10 Best Gourmet Dog Foods — 2024 Reviews & Top Picks

“Gourmet” means different things to different people. But what exactly makes a dog food formula gourmet? To us, it’s about more than a higher price tag and fancy packaging. When we sifted through reviews of gourmet dog food to find the 10 best, we looked for high-quality and responsibly sourced ingredients. We also considered access to customer support and how well dogs actually liked the food.

Our list is a good starting point, but please consult your vet if you have health-related questions about what to feed your dog.

A Quick Look at Our Winners in 2024

The 10 Best Gourmet Dog Foods

1. Castor & Pollux Pristine Healthy Grains Grass-Fed Beef & Oatmeal Dog Food – Best Overall

Our choice for best overall gourmet dog food is Castor & Pollux Pristine Healthy Grains Grass-Fed Beef & Oatmeal. This formula nails the sweet spot between “healthy” and “tasty.” It has both high-quality ingredients and a taste loved by dogs. Multiple happy dog owners report that even the pickiest eaters love this recipe. If you have questions about Healthy Grains Grass-Fed Beef & Oatmeal, you can contact Castor & Pollux via an online form. The company does not, however, offer phone support.

Castor & Pollux searches the globe for the most responsibly sourced ingredients and cooks its food in the U.S. The grass-fed beef in this recipe is raised in New Zealand. The one ingredient we’d like more transparency over is “natural flavor.”

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2. Purina Beyond Simply Farm Raised Chicken & Whole Barley – Best Value

You’d be forgiven if you don’t automatically equate Purina with “gourmet.” The brand is a no-frills mainstay in the pet food market and a household name. Their Beyond Simple line of dog food is worth a closer look if you want premium ingredients at a more affordable price tag. Purina Beyond Simple Chicken & Whole Barley is our pick for the best gourmet dog food for the money. Purina Beyond recognizes pollinators’ important role in everyone’s food, including pets. The company has committed financial support for The Nature Conservancy¹. Purina Beyond provides extensive sourcing information for the ingredients in this and other formulas. Farm Raised Chicken & Whole Barley Recipe contains chicken sourced from Iowa, Indiana, and Missouri.

All other ingredients are sourced in the U.S., except for carrots from Australia and China. We’re impressed that this formula contains probiotics, an ingredient you don’t often see at this price point. We’d like more transparency over what is the “natural flavor.” Purina Beyond provides both email and phone customer support.

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3. ACANA Wholesome Grains Red Meat Dog Food – Premium Choice

 

Acana has made a name for itself by not just using muscle tissue in its dog food, but also cartilage and organ meat. The company’s Wholesome Grains Red Meat Recipe makes or lists as the premium choice for gourmet dog food. The company sources directly from global fishers, ranchers, and farmers, and produces this food in Auburn, KY. Wholesome Grains Red Meat is packed with beef, pork, and lamb. Healthy grains, vegetables, and probiotics round out the ingredient list. This food is widely loved by both owners and dogs.

The biggest complaint people had was that their dogs just didn’t care for the food. Remember to transition slowly when switching to this or any new food. Wholesome Grains Red Meat is available in 4-pound and 22.5-pound bags; we’d like to see a medium-sized option. Champion Petfoods USA, the owner of Acana, offers both email and phone customer support. 

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4. ORIJEN Amazing Grains Puppy – Best for Puppies

Orijen’s Amazing Grains Puppy formula fits a small niche in the dog food market: higher protein formulas that are also grain inclusive. Many dog foods with this percentage of protein are grain-free, but Amazing Grains Puppy contains oat groats, millet, whole oats, ground whole flaxseed, and quinoa seed. It was difficult to find many critical reviews of this formula. A few dog owners made note of the strong fish odor. Orijen sells Amazing Grains Puppy in two sizes: 4 pounds and 22.5 pounds. We’d like to see a medium-sized option, something in the 10- or 11-pound range. The company sources directly from trusted farmers, growers, and fishers from around the world. Champion Petfoods USA, the owner of both Acana and Orijen, provides email and phone customer support.

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5. Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Lamb & Blueberry Adult Mini Dog Food

Next on our list for best gourmet dog food is Farmina N&D Ancestral Grain Lamb & Blueberry for mini breeds. This recipe is uniquely formulated for little breeds like chihuahuas and Yorkies, right down to the smaller kibble pieces. If you need to contact Farmina, you can do so online. The company does not offer phone support. We think their return policy¹ is too strict to help most customers: “To validate an exchange or refund, it is necessary that at least 80% of the product be returned in the original packaging, no later than 5 days after purchase.” Farmina states that their Ancestral Grain Lamb & Blueberry Mini Breed is grain-inclusive, low carb, and low glycemic. Consider this recipe if your vet advises you to place your dog on a low-glycemic diet.

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6. Solid Gold Wee Bit Bison,Brown Rice & Pearled Barley Small Breed Dog Food

Solid Gold claims the kibble in its Wee Bit Bison & Brown Rice Recipe is some of the smallest available on the market today. This is a calorie-dense formula. Measure accordingly, so you don’t overfeed your dog. Bison is often the main ingredient in limited ingredients dog food. However, this Solid Gold recipe is not for dogs with protein allergies. The meat-packed formula also contains fish, chicken, and egg ingredients. The company offers in-depth transparency about where it sources its U.S. and global ingredients. Solid Gold uses U.S.-sourced fish meal and pastured raised bison in this recipe. Wee Bit Bison & Brown Rice with Pearled Barley has thousands of positive online reviews.

The two biggest complaints are that some dogs don’t care for bison flavor, and this food has an overwhelming fish smell. There’s little risk, as the company offers a money-back guarantee if you or your dog don’t like the food. Solid Gold offers both email and phone support to its customers.

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7. Taste of the Wild With Ancient Grains Dry Dog Food

This is the dog food for the lamb-loving canine in your life. Ancient Mountain with Ancient Grains contains pasture-raised lamb, lamb meal, and roasted lamb. The dime-sized kibble might be too large for small breeds and growing puppies. Taste of the Wild recommends its grain-free Appalachian Valley recipe for smaller adult dogs. We like that Ancient Mountain with Ancient Grains is sold in multiple bag sizes. The family-owned company provides both phone and email support for its customers. Taste of the Wild makes high-quality, popular dog food. The most common complaint was that while owners loved the food, their dogs just did not care for it. We wish there was more transparency about what is in the “natural flavor.”

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8. JustFoodForDogs Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni Frozen Dog Food

This recipe from JustFoodForDogs isn’t kibble, nor is it raw food. It’s lightly cooked human-grade food, an expanding offering in the dog food market. The drawback to this type of diet is that the food ships frozen and must be kept in the refrigerator or freezer. This Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni Recipe is great if you need a novel protein, as it contains no beef or chicken. JustFoodForDogs calculated the caloric content via weight, not volume. The company recommends you use a digital scale when portioning this food. JustFoodForDogs’ Clean Bowl Guarantee refunds your money for your first purchase if you or your dog are unhappy. JustFoodForDogs produces its Turkey & Whole Wheat Macaroni recipe in Irvine, California, and New Castle, Delaware. The company offers both phone and email support for customers.

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9. The Honest Kitchen Butcher Block Pate Turkey & Autumn Veggies Wet Dog Food

The Honest Kitchen is a Certified B Corporation headquartered in San Diego. Despite the name, Butcher Block Turkey & Autumn Veggies has a ground meat consistency and is not a traditional smooth pate. The company offers top-notch customer support via phone, text, and email. You can even schedule a 15-minute phone call in advance if you have questions about The Honest Kitchen’s dog food. The company sources 84% of its ingredients¹ from North America and does not use ingredients from China. The cage-free turkey in this formula is raised in North and South America. This food is only sold in one size, a 10.5-ounce box. Butcher Block Turkey & Autumn Veggies’ unique texture can make this a messier food to eat. 

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10. Instinct Raw Cage-Free Chicken Bites for Dogs

Instinct Frozen Raw Bites is a convenient option if your vet has cleared your pup to have a grain-free, raw diet. Chicken meat, organs, and ground bone are the primary ingredients, followed by superfoods like salmon oil, blueberries, and spinach. Instinct produces this food in Lincoln, NE, using high-pressure processing (HPP). While HPP eliminates harmful bacteria like E. coli, listeria, and salmonella, you still need to handle Raw Bites Chicken like any other raw meat. Wash your hands after handling the food and scrub out your dog’s food bowl after mealtime. Some dog owners report that this food quickly becomes pungent and loses its shape after thawing. Consider introducing Raw Bites as a meal topper so you don’t waste your money.

Instinct does offer a return or exchange on any dog food so long as you have the original purchase receipt. Instinct states they source ingredients from the U.S. whenever possible but doesn’t elaborate any further. They refer customers with sourcing questions to contact them via email.

 

Buyer’s Guide — Choosing the Best Gourmet Dog Foods

There are three main things to consider before trying a new gourmet dog food brand.

From there, it’s up to your dog. A pet food brand can be gourmet, and your pup might still turn its nose up. We recommend double-checking a company’s return or exchange policy. Some retailers have their own guarantees on pet food, as well.

Conclusion

Gourmet dog food is about more than a higher price tag and appealing package. We’ve compiled reviews of companies offering customer support and ingredient transparency. Our best overall choice is Castor & Pollux Pristine Healthy Grains Grass-Fed Beef & Oatmeal. Purina Beyond Simple Chicken & Whole Barley provides the best value, while Acana’s Wholesome Grains Red Meat Recipe is our premium choice. Consider Orijen’s Amazing Grains Puppy formula if you’re about to welcome a new furry family member into your home.

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Featured Image Credit: Olena Yakobchuk, Shutterstock