to figure it out I guess!

Ii would also add Black from tula and Indian Stripe. And neves Azorean red. All great tomatoes. There's always next year!

Update on my Black Krim and Cherokee Purple that I planted based on your recommendations!

These seeds were planted on June 2 and they went in the ground about two weeks ago.

BK on the right, CP on the left.

I have one CP left (the third seed never did come up) that's in a 1 gallon and suffering. It was the smallest so I let it be for awhile but now it's budding and having a hard time. I hope to get it into the ground later today but am messing with my planting bed and waging war or roots about as thick as my thigh. My guy bought a chainsaw LOL, so hopefully it comes out today and the CP can go in.

Last year my Cherokee Purples were best. This year they are cracked to beat heck. Not sure why. The most outstanding Heir this year by far is Brandywine Cowlick's (Cowlick's strain). I was a bit skeptical when this was so hyped on the "other" site. It is true! They are huge, tasty, and I have already picked about 12-15 fruits! I also tried Box Car Willie this year. It has been productive and tasty. It will be back next year.

Oh man, fireduck...now you're making me want to plant Brandywine Cowlick! Lol

The extra CP is just sitting there because I cannot dig far enough to get these tree roots out. Hard to believe they are roots; they look more like the trunk buried in the ground. I ordered more of my soil mix but it won't be here until the 30th so it'll just have to figure life out on its own....

Indian Stripe, Amana Orange, and Neves Azorean Red have all performed very well in taste!

In my experience (limited) Indian Stripe is better, in production and flavor, than Cherokee Purple. Amana Orange has a very good and unique flavor (to me as this is the first time I've grown orange tomatoes). Neves Azorean Red has a wonderful acidic tomato flavor, I just wish production was higher (only ~ 20 tomatoes between 2 plants).

tom

This heat is ridiculous. This week, we touched on 105 for two days and 100 all the other days. It really couldn't have happened at a worse time for blossoms, too, as they would just be setting fruit. Starting today, it will be in the high 90s and even that will probably be too high.

Serves me right for starting so late!

That said, the final Cherokee Purple is in the ground, at last. I'm surprised the blooms haven't just melted off, lol. The poor thing was basically soilless and all roots, but seems to be doing okay in the ground. At this rate, fruit will set in September if the temps ever come down to a level where *I* can live.

I HAVE TOMATOES!!!!

Well, two tiny ones.

I HAVE TWO BABY TOMATOES!!!

Despite the heat, despite the hornworms and whatever the hell else is tormenting my plants this year, the Black Krim was first to market.

The CP has lots of buds on it but also had the misfortune of trying to pollinate in 105-106 weather. The BK had less blooms then and came to life as that heat wave was ending so it got lucky, I think, and lost less blooms overall.

The soil in this patch was amended really nicely so I haven't even had to water them too much. The straw helps immensely, too...and it better, at $30 a bag LOL.

I feel like putting a bag over these two so nothing can get them. LOL I'm so tired of critters.

Anyway...

I HAVE TWO TOMATOES! OK? Lol

All three BK have fruit set.

1/2 Cherokee Purple have visible fruit set but the last one went in the ground two weeks so it's catching up...rapidly.

My ENORMOUS, 6-foot tall Zapotec has tons of flowers that ALLLLLL fall off. I have yet to see one fruit peeking out from any blossoms. It's at least double the size in height and width to the BK plants and nothing to show for it except what might be the healthiest looking, gigantic plant you've ever seen...and why wouldn't it? It hasn't had to do a wretched this year except grow into a non-fruiting plant LOL

I am about a week away from just pulling out the plant. It's so big and is just serving to block afternoon sun from the BK and CP right next to it.

NEVER AGAIN!

1. Rutgers - Excellent yield & easy to grow in most temperate zones. If there is a better tasting tomato I haven't grown or tasted it yet. If you don't know what the term "old fashioned flavor" means - take one bite of a Rutgers. Full flavored. A tomato lovers tomato.

2. Brandywine - Also excellent slightly sweet flavor. A good tomato for people who say they don't like tomatoes. It deserves it's top billing. Production problems can be an issue.