With National Cheese Lover’s Day just around the corner (stop what you’re doing and mark your calendar for January 20), we’ve rounded up the top 25 cheese shops in the US and Canada according to Yelp data. Cheese shops offer a delicious entry point into a new city—a place to learn about the terroir, to taste the local creations and interact with local farmers and cheesemakers. The best part? You can’t go wrong with cheese as your souvenir.
Methodology: This is a list of the best cheese shops in the U.S. and Canada according to Yelp. We identified businesses in the Cheese Shops category, then ranked those spots using a number of factors including the total volume and ratings of reviews. We included only two businesses per state for geographic diversity.
#1: The Cheese Shop, Carmel, CA
“A huge selection (300+) and great presentations with a knowledgeable staff that makes it fun and different every time.” – Joel R, San Diego
#2: Cheesemongers of Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, CA
“The shop has that old-world mom and pop, artisan feel and the owners, Kia and Chaz, are true artisans of their craft.” -Leslie E, Los Angeles
#3: Cheese Please, Tampa, FL
“I can get behind the hype. 110%. My friend and I met up, decided to get a glass of wine each and split a cheese board (3 cheeses with 2 meats). The potato chip gouda, the whiskey cheddar, the truffle sheep cheese (with honey) was deliciousness.” -Amanda W, Tampa
#4: Antonelli’s, Austin, TX
“I would certainly recommend tasting classes there – just estimate about two hours as our tasting guide was very into cheese and giving you a strong background on everything you were tasting. We each received individual tasting boards with 5 different cheeses. It was filling and flavorful!” – Christa S, Austin
#5: Mimmo’s Mozzarella Italian Market, North Miami, FL
“Definitely od’d on mozz. The prices are very reasonable so you are able to try quite a few things without breaking bank. The cheese is fantastic. They start you off with a free appetizer sample plate of three different cheeses.” -Derick D, Plantation, FL
Top cheese shops in America 6 – 25:
6: The Cheese Traveler (Albany, NY)
7: Joe’s Italian Deli (Bronx, NY)
8: Bloomy Rind (Hingham, MA)
9: Wasik’s Cheese Shop (Wellesley, MA)
10: Kurt Farm Shop (Seattle, WA)
11: Door County Creamery (Sister Bay, WI)
12: San Juan Island Cheese (Sister Bay, WA)
13: Wildwood Market (Indianapolis, IN)
14: The Cheese Iron (Scarborough, ME)
15: Oh Mamma’s On The Avenue (South Bend, IN)
16: The Cheese Shop (Des Moines, IA)
17: Bobby Nelson’s Cheese Shop (Kenosha, WI)
18: Cheese & Crack Snack Shop (Portland, OR)
19: Claudio’s Specialty Foods (Philadelphia, PA)
20: The Wine Source (Baltimore, MD)
21: The Loyalist Market (Matthews, NC)
22: Oyama Sausage Company (Vancouver, BC)
23: The Rhined (Cincinnati, OH)
24: The Cheese Lady (Grand Rapids, MI)
25: Rogers Park Provisions (Chicago, IL)
Hop in the Yelp app to search for top-rated “cheese shops” in your backyard or on the road.
