Ranking Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake Flavors Worst To Best

With a 21-page menu and more than 30 cheesecake flavors available at any given time, The Cheesecake Factory is known for its over-the-top offerings.

The chain dates back to the 1940s when Evelyn Overton reworked a cheesecake recipe to make it her own. The cakes were a hit and she soon began to sell them all over town. Evelyn and her husband Oscar opened a Los Angeles bakery in 1972 and just 6 years later, their son would open a new chain that featured the cakes as the star dessert (via The Cheesecake Factory). As of 2019, it was one of the country's most popular casual dining options.

You're more than spoiled for choice at this establishment, so if you've ever wondered which cheesecake to choose on your next trip to the restaurant, we've ranked The Cheesecake Factory flavors from worst to best. Keep reading to see which flavor came out on top.

The Cheesecake Factory's Pineapple Upside-Down Cheesecake takes two absolutely decadent desserts and combines them into one. The result is two layers of buttery pineapple upside-down cake sandwiching a layer of pineapple cheesecake. 

One Tripadvisor reviewer said, "Really pleased to see the pineapple upside down cheesecake back on the menu as it is so tasty and more of a cake." While that review is positive, it highlights the thing we don't like about this slice of cake. It's tasty, no doubt, but it's definitely more of a cake than a cheesecake. The rich cheesecake takes a backseat to the fluffy and moist pieces of buttery vanilla cake. There are some cherry pieces and crushed pineapple in here as well, so it's really a full-on pineapple-upside down cake. It just doesn't need to be paired with cheesecake. It's too much mushy texture to be enjoyable and would work better as either one type of cake or the other. 

The Caramel Pecan Turtle Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory is a mash-up of three different types of desserts. For the crust, there's a layer of pecan brownie, the filling is a fluffy caramel-fudge swirl cheesecake, and the topping is a mix of caramel and pecans with a swirl of chocolate.

"We decided to share a slice of Caramel Pecan Turtle Cheesecake. It's a very rich piece of cheesecake. I'm glad we decided to share a slice. There is no way I could have eaten a slice on my own," said one Yelp reviewer.

It's a promising flavor combination and should work well, but this is just rich one rich, decadent dessert with no tangy, bright, or acidic reprieve. Those with a huge sweet tooth may love this, but everyone else will just find this rich, sweet, and heavy without much in the way of complexity or interest. It's good, but in the lineup of other The Cheesecake Factory flavors, this is one you can skip.

The mention of s'mores is enough to transport most people to campfire memories of sandwiching chocolate and marshmallow in between graham cracker pieces. It was the perfect bite of smoky, sweet marshmallow, crunchy graham cracker, and rich chocolate.

The Cheesecake Factory does a play on this classic flavor combination with its Toasted Marshmallow S'Mores Galore Cheesecake. It's a piece of Hershey's chocolate cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and a gooey marshmallow on top.

The S'more Scout, an authority in all things S'more, reviewed the cheesecake slice. They said, "I could barely taste the toasted marshmallow in combination with the other elements, however. Fortunately, the whipped cream teams up to bring in some vanilla goodness." This is unfortunate because marshmallow is an underrated flavor that brings so much to a dessert when allowed to shine. If this were perhaps a plain cheesecake with chocolate swirls, it might let the marshmallow take center stage.

Godiva and The Cheesecake Factory paired up for this Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake. It's a layer of flourless chocolate cake made with Godiva chocolate, topped with a layer of Godiva chocolate cheesecake, and topped with one more layer of chocolate mousse.

To find this enjoyable you have to really love chocolate. You'll need to be a card-carrying member of the chocolate fanatics club because this is a lot of chocolate and there's absolutely no escaping it, except for the dollop of whipped cream that the cake is served with.

One Yelp reviewer loves it. "I always get the Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake, especially when I'm chocolate hungry as it is really rich but delicious." But even for chocolate lovers, it's rich. It might be the perfect piece to share. On the plus side, it's got a silky texture and all the layers work together so they don't compete against one another.

We love that The Cheesecake Factory toned down its usual excess for the Caramel Apple Cheesecake. It's simply The Cheesecake Factory's signature original cheesecake baked with caramel apples. The cake has a graham cracker crust and is topped with a layer of caramel.

It's another one of those flavors that's as good as a dessert from any other chain, but when pitted against the rest of the Cheesecake Factory cakes it just doesn't have much power. The caramel flavor is nice but the apple falls flat and is just mush on top of mush. There are no texturally exciting elements. And the apple isn't even acidic enough to break up the richness of the cake.

One Yelp reviewer loved it and said, "Finished off with a Lemon Meringue Cheesecake and a Caramel Apple Cheesecake, always the best". But unless you're a die-hard fan of the flavor combination you can skip this.

Cinnamon desserts are always a hit, so why wouldn't a cinnamon swirl cheesecake be a delicious combination? The Cheesecake Factory's Cinnabon Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake is a cinnamon cheesecake layered with a vanilla crunch cake. Cream cheese frosting and caramel top it all off. We want to love it but it's too much of a good thing. Too much cinnamon. And somehow not enough of what we really want. The cinnamon cheesecake is delicious but what is the vanilla crunch cake doing in there?

It's unnecessary and yet another example of how sometimes The Cheesecake Factory goes a little wild with the cheesecakes. Less is definitely more and this is the perfect example. One Yelp reviewer said, "Too sweet. Tons of cinnamon flavor, and it tastes like a Cinnabon, but a really sweet and creamy Cinnabon." This gets an A for concept, but a C for execution.

We don't have anything against chocolate. That's not why this Hershey's Chocolate Bar Cheesecake didn't rank higher. It's a layer of Hershey's chocolate cheesecake in between two layers of chocolate cake. The entire cake is slathered in chocolate frosting and sprinkled with chocolate chips. 

This cake proves there really can be too much of a good thing. It's rich and probably goes overboard with so many different types of chocolate. Some plain cheesecake, white chocolate, or other balancing element would do wonders in this slice. But it does have some redeeming qualities. The textures are spot on. The moist cake layers, the rich icing topping it all off, and the fluffy cheesecake, all work well together. Just before it gets to be entirely too much chocolate, you may find that you've finished the piece.

One Yelp reviewer described the cake and said, "We got the Hershey's chocolate bar cheesecake today. (the wife loves cheesecake). It is chocolaty and fluffy from the cake. If you tried the Godiva cheesecake, it's kind of the opposite of it. It's not as chocolaty, creamy, and cheesy like Godiva."

Next up is the Very Cherry Ghirardelli Chocolate Cheesecake. It's cherry-flavored cheesecake sitting on a base of fudge cake. There are chopped cherries and Ghirardelli chocolate on there as well.

This probably goes without saying but this is a cake for a very particular person: The one who can enjoy cordial cherries without grimacing. Those people are out there and this cake is for them. One Redditor did everyone a favor by reviewing this cake and said, "The big cherry cheesecake part is the soft part. It almost seems like it is 30% whipped cream. It is quite cherry-flavored. The top is rich and chocolatey cheesecake. Lastly, the back is studded with chocolate chips and these red candy curls. Makes for a good stronger chocolate and textural difference. Altogether most of this cheesecake sits at like 70% Cherry and 30% chocolate. When you factor in the crunchy back it is more 50/50 chocolate to Cherry and I find it even better."

This is a lot of cherry flavor. And when you factor in the fact that cherry isn't as acidic or bright as other fruits like raspberry or lemon, you've got a lot of sweetness on your hands. If you're a chocolate and cherries fan, this may be your cup of tea, but everyone else will be unimpressed.

To us, this isn't cheesecake, but according to The Cheesecake Factory, it is. The brand describes its Celebration Cheesecake as "layers of vanilla cake, cheesecake, strawberry, chocolate and vanilla Mousse with cream cheese frosting". It's an amped-up funfetti cake. And it definitely gives off party vibes with its colorful features.

Sweety High says the Celebration Cheesecake "honestly tastes as good as it looks, with the cheesecake and strawberry flavors coming through the strongest. While it's quite rich, the mousse and cake layers make it feel light and fluffy at the same time."

And while the flavor is good, it doesn't remotely give off cheesecake vibes so we couldn't rank it any higher. There's a lot going on and it's definitely a festive slice of cake that will look impressive for any sort of celebration. But there are almost too many components to be able to focus on one part of the cake long enough to enjoy it.

We don't know who Adam is but his cheesecake makes a big impression. The Cheesecake Factory's Adam's Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple is the restaurant's signature cheesecake with caramel swirls. If that sounds delicious, there's plenty more going on as well. There are also caramel, peanut butter, Butterfinger pieces, and Reese's peanut butter cup chunks mixed into the cake. It's decadent but unfortunately, it quickly crosses the line to overindulgent. It's unbalanced and way too sweet. The candy pieces do help to break up the texture and make this texturally exciting with each bite. But you likely have to really be into chocolate, candy bars, and sweets to appreciate all of these components.

