Vancouver Cheese Shops (Merged)

[FannyBay]

Although it's unoriginal, I have to say that Les Amis du Fromage on West 2nd really has the best selection and if I'm in a hurry, which I always am, I can preorder a selection of cheeses by giving them a dollar amount and they have it ready to go and I have even dropped off a platter and had them make it up with me, with little signs for each cheese and everything! A great value!

I usually pick up a big piece of Parmigiano Reggiano on Commercial Drive, same store I buy dried cod, but can't remember the name, sorry! The best buys for Parm is on “The Drive”

Hillary's, the cheese shop in Cowichan Bay is fabulous if you are ever over there and I agree with a contributor that mentioned Thrifty's. All the Thrifty’s support producers in their own regions and areas, which is why you get different products at each store unlike Safeway or Urban Fare that has year round agreements with producers in Mexico and California and in the middle of August fail to have a single piece of BC fruit on their shelves! But I digress...I have bought some amazing cheese at the Thrifty's in Sidney, Ganges on Salt spring and the one near Duncan out on the highway. I have also shopped at the one in Tssawassen but haven't bought cheese there. Thrifty's quality is great and their prices excellent.

I have also picked up some excellent cheese at Oyama, although I tend to do it only if I am at their counter picking up other meat. The place I really avoid is Dusso's, the biggest rip off in the market!

Oh, almost forgot, the BEST deal on goat cheese and various feta cheese is at Parthenon on West Broadway. Best deal on olives there as well

[PlanitV]

I love Les Amis and Allison and Alice, but I live on the North Shore and when I don't want to hit the bridge, I head for C The Cheese Shop in Park Royal South, just up from Whole Foods. The price is better, the selection just right.

The owner (can't remember his name, sorry) said that the same truck drops off cheese first at his place, then heads for WF. Same cheese, waaay different prices.

Plus you get to support the small biz guy.

The best place for Reggiano is Bosa's, I think, though I'd like to hear if there's a better place pricewise and I agree that plastic becomes the dominant flavour in Costco's version.

[canucklehead]

I love Les Amis and Allison and Alice, but I live on the North Shore and when I don't want to hit the bridge, I head for C The Cheese Shop in Park Royal South, just up from Whole Foods. The price is better, the selection just right.

The owner (can't remember his name, sorry) said that the same truck drops off cheese first at his place, then heads for WF. Same cheese, waaay different prices.

Plus you get to support the small biz guy.

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I live on the North Shore also and I have stopped by C a couple of times. I like the shop alot but the service can vary depending on which partner is on duty. The first time I went, I got enthusiastic service and introduced to some new product - I ended up thinking that these guys would my main source for cheese. But the last couple of times the service has felt off.

Last time I went I felt like I being pressured to buy way more cheese then I wanted. When I asked if it was a waste to use the cheese that I had bought for melting - I was asked if I wanted a cheaper cheese instead.

I will always continue to try to support the little guy - but sometimes my patience wears thin.

[PaoPao]

More for convenience really than anything else, Urban Fair in Yaletown seems to be where I end up most of the time. They have a rather large cheese section that I have always been able to find interesting things (at least to me).

Sure I know there are better deals elsewhere, but when I factor in getting in my car and going to them, I don't think the deal is as good unless I'm already in the area.

[Paul B]

Ah, cheese.

Living in Europe three years ago I had access to all sorts that I had never seen here. Epoisse, for example, the heroin of cheese. When I returned I headed straight for Le Ami and still head over there occasionally, but it is out of my way. Now I hit the Cheese Shoppe in Park Royal. As someone else mentioned, it's very good, they know their stuff, and the prices are competitive. I've seen them putting together some beautiful cheese platters for parties. The cheese selection in Whole Foods next door is actually quite good too, but pricier. I still, despite the wrapping, buy Parmesan Reggiano at Costco since we go through so much of it.

I have, by the way, turned all my neighbors into Epoisse junkies.

[Badiane]

  I still, despite the wrapping, buy Parmesan Reggiano at Costco since we go through so much of it.

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Okay, I feel dumb for asking, but what's wrong with the wrapping at Costco? Is it a plastic, cheese can't breathe thing?

[peppyre]

The Parm at costco has a thick Vaccum sealed plastic on it. Despite that, it is pretty good parm. My mom uses it, mainly because she goes through so much.

[Chocoholic]

Sigh....cheese.

In Holland there are specialised cheese shops in every town. Cheeses of all ages, sizes, shapes and flavors will be on display. Visiting the one close to my parent's house is always the first thing I do when back there. I usually emerge clutching a bag full of cheeses, heading back to mum's kitchen to raid her bread box. By the way, they will wrap the cheese in special paper suitable for the type of cheese and will give you a bit extra for home cheese storage.

