Aims To investigate the probiotic potential of yeasts isolated from naturally fermented Brazilian table olives. Methods and Results Eighteen yeast strains were tested in terms of: safety; survival of gastrointestinal and digestion conditions; antimicrobial activity; cellular hydrophobicity; autoaggregation ability and adhesion to epithelial cells; coaggregation and inhibition of pathogenic bacteria adhesion. Six yeasts showed favourable results for all probiotic attributes: Saccharomyces cerevisiae CCMA 1746, Pichia guilliermondii CCMA 1753, Candida orthopsilosis CCMA 1748, Candida tropicalis CCMA 1751, Meyerozyma caribbica CCMA 1758 and Debaryomyces hansenii CCMA 1761. These yeasts demonstrated resistance to 37°C, pH 2·0 and bile salts, and survived in vitro digestion (≥106 CFU per ml). Furthermore, the yeasts exhibited a hydrophobic cell surface (42·5–92·2%), autoaggregation capacity (41·0–91·0%) and adhesion to Caco‐2 (62·0–82·8%) and HT‐29 (57·6–87·3%) epithelial cell lines. Also, the strains showed antimicrobial activity against Salmonella Enteritidis as well as the ability to coaggregate and reduce the adhesion of this pathogen to intestinal cells. Conclusions Autochthonous yeasts from naturally fermented Brazilian table olives have probiotic properties, with potential for development of new probiotic food products. Significance and Impact of Study These data are important and contribute to the knowledge of new potential probiotic yeasts capable of surviving gastrointestinal tract conditions and inhibiting pathogenic bacteria.