One Yelp reviewer ordered two pieces of cake, and said, "Adam's Peanut Butter Fudge Ripple was even sweeter, being loaded with candy bars and caramel. The plain cheesecake at the edge that didn't get the caramel swirl or candy bits was a relief." 

Fruit lovers rejoice: This is your cake. The Cheesecake Factory must have had you in mind when it dreamed up this Lemon Raspberry Cream Cheesecake. It's got raspberry ladyfingers and raspberry vanilla cake as a base, and the filling is lemon cheesecake and lemon mousse. It is a dreamy flavor combination.

But we can't help but wonder, where's the cheesecake? One Harry & David reviewer said, "If you're in it mostly for the cheesecake, choose something else ... I also found the cheesecake itself to be too sweet to enjoy, and I'm not one of those foo foo people. It's like they went full out with the lemon juice and didn't want it to taste tart so they added a TON of sugar to try and balance it out."

It's mostly mousse, which isn't terrible if you know that before you take a bite. Once you've come to terms with what this cake is, you'll enjoy every bite, but although the flavor is spot on, it doesn't have quite the texture we look for when digging into a slice of cheesecake. 

With a name like The Cheesecake Factory, it shouldn't be too difficult to remember the cheesecake. But that's what happened with this 30th Anniversary Chocolate Cake Cheesecake. This is a straightforward cake that consists of layers of original cheesecake, fudge cake, and chocolate truffle cream. Of course, there are some whipped cream swirls on the plate as well.

One Yelp reviewer said, "Wanted to try a lighter slice of cheesecake and decided on their '30th Anniversary Chocolate Cake Cheesecake.' It was a good choice! 2 layers of moist chocolate cake w/ 2 layers of original cheesecake & chocolate ganache." While we definitely wouldn't call it light, we suppose the layers help to break it up. But even with the layers of original cheesecake, this is too decadent for the average cheesecake lover to enjoy. This one is for the chocolate fanatics who want to try a new way to enjoy their chocolate cake.

This particular combination of flavors might as well have cheated because anything Snickers flavored is always going to be a win in our book. Something about that combination of peanut, caramel, and chocolate is just divine. So with this Chocolate Caramelicious Cheesecake made with Snickers, The Cheesecake Factory was clearly hoping for another home run.

It's Snickers pieces scattered through original cheesecake sitting on top of a brownie crust and topped with chocolate, caramel, peanuts, and Snickers pieces. It's gooey and rich, and yes, it's actually pretty delicious. But it's just too much. it feels like a mouthful of cavities just waiting to happen. The original cheesecake does provide the palate a nice break from the sweetness, however.

One Yelp reviewer said, "the Chocolate Caramelicious was very sweet and had yummy Snickers chewiness ...4 out of 5. Just this cheesecake by itself was very tasty especially if you like chocolate/caramel with a thick crust and not too much of the cheesecake part." If you're brave enough to try a slice of this, be prepared to savor it slowly, otherwise, your tastebuds may be too overwhelmed by the sugar. 

It's possible to get the Low-Licious cheesecake with or without strawberries. It's got a lot going for it — no sugar added, low carb, gluten-free, and a graham-walnut crust. For the health-conscious or someone with dietary restrictions, this cake will be a dream come true.

One Yelp reviewer said, "I really enjoyed the low carb cheesecake with strawberries. It's sweetened with Splenda, so it's not bland at all. I love all the other cheesecakes here but was trying to be more health-conscious on this occasion, so this was a great alternative for me."

This won't taste like the regular, full-sugar cheesecake. And if that's where your expectations lie, it's not going to be an enjoyable piece of cake. But if you know all of that and go into this fully aware, you might actually enjoy it. We ranked it towards the middle of our list because for what it is, it's pretty good.

Here's yet another option for chocolate lovers. The Cheesecake Factory's Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake is chocolate cheesecake topped with Belgian chocolate mousse. This is one of the better chocolate cheesecakes offered by The Cheesecake Factory. It's not chocolate overload. Well, it is, but in a way that's more appealing to every palate. It's all the things you love about chocolate like the richness and flavor without the heaviness that you might find in other iterations of chocolate cheesecake.

The cheesecake layer has a spot-on silky smooth texture, and the Belgian mousse is as fluffy and light as you expect a mousse to be. While many of The Cheesecake Factory's chocolate options incorporate too many unnecessary parts, this display of chocolate is pared down and scaled back.