Now I visit Les Amis often, haemorrhaging money from my wallet every time. The good thing about Les Amis is that after you buy your cheese you can go across the street and see up close what a $400,000 car looks like. It will take many wedges of cave-aged Gruyere to pay for one of those

[Keith Talent]

La Grotta del Formaggio 1791 Commercial Dr 604.255.3911

A better store than the slightly pretentious Amis. Doesn't have a Lambourghini dealership across the street to drool at after buying cheese, so it's a wash. Actually, Ami is stronger in French/English frommage, La Grotta in Italian formaggio.

[easy]

There's a pretty good one in Kerrisdale near the caffe Artigiano. Can't remember the name now. Someones last name though.

[Badiane]

There's a pretty good one in Kerrisdale near the caffe Artigiano. Can't remember the name now. Someones last name though.

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Forester's perhaps?

[Keith Talent]

Don't forget Costco

[SBonner]

If in Gastown, the Salty Tonguie deli, has cheeses from the Borough Market. On the Northshore try WholeFoods. Otherwise all the other posts are bang on. I never go to Costco so no comment.

Cheers,

Stephen

[Keith Talent]

For the record, I never go to Costco either, but I'm not letting that fact dissuade me from having an opinion as to their cheese retailing prowess. Apparently, they do a bang up job with the cheese. Tires too.

[mtigges]

There is a very good shop in North Van. It is across the street from Capilano mall, nearest the liquour store. I don't know the name, sorry, so I can't give an address, but it's not hard to find. There is also a newish store in Park Royal. I won't tell you where it is because it's horrible. They are all about style. It's so pretentious it made me nauseous. Whole Foods near them is by far preferred by me anyway.

[easy]

There's a pretty good one in Kerrisdale near the caffe Artigiano. Can't remember the name now. Someones last name though.

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Forester's perhaps?

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Yes that's the one

[Paul B]

You know, I don't agree about the shop in Park Royal. Yes, it's fancy, but I've always found the staff to be very agreeable and helpful and they have a selection of all the strong cheeses that I want. And as someone who has done the comparison shopping, I can tell you that it's $2-3 cheaper per cheese than the same product at Whole Foods right next door. Now that place is so pretentious that I don't want to go into it anymore. So check out the Cheese Shop in Park Royal south. (They always have Epoisse, the king of cheeses).

[mtigges]

You know, I don't agree about the shop in Park Royal.  Yes, it's fancy, but I've always found the staff to be very agreeable and helpful and they have a selection of all the strong cheeses that I want.  And as someone who has done the comparison shopping, I can tell you that it's $2-3 cheaper per cheese than the same product at Whole Foods right next door.  Now that place is so pretentious that I don't want to go into it anymore.  So check out the Cheese Shop in Park Royal south.  (They always have Epoisse, the king of cheeses).

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Really? I'll have to make another visit. I have to admit that I didn't spend that much time there. It just dripped pretention and it bugged me. At WF, I'm left alone, and I like that. Visit the guy in North Van that I mentioned, he's almost like the fictioutous soup nazi, and I really like that. Not so much surly, but doesn't necessarily feels like he needs to help you. It's say what you want ... get what you want. The way I like it.

[winegeek]

"Cheese The Shoppe" at Park Royal is a favourite of mine. I've been there many times and have yet to spend less than half an hour there. The staff has been helpful, making suggestions and giving samples. Not a huge selection but enough for a great wine and cheese night. Plus they always have my favourite, Tiger Blue.

[fud]

I hate you all....I was at Capers and saw the Poplar Grove's Tiger Blue cheese and decided to try it.

So good...oh so good....evil...all of you....mmmmmmm.

OH WOE IS ME AND MY STUPID LOVE OF CHEESE!

Capers on Robson has a pretty good cheese selection...but WHOA the expense!

I would also like to recommend the Tre Stelle warehouse in South Burnaby, just off of Byrne road as a not bad place to get cheese...every so often they get a beautiful buffalo mozzarella which is TO DIE FOR.

Back to the Poplar Grove for me....mmmm cheese...

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I'm surprised as to the selection at Capers, it's great! I had poplar grove tiger blue at the winery along with some crabapple wine from Elephant Island. O. My. God. SO GOOD!

I personally do all my cheesey commestible shopping at "Les Amis Du Fromage" Good selection and it smells very cheesey in there...almost too cheesey!

[quattroporte]

I am looking for cheese all right.....fresh cheese - bocconcini (sp?), or fresh mozzarella, to be precise. I have tons of gorgeous heirloom tomatoes and basil in the garden, and all my usually reliable sources have recently disappointed me. Urban Fare - that place drives me nuts - when I ask if they're fresh, I always get that stupid blank smiley face - "oh yes - VERRRY fresh" and when I get home I discover they're old. Then back downtown to return it. What a waste of time! I've done that the past two times, and I just won't buy them there anymore. It's almost impossible to tell if they're fresh just by looking at them - sometimