Food Editor Tests Over 20 Supermarket Loaves to Name Eight Best Sourdoughs

1. Waitrose no.1 white sourdough bread

Emma called Waitrose’s no.1 white sourdough “the best-tasting bread I tried for this review,” praising its “very impressive flavour” and “intense depth to its tang.” It’s a pre-sliced entry from Waitrose’s premium no.1 range, positioned as accessible quality rather than boutique pricing. In the UK context this loaf demonstrates that pre-sliced supermarket sourdough can still deliver an authentic sour note and serious flavour depth.

2. Asda white sourdough loaf

IndyBest labelled Asda’s pre-packaged, pre-sliced Asda white sourdough “Exceptional.” Henderson reports an honest fermentation profile — “a fairly even crumb, which has decent structure and a good height, suggesting it's been well fermented” — and notes the packaging claim that it’s “made using aged wild yeast in the starter.” She also flags the trade-off common to pre-sliced loaves: the exterior “developed well” but isn’t “properly crusty,” and slicing can dry the crust. For UK shoppers, Asda proves a packaged loaf can beat expectations on tang and structure.

3. La Brea Bakery Country White Sourdough (U.S., regional)

Sporked crowned La Brea Bakery “the best store bought sourdough bread we tried, hands down,” calling its crust “perfectly stretchy, bubbly” and the crumb “doughy and squishy” with a “lovely tang.” Price noted at $5.99, La Brea is a Southern California-born loaf with limited national availability (Sporked points to grocery shelves in SoCal plus stock at JFK and Reno airports and occasional Amazon listings). If you can source it, La Brea is the bakery-style benchmark among supermarket buys.

4. San Luis Sourdough — Sourdough Cracked Wheat (U.S.)

San Luis shows up in more than one U.S. test as a dependable sandwich loaf: Uproxx called it “by far the best grocery store sourdough bread I’ve tried,” praising a “perfectly chewy and bubbly” crumb, “prominent sourdough flavor” and a “crispy caramelized crust” at a listed price of $4.74 (Uproxx noted it as “Taste 8”). Sporked also singled out San Luis as “Best for Sandwiches,” noting a potent tang and a crust that’s “chewy and slick” though the crumb can run a little dry — ideal for flavour-forward sandwiches when paired with mayo or mustard.

5. Stan’s Artisan Breads Sourdough (U.S.)

Mashed’s notes on Stan’s make it a clear value-and-texture pick: the crust is “chewy,” and “a layer of cornmeal across the bottom adds a little extra texture.” Stan’s offers both pre-sliced and whole loaves; the reviewer “enjoyed the pre-sliced version, but if you have the opportunity to try a full loaf, I would recommend it,” and added, “I would happily pay $3.99 for a loaf of Stan's anytime.” That combination of price point, cornmeal mouthfeel and yeast-forward flavour makes Stan’s a reliable, budget-friendly supermarket sourdough.

7. Sprouts San Francisco Style Sourdough (U.S., Sprouts bakery)

Sporked’s in-store bakery pick, Sprouts’ San Francisco Style loaf, was labelled “Best Store Bakery” and scored 8.5/10. The write-up praises its crisp crust (admitting it’s “not quite as crunchy as fresh-baked sourdough”) and “delightfully chewy, doughy innards,” and suggests popping it in the oven to add a bakery-fresh crunch. For shoppers near a Sprouts store, this loaf is a strong compromise between in-store bakery freshness and supermarket convenience.

8. Izzio San Francisco Style Sourdough (U.S.)

Izzio earns a “Best for a Crowd” tag from Sporked for an extremely long loaf (“it’s as long as my forearm”) that brings big air pockets and a good, doughy chew to the table. Rated 7/10 in that review, Izzio can be crumbly straight from the bag but toasts up well and stretches its value when you need multiple slices for breakfast or entertaining. It’s the kind of supermarket loaf that works best when volume and toastability matter more than an aggressive tang.