What serial communication interface would work best for data logging when the nearest sensor and main MCU are (at least) 1 meter apart?
You did not say how much data each sensor is producing and what is the environment (next to a big motor?). It may turn out that I2C will simply work if you don't have much EMI from outside.

There are interface standards for short (cheap and easy) distances and longer distances (more expensive and more complex). The classical long distance standards are certainly RS-485 and CAN.

In your scenario, if you don't want to use CAN or RS-485 you could use perhaps SPI with RS-422 drivers, so that each line (SCK, MOSI, CS) is transmitted as a differential pair. It will be as robust as RS-485, will not require another MCU on the sensor board, but will require more signal wires.

If you can afford a small, cheap, basic MCU on the sensor board, then you could easily use RS-485.