One Harry & David customer said, "The blending of the mousse and cheesecake was perfect. The taste was both delectable and satisfying."

No chocolate nightmares here. It's a nice, simple chocolate cheesecake. It's not interesting or complex enough to rank higher, but if you're a chocolate lover, you'll probably enjoy this enough.

This doesn't seem like a particularly exciting dessert at first glance, since it's yet another chocolate cheesecake option. However, this cake is a little bit fancier with its black and white exterior, and its has a name to match. The Cheesecake Factory's Chocolate Tuxedo Cream Cheesecake is a fudge cake topped with chocolate cheesecake, vanilla mascarpone mousse, and a layer of chocolate ganache to top it all off.

It's another attempt at the cheesecake and cake combination that The Cheesecake Factory loves and while it's still not our personal favorite, this isn't bad. If this flavor combination — sweet on sweet — was all cheesecake texture, it would be way too flat. Approaches Zero said, "It wasn't overwhelmingly sweet thanks to the blend of chocolate against vanilla. It helped confirm my belief that cheesecake should always be paired with chocolate." It's the perfect dessert to split because it's neutral enough to hit a lot of preferences.

The Cheesecake Factory's Lemon Meringue Cheesecake is a combination that works. It's zingy and bright and exactly what it sounds like. This is a lemon cream cheesecake that's loaded with layers of lemon mousse and meringue. We've been pretty vocal about some of these cheesecakes lacking actual cheesecake. Thankfully, the lemon meringue cheesecake contains perfect ratios of cheesecake and meringue. The cheesecake is front and center. It's lemony and bold and the mousse and meringue are the perfect textural components.

A Trip Advisor reviewer said, "The meringue was great followed by a layer of lemon-like curd and then very light lemon cheesecake. One of the best desserts we have ever had."

it's not a particularly creative dessert or mind-blowingly delicious so we couldn't rank it any higher. But it is so simply beautiful. This is a great dessert to enjoy at the end of a large meal because it's citrusy, light, and refreshing.

This works because red velvet and cheesecake are a match made in heaven. Red velvet is normally topped with cream cheese frosting so naturally, the cream cheese works well in this layered version. The Cheesecake Factory's Ultimate Red Velvet Cheesecake is a symphony of moist red velvet cake and layers of plain cheesecake. It's all covered in cream cheese frosting and adorned with some white chocolate curls.

This is a piece of cake you can finish because it's enjoyable to eat and it's not just a sugar bomb but a layered dessert that is thoughtful in its sweetness.

A Yelp reviewer said, "I would've preferred more red velvet cake." And they have a great point, because if the cheesecake somehow had red velvet swirls they could have amped the red velvet up just a bit and incorporated it throughout. But even without any changes, this is a great piece of cake.

The Cheesecake Factory's Salted Caramel Cheesecake is a caramel cheesecake and creamy caramel mousse on a blondie crust with salted caramel spread on top. Salted caramel is trendy, but that's because it's a combination that just works. It works because sweet and salty are just a dream team, playing off one another to ensure your tastebuds aren't bored.

One Yelp reviewer said, "Salted Caramel Cheesecake is my go-to. It has smooth, gooey, creamy caramel on top and a bottom layer of mocha cream with chocolate nibs that are the pièce de résistance."

Simply put, this is yummy. It is a lot of layered sugar but the salt sort of keeps it all in check and draws attention to the caramel. As always, the cheesecake is fluffy and silky. And the crust is a nice textural change. But overall, it's not powerful enough to be memorable. This one sits firmly in the middle. 

Sometimes The Cheesecake Factory complicates their cheesecakes. But this time they kept it simple and it worked out in their favor. For those looking for a milder dessert that works well with a post-dinner coffee, this would be a good pick.

As if its standard tiramisu and cheesecakes weren't amazing enough on their own, The Cheesecake Factory put them together for a Tiramisu Cheesecake. And yep, it's just as delicious as it sounds, especially if you're into tiramisu. It even has a ladyfinger base, which is just divine.

One Yelp reviewer thought the tiramisu flavor was too strong and drowned out the cheesecake, which may be accurate depending on your preference. They said, "For dessert I split the tiramisu cheesecake but didn't enjoy it too much. I could barely taste any cheesecake at all and it was too rich for me." If you're in the mood for tiramisu with a smooth, creamy texture, then this will be right up your alley.

It has a truly lovely, lingering coffee taste and nice fluffy cheesecake texture and is served with two dollops of whipped cream, making it a lovely textural journey — soft, firm, and silky.

The Cheesecake Factory's Mango Key Lime Cheesecake is squarely in the middle of our list. It's creamy mango lime cheesecake that is topped with mango mousse and sits on a vanilla coconut macaroon crust.

One Yelp reviewer said, "I got their mango cheesecake and this slice was huge! I didn't even finish it and had to bring half of it home. Definitely recommend sharing with 2-3 people for this. I did feel like I should have went with a traditional cheesecake flavor instead though!"

You'll need to be a tangy fruit lover to enjoy this because it's definitely more acidic than, say, a strawberry or cherry cheesecake. It's tart and rich and has a nice tropical vibe with the coconut macaroon crust. It's such a specific flavor combination and theme so it gets bonus points for that, but it's not life-changing like some of the other cheesecake flavors.

The Cheesecake Factory's Coconut Cream Pie Cheesecake is a luscious coconut cheesecake topped with vanilla custard and a layer of chocolate supported by a macaroon crust. There are also coconut shavings on top, which means this is loaded with coconut. Needless to say, it's a coconut lover's dream come true.

One Facebook reviewer said, "I tried it and it's out of this world delicious! I ended up eating one and having another one 3 days later!" It's just such a great combination and a great blend of textures. The macaro0n crust provides some density to keep it from getting boring.

This might benefit from another chocolate element since the chocolate layer that's under the cheesecake is pretty minuscule. It might help to bring some bitterness and break up the sweetness. But that's just us nitpicking because this coconut cream pie cheesecake is pretty delicious as is.

Banana pudding lovers, prepare to fall in love with this. The Cheesecake Factory nailed the vibe of the creamy treat that's often made with vanilla wafers? The Fresh Banana Cream Cheesecake is a nice simple banana-flavored cheesecake that's with a rich bavarian cream topping and freshly sliced bananas.

One Twitter user said, "The fresh banana cream cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory is the greatest thing I've ever tasted besides pizza." It's smooth and rich and made for just gobbling up in one sitting. If there is one downside, it's that this is all just mushy and all one flavor. This could perhaps benefit from a chocolate drizzle or some sort of chocolate crunch but that's just nitpicking.

Sure, it's texturally boring but the lovely flavor more than makes up for that. So if you like the idea of an entire piece of soft, pudding-like cake you're in for a real treat.

Under normal circumstances, this would be an over-the-top piece of cheesecake. But at The Cheesecake Factory, this Oreo Dream Extreme Cheesecake fits right into the rest of the decadence throughout the menu. The cheesecake layer contains big pieces of Oreos and is topped with an Oreo-flavored mousse and some chocolate frosting. There's a lot going on, but it tastes great.

This cake definitely evokes the nostalgia of that classic combination of Oreos and milk. The rich dairy flavor of the cheesecake and mousse plays well with the bittersweet chocolate in the Oreos. The balance of chocolate and non-chocolate components prevents this cake from being a total Oreo overload. It's rich and decadent and gives you all the things you could hope for from an Oreo cheesecake. It's toeing the line of being way too much, but is such a nice combination of flavors and textures that it's just darn good.

Key Lime is a dessert people feel strongly about. Some like a denser filling, some like more tartness.

Kudos to The Cheesecake Factory for not layering this Key Lime Cheesecake. It's just Key lime-flavored cheesecake sitting on top of a vanilla crumb crust. The Cheesecake Factory could have complicated this but we are glad they didn't. The way it's served today allows you to pick up all the perfect little nuances of the Key lime flavor.

Instead of being a confounding mash-up of textures, this is all the best parts of the dessert it takes inspiration from —tangy and tart, smooth and creamy. And instead of having a heavy piece of cake to weigh you down after dinner, we suggest you opt for something lighter and brighter like this. It'll be a nice pick-me-up for your palate. One Yelp reviewer loved it, saying, "My personal favorite is the key lime cheesecake. Tart and creamy."

Sometimes you need something simple as a palate cleanser after a big meal. That's where The Cheesecake Factory's Vanilla Bean Cheesecake comes in. This is just as laid back as it gets — a creamy vanilla bean-infused cheesecake that's also topped with vanilla mousse. As with all The Cheesecake Factory cakes, it comes with a dollop of whipped cream.

Is it the most exciting cheesecake you'll ever taste? No, but it has a clean flavor profile and a phenomenal texture. And compared to other Cheesecake Factory flavors, it's fluffy, airy and creamy, and just so deliciously simple. Don't be afraid of having FOMO. There's something to be said for a straightforward flavor that is strong enough to carry an entire dessert.

One Yelp reviewer said, "The list of cheesecakes is epic! My faves include the Tiramisu cheesecake & Vanilla Bean cheesecake. Both are on the less sweet side."

The Cheesecake Factory's Dulce de Leche Caramel Cheesecake is a caramel cheesecake in a vanilla crust topped with caramel mousse. There's also an almond brickle sprinkled on the top. It is similar to The Cheesecake Factory's salted caramel cheesecake but has a bit more depth from the dulce de leche. It would be very easy for this cheesecake flavor to be overly sweet. Cheesecake is rich and dulce de leche, which is slowly cooked milk and sugar, is also very decadent. Combine the two and it would make sense that this would be an over-the-top sugar bomb.

But The Cheesecake Factory has managed to keep this pretty balanced and although there's no fruit, and therefore no brightness, it's not cloyingly sweet. One Tripadvisor reviewer said, "Best cheesecake in the world, and my favorite is Dulce de Leche which is Caramel Cheesecake." If you're into dulce de leche, you'll love this cheesecake.

The Cheesecake Factory's White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle cheesecake is darn good. It's a plain cheesecake that has both white chocolate and raspberry swirls. There are also white chocolate swirls on top and a chocolate cookie crust on the bottom. 

The raspberry swirls are relatively subtle, but they offer just enough tartness to help break up the rich cheesecake. The white chocolate swirls and the crust add just enough chocolate flavor. It's a wonderfully balanced cheesecake that's a lot of fun to eat. And it isn't nearly as sweet as it sounds. 

Fast Food Menu Prices has given this cheesecake a 5 out of 5 for both taste and texture and said, "The White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle is one of my top three favorites at Cheesecake Factory, and it definitely pleases a crowd. It's beautiful to look at — especially the raspberry swirls throughout — and I love the chocolate Oreo crust."

Do we need to say much more than layers of peanut butter cups, cheesecake, fudge cake, and caramel? We didn't think so. This isn't just us being dramatic, although this involves Reese's peanut butter cups so we can't help but get a little dramatic. But The Cheesecake Factory's Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake Cheesecake is a heavenly mix of textures, and the peanut butter, chocolate, and cheesecake flavors go together really well.

It makes us want to take back everything we said about cheesecakes requiring more cheesecake than anything else.

One Yelp reviewer did bring a good point to the table and said, "The peanut butter + chocolate is very rich, sweet, and over the top. Need more whip cream to cut the madness!" But additions or not, this is gooey and decadent and everything that a dessert should be. We will never say no to layer after layer of peanut butter, fudge cake, and peanut butter cups.

Imagine The Cheesecake Factory's signature original cheesecake in all its creaminess topped with strawberries. But not just any strawberries: These are glazed strawberries that bring a lovely zing to the rich cheesecake. On its own the cheesecake is a winner. It's fluffy and smooth and just decadent in a simple, creamy way. But when you add strawberries, something magical happens.

The strawberries provide just the right amount of sweet acid to break up the cake. This is the perfect dessert for those who don't have a big sweet tooth, but it would also satisfy those who do. There are no excessive toppings or other distractions so you can really get a feel for how delicious the cheesecake actually is. One Yelp reviewer got it right when she said, "Their original cheesecake with fresh strawberry is always amazing. Some [of the] other cheesecakes are way too heavy and sweet though so be careful what you order."

According to The Cheesecake Factory, the Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake is its bestselling cheesecake.

Call us purists, but digging into a slice of plain cheesecake is the best way to assess the quality, texture, and flavor of a cheesecake. Yeah, chocolate fudge and fruit swirls are delicious but they mask some of what we think makes a cheesecake good. So The Cheesecake Factory's Original Cheesecake has claimed our top spot. It has a graham cracker crust and a sour cream topping.

An Influenster reviewer is also a fan of the original. "Good cheesecakes! My favourite is the plain New York-style cheesecake. It is creamy and smooth." Out of more than 30 other cheesecakes, the original has stood the test of time and shown it can compete with cakes that are much more elaborate.

Cheesecake Factory's original cheesecake is just good, simple, creamy cheesecake. And without it, none of the other flavors would exist. So we felt it was necessary to give it props where they're due.