We love cheese, so we’re always searching for the best cheese shops when we travel. After living in the Bay Area and now Europe, we have discovered so many cheeses and cheese shops that we love around the world, so we’re sharing our favorite below. We typically look for small cheese shops, farm stands, and even self-service vending machines in Switzerland.
New York City, New York
If you want a good place to source cheese in the United States, other than farms and farmers’ markets, Murray’s Cheese has a great selection and they ship. Or, if you’re in New York City, you can stop by their shop.
San Francisco
Our go-to place for cheese in San Francisco was the Saturday Ferry Plaza farmers market to pick up cheese from vendors like Tomales Farmstead Creamery and Achadinha Cheese Company. Rainbow Market Co-op also has a fantastic selection of local and imported cheeses. Get recommendations on pairing honey and cheese from their renowned cheesemonger here.
Point Reyes, California
Make a day of it and head up to the cheese trail. Stop at Point Reyes Farmstead Creamery for a tasting or class at The Fork. When you drive in the cows are literally just laying around the drive. If you go at the right time, it’s a very cool experience to drive alongside the cows. Be sure to check their website and plan ahead. Then head over to Cowgirl Creamery at Point Reyes Station. They often have things like mac and cheese.
London, UK
Stop into Neal’s Yard, Paxton & Whitfield on Jermyn Street, or any of the cheese stalls in the Borough market.
Edinburgh, Scotland
Head to I.J. Mellis for some of the best British cheeses. They also ship.
Beaune, France
When in Burgundy, head to the Alain Hess Cheesemonger. If you arrive on Saturday, they’ll be inside the main building at the market. They also do cheese tastings in the cave under the cheese shop. You can also find small producers at farmer’s markets and small creameries.
Lyon, France
We recommend Cellerier Cheeses in the Halles de Paul Bocuse. They have a huge selection of French cheese. It’s hard to decide!
We also love our local fromagerie Michelin. They have a main shop in Grilly, France but you can also find their cheese cart filled with raw cheeses on Sunday mornings at the market in Divonne-les-Bains, France.
We’ll continue to add to this guide as we discover more cheese shops and unique cheese stalls that we love.