Quick Answer: Best overall: Sartori Classic Asiago (gold medal, 2022 World Championship Cheese Contest). Easiest board win: Sartori Rosemary & Olive Oil Asiago. Budget: BelGioioso Asiago (about $5.40 for 8 oz). The Italian original: Asiago d'Allevo DOP.
Our top picks
Asiago is the board cheese people go back to twice: nutty, a little sharp and easy to cube. Most Asiago in American stores is made in Wisconsin, and some of it wins at international competition.
All 6 picks
Prices are store listings checked November 2026; supermarket prices vary by store.
Best overall
Sartori Classic Asiago
- From
- Wisconsin
- Style
- Aged
- Award
- 1st place, 2022 World Championship
Why it's here: Won first place for aged Asiago at the 2022 World Championship Cheese Contest. Nutty and sharp, and firm enough to cube neatly.
Watch out: It's a Wisconsin cheese, firmer and sharper than Italy's young Asiago.
Why we picked it (sources)
Contest results (Perishable News).
Best for a board
Sartori Rosemary & Olive Oil Asiago
- Aged
- 6+ months
- Rind
- Rosemary and olive oil
- Awards
- World Championship, Wisconsin State Fair
Why it's here: Hand-rubbed with rosemary and olive oil, so it looks dressed up straight from the package. Aged at least six months.
Watch out: The rosemary is strong; one herbed cheese per board is plenty.
Why we picked it (sources)
Awards from Think USA Dairy; aging from Wisconsin Cheese.
Best budget
BelGioioso Asiago
- From
- Wisconsin
- Style
- Aged
- Where
- Walmart, most supermarkets
Why it's here: A plain, reliable wedge for cubing or shaving. ATK describes supermarket Asiago as tangy, somewhere between cheddar and Parmesan, and this is the one you'll find almost anywhere.
Watch out: Plainer than Sartori.
Why we picked it (sources)
Walmart lists $5.42 for 8 oz (Walmart); America’s Test Kitchen.
Best young Asiago
BelGioioso Asiago Fresco
- Style
- Fresh, semi-soft
- Award
- Gold, 2022 World Championship
- Score
- 98.25 of 100
Why it's here: Young, mild and sliceable, closer to Italy's Asiago Pressato. It won gold in the fresh Asiago class in 2022.
Watch out: Too soft to grate.
Why we picked it (sources)
Contest results (QSR).
Best Italian
Asiago d'Allevo DOP
- From
- Veneto, Italy
- Milk
- Cow
- Ages
- Mezzano, vecchio, stravecchio
Why it's here: Aged Asiago from the Asiago plateau, with the consortium marks on the rind: firmer and more complex than domestic Asiago.
Watch out: Ages vary a lot; mezzano for nibbling, vecchio for sharper.
Why we picked it (sources)
igourmet lists $21.91 per pound (igourmet).
Best splurge
Mitica Asiago Stravecchio
- Grade
- Stravecchio (extra-aged)
- From
- Asiago plateau
- Use
- Shave or grate
Why it's here: The oldest grade of Asiago DOP: crumbly, intense and closer to Parmigiano. Shave it over the board.
Watch out: Mostly mail order; buy a cut piece, not the 18-pound wheel.
Why we picked it (sources)
igourmet; whole-wheel price from Gourmet Food World.
Fresh vs aged Asiago, and how to serve it
- Fresh Asiago (pressato or fresco) is mild, springy and sliceable: good for kids and sandwiches.
- Aged Asiago (d'allevo, and most Wisconsin wedges) is firm, nutty and sharp: cube it or break it into chunks.
- Pair it with soppressata, salami, olives, fig jam and pears.
- Drink: Valpolicella or Pinot Grigio, both from the Veneto like the cheese.
- Serve it at room temperature, out of the fridge 30 to 45 minutes ahead. About 1 oz per person.
More Italian cheeses: the best Parmesan, the best provolone and the best Pecorino Romano.
Asiago questions
What is the best Asiago cheese brand?
Sartori Classic Asiago, a 2022 World Championship gold medalist. BelGioioso is the budget pick; Asiago d'Allevo DOP is the Italian original.
Is Asiago good on a charcuterie board?
Yes. Aged Asiago cubes neatly and goes with salami, olives and fig jam; fresh Asiago slices well for kids.
What's the difference between fresh and aged Asiago?
Fresh Asiago is young, mild and soft. Aged Asiago is firm, nutty and sharp, and the oldest grades grate like Parmesan.
Is Asiago like Parmesan?
Aged Asiago is a common, cheaper stand-in for Parmesan; it's tangier and a little softer.
How much Asiago per person?
About 1 oz per person as one of several cheeses.
How we picked these, and sources
No published taste test compares Asiago brands head to head, so this is an unscored buyer's guide built on World Championship Cheese Contest results, America's Test Kitchen's notes on supermarket Italian cheeses, and retailer listings for price. Checked November 2, 2026.
- Perishable News: Sartori wins gold at the 2022 World Championship Cheese Contest
- QSR: BelGioioso wins four medals at the 2022 World Championship Cheese Contest
- Think USA Dairy: Sartori cheese gallery and awards
- Wisconsin Cheese: Sartori Rosemary & Olive Oil Asiago
- America's Test Kitchen: getting to know supermarket Italian cheeses
- Walmart: BelGioioso Asiago wedge, 8 oz
- igourmet: Asiago d'Allevo DOP
- igourmet: Asiago cheese, pressato to stravecchio
- Gourmet Food World: Asiago Stravecchio
For the salami, see the best soppressata. Every guide is on our charcuterie buying guides page.
