The Extra Virgin Olive Oil That's Worth The Splurge, According To Martha Stewart

On its own, the phrase "worth the splurge" may not pique much interest, but when it's followed by "according to Martha Stewart," all ears are attuned. In an interview with Food & Wine, the queen of home and garden advice disclosed the brand of olive oil she recommends above all others — Heritage Extra Virgin Olive Oil (which is not the same high-quality olive oil Ina Garten swears by).

The revealing moment happened during what Food & Wine described as a "fireside chat" at the 2025 Kohler Food & Wine Weekend in Kohler, Wisconsin . Also present for the chat was the purveyor of said olive oil, Richard Christiansen, the founder/owner of Flamingo Estate, a luxury brand centered around a sprawling 7-acre property in the Los Angeles hills.

Stewart, who wrote the forward to Christiansen's 2021 book, "Flamingo Estate: Fridays from the Garden Cookbook," described the property as "over the top," in a 2023 New York Times piece that described the two as having been acquainted for years. You might even call them members of a mutual-admiration society as Christiansen, in turn, wrote the forward to Stewart's 2025 "Martha Stewart's Gardening Handbook." It was while Christiansen was discussing his career that he mentioned Heritage and Stewart felt compelled to chime in, "It is the only olive oil I use at home." Food & Wine describes the olive oil as "bordering on myth," while Flamingo Estate describes their own product, as "the stuff of legend." But does it live up to the hype? 

A 16-ounce bottle of Heritage Extra Virgin Olive Oil costs $48 from the Flamingo Estate website (with a subscribe and save option yielding a 10% price reduction). So, what's so great about it? Heritage is produced by fourth generation olive farmer, Philip Asquith. The olives are harvested from 150-year-old rare varieties of trees not commonly found in the U.S., including Arbequina, Leccino, and Pendolino. Hand-picked, these olives are processed right after harvest, resulting in a brilliantly green and grassy, cold-pressed oil with brisk peppery notes and a smooth fruity finish. Packaged in a dark glass bottle for optimum preservation, which is one of the five ways to tell if your extra virgin olive oil is the real deal.

As good as it sounds and despite Martha Stewart's endorsement, not all of us can splurge in the $48 range. But another piece of advice Stewart offered could make it more attainable — to double down on your olive oil options by keeping two in stock. One really high-quality herbaceous oil for when you want to savor it (think drizzled over baby arugula with a fresh squeeze of lemon or slathered on grilled artisan bread, piled high with luscious tomatoes and a chiffonade of bright basil from the garden), and a less expensive one for everyday cooking, where those distinct flavor notes might get lost or worse, overpower. Don't worry; we've conducted a taste test for the best olive oil brands to know which of the cheaper ones rank supreme.