We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. What to Buy Hosting & Dining The 12 Best Kitchen Candles, According to Our Editors Warning: These editor-loved candles might make you hungry. By Alyssa Longobucco Alyssa Longobucco Alyssa Longobucco is a writer, editor, and stylist living in New York with over a decade of experience in the food, home, and lifestyle categories. When she's not diving into the latest trends and products, she's restoring an 1820s farmhouse in the Hudson Valley alongside her husband and children. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines and Danielle St. Pierre Danielle St. Pierre Danielle St. Pierre is a Senior Editor for Food & Wine. She joined Food & Wine in 2022 and has a decade of experience writing and editing food, drink, and shopping content for brands. Her work has appeared in Food & Wine, the Kitchn, Apartment Therapy, CNN Underscored, Delish, and more. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 21, 2024 In This Article View All In This Article Reviews Our Expertise Photo: Malin + Goetz If you've ever fried or grilled anything in a small apartment, you're likely all too familiar with the smells that can linger from last night's dinner. While the aroma of a Sunday sauce or savory roast chicken can be warm and welcoming, getting a waft of leftover fried fish or burned bits of bread in your air fryer toaster oven can be much less appetizing. Sometimes you want to neutralize odors in your kitchen, especially if you're hosting a dinner party. That's where kitchen candles come in handy. The best kitchen candles have vegetal, earthy, and clean notes to neutralize your cooking area without overpowering it. We asked our editors to share their go-to kitchen candles. Some of our favorites smell like a fresh tomato vine or clean, zesty lemon, while others have comforting woodsy scents. Next time you host a party, light one of these 12 best kitchen candles. Flamingo Estate Roma Heirloom Tomato Candle PHOTO: Terrain $58 at Shopterrain.com View on Flamingoestate.com A deliciously earthy and vegetal pick, this Roma Heirloom Tomato Candle is ideal for dinner parties where you don't want to overwhelm the room with an overly sweet scent. "It captures the fresh and subtly spiced scent of a ripe, juicy tomato in a way that feels warm, summery, and nostalgic," says VP of Commerce Taysha Murtaugh. Other available scents are Adriatic Muscatel Sage and Climbing Tuscan Rosemary. "These candles will not disappoint — nor will they compete with whatever's on the menu,” says Murtaugh. If you're looking for a great gift for party hosts, we think this candle would make a thoughtful pick. P.F. Candle Co. Wild Herb Tonic Candle $27 at Amazon View on Pfcandleco.com If you're hosting a dinner party where your guests will be mingling indoors near the fireplace and outdoors next to the grill setup, we recommend P.F. Candle Co.'s Wild Herb Tonic to bring those earthy, campfire-adjacent smells straight to the dinner table. It's a great pick for those in-between temperature evenings, and it's versatile enough to work during any season. "This candle is equal parts herbaceous and woodsy, with notes of fresh thyme, orange rind, and pine. It reminds me of coming back to a cabin after a wet fall hike. I especially love lighting this one once it starts to get chilly and I'm cooking something cozy, but it's versatile enough for every season," says Senior Editor Danielle St. Pierre. Diptyque Feu de Bois Wood Fire Candle PHOTO: Nordstrom $74 $45 at Nordstrom $74 at Bluemercury.com $74 at Diptyqueparis.com "My wife loves expensive candles, and this is the brand she asks my parents to get for her birthday. All the fragrances are sophisticated and wonderful, but the flowery ones can overwhelm at a dinner party. I like smoky, woodsy Feu de Bois as the most food-friendly scent," says Senior Writer Jason Horn. Get a Whiff Co. Sage Against the Machine Candle View on Getawhiffco.com "I love almost any candle from Get a Whiff Co., but I've been specifically buying their Sage Against the Machine Blend for years now. The smell isn't too strong and compares to a light essential oil diffuser. And the wood wick is always a sonically satisfying plus," says Writer Dillon Evans. If you're looking for something woodsy, Evans also recommends the brand's Pine & Eucalyptus Candle available on Amazon. Big Night Dinner Party Candle Big Night Dinner Party Candle. PHOTO: Big Night View on Bignightbk.com Look no further than this soy stunner from Big Night BK for your next dinner party if you're into theming your candles to your occasion. Packed with notes of peppery arugula, basil, lemongrass, amber, and saffron, it will instantly make your guests feel welcome and eager to tuck into a delicious meal — even if it's coming from a takeout box. Mrs. Meyer's candle PHOTO: Amazon $23 at Amazon Few things in this world smell better than freshly picked basil from your indoor herb garden. This basil-scented soy candle from Mrs. Meyer's has an excellent, crisp fragrance that is both refreshing and grounding, and it acts as an odor neutralizer in the kitchen. This set of candles comes in recyclable glass jars, perfect for gifting or stocking up for your own home. Anecdote Candles Bottomless Mimosas Candle PHOTO: Anecdote Candles $34 at Amazon View on Anecdotecandles.com $34 at Macy's Were your twenties colored by long Saturday afternoons spent laughing over bottomless pitchers of mimosas and plates of soggy bacon? Then this nostalgia-laden candle is for you. Tinged with notes of fresh blood orange, bergamot, and grapefruit, it's a zesty and energetic candle to burn during your new Saturday morning breakfast routine of making waffles for the kids and brewing lots of coffee for yourself. Homesick Scented Candle PHOTO: Amazon $30 $25 at Amazon $30 at Homesick.com $38 $27 at Barnesandnoble.com For many of us, our most formative food moments were in our grandparents' kitchen. If you have fond memories of making pierogi with Granny or sneaking bites of Nanny's cobbler, this candle will make your heart swell. Meant to capture that sweet-and-sentimental moment in time, it's scented with yummy apple cinnamon, clove, and, of course, butter (because you know Grandma always used the real deal). Illume Whipped Cream & Pear Candle PHOTO: Courtesy of Anthropologie $17 at Anthropologie If you always crave a little something sweet after dinner, this bespoke candle from Anthropologie is for you. With notes of warm vanilla, fresh pear, whipped cream, and apple peel, this cozy candle recreates the smell of a freshly baked crisp sitting in a baking dish on your countertop. Plus, the crackle ceramic jar it comes in looks charmingly vintage. Kobo Candles Plant the Box Candle PHOTO: Amazon $35 at Amazon $33 at Food52 These vibrant candles are a scented treat and a snack all in one! A great choice for greenthumbs to add to their herb tool collection, this produce-inspired scent smells as close to real tomato vines as we've ever experienced in a candle. But that isn't the only feature to write home about. Each of the candles in this collection comes in a biodegradable, seed-infused package that lets you grow the plant the candle is based on for a sensory experience that comes full circle. Dianne's Custom Candle Store kitchen candle PHOTO: Amazon $15 at Amazon Calling all accident-prone home cooks: If you can commonly be found burning dinner in your stainless steel skillet or leaving ingredients out on the counter overnight, you need this odor-eliminating candle. It can wick away up to 95% of offensive odors ranging from burnt food and pungent odors (hello, fried fish!) to oil and smoke for a kitchen that will smell clean (even if it doesn't look it). Malin + Goetz Tomato Candle $64 at Amazon View on Malinandgoetz.com If we could capture the essence of a perfectly ripe tomato and jar it, that smell would be this candle. Inspired by gardening in the Hudson Valley, this tomato candle from Malin + Goetz has a fresh and summery scent with notes of basil, lavender, mint, and ripe tomatoes on the vine. This candle is so popular every summer that it tends to sell out, but don't worry: It'll be back in stock later this summer, just in time for your fall harvest. Our Expertise Alyssa Longobucco is a writer, editor, and food stylist living in New York. When she's not diving into the latest in food and home decor, she's restoring an 1820s farmhouse in the Hudson Valley alongside her husband and son. Danielle St. Pierre is a Senior Editor for Food & Wine. She updated this piece with editor insights and recommendations, including a few of her current favorite vibe-y kitchen candles. The 14 Best Tapered Candles, According to Interior Designers Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit