With the closure of foundational specialty cheese shop Say Cheese in Silver Lake, I thought it would be a public service to highlight the people and places serving up all manner of preserved milk.
One reason we all love cheese so much is the variety. The tastes range from mild to uber strong or funky. And textures are all over the place, from soft and creamy to gritty or bouncy. Think ricotta, brie, parmigiano, and mozzarella. It’s hard to think of another food group with so much to offer, which is why we never get tired of eating cheese.
And here in Southern California, we are fortunate to have a group of people willing to keep large inventories of cheeses from all over the world and care for them. You can’t just put cheese in a case and forget about it. It’s truly a labor of the obsessed. Some of these shops have sandwich menus, so you can get fed while you pick your cheese for grazing later at home. There are monthly clubs, so you can get a sampling delivered to your home, along with informational materials. Some have events like cheese tastings and grilled cheese nights. All make enticing cheese boards with charcuterie as well. And if you want to browse specialty grocery items, from crackers to unique condiments and high-quality oils and vinegars, nearly all of them have shelves begging to be plundered. What I love most about each of these shops: the personalities of the owners come through in the cheese selection. Ask and you’ll be guided to something new you’ll love.
Andrew Steiner is a seasoned cheese expert with over two decades in the restaurant industry and 15 years of shepherding this cheese chop. Offering over 200 varieties of artisan cheeses, Andrew’s Cheese Shop emphasizes cut-to-order selections, highlighting small producers and independent cheesemakers. There is a daily selection of grab-and-go sandwiches, but you can always order individual sandwiches or platters ahead.
The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills
Owner Dominick DiBartolomeo took over from Norbert Wabnig in 2022. The fixture in Beverly Hills originally opened in 1967. That’s some longevity in a city like LA. This historic shop offers over 600 cheeses from all over the globe. In addition, Di Bartolomeo has created a popular line of sandwiches like the meaty La Macellaia and the unique La Zucca, featuring breaded and fried slices of zucchini. One of DiBartolomeo’s initiatives while he worked under Wabnig was a line of pestos, tapenades, and spreads under the name Domenico’s Foods, which he has expanded to include pastas and sauces.
DTLA Cheese Superette
Lydia Clarke was a fixture at Grand Central Market, where she and her partner chef Reed Herrick are passionate about teaching and making cheese accessible, but with a sense of fun. She moved the cheese case out of GCM and into a small space down the road next to her paean to tinned fish, Kippered. Lydia’s sister Marnie runs Cheese Cave in Claremont.
Lydia Clarke is co-owner of DTLA Cheese Superette. Photo courtesy of DTLA Cheese Superette.
Joan’s on Third
Mid-City and Studio City
Joan McNamara and daughters Carol McNamara Glass and Susie Hastings run a much-beloved, usually packed, joyful place. The marketplace and café are known for their full-service cheese counter, huge variety of prepared foods, and baked goods.
Lady & Larder
Santa Monica
This was founded in 2016 by twin sisters Sarah Simms Hendrix and Rebecca “Boo” Simms. Lady & Larder is renowned for its 100% American-made cheese and charcuterie boards, emphasizing seasonal, locally sourced ingredients. The shop also offers curated accompaniments like fresh bread, caviar, tinned fish, jams, and locally grown flowers. The sisters’ visually stunning boards have often been referenced as the inspiration for the recent charcuterie board boom, combining stunning aesthetics with a deep knowledge of quality ingredients. They have a “secret lunch menu” of sliced bread or baguette-based sandwiches. Orders are pick-up only — you can order ahead. A recent menu includes the Yes, Honey! It comes with turkey, ham, 5-year cheddar, honey mustard pickle relish, red onion, shaved gem lettuce, and mayo on sesame bub and grandma's bread.
Milkfarm’s Cheese Case in Eagle Rock. Photo courtesy of Milkfarm
Milkfarm
Eagle Rock
Owner and pastry chef Leah Park managed the much beloved Cheese Store of Silver Lake, where she learned to care for (monger) the cheeses. When it closed, she yearned to create a neighborhood cheese shop that supports independent producers. Her beautifully curated store has certainly achieved that. Milkfarm has tables for dining in, and their blackboard menu is posted on their Instagram page each day. On Monday, one of the sandwiches was The Claudine with Alpine cheese, wine-cured salami, cucumber slices, cracked black pepper, and herbed butter on a baguette. They also offer raclette nights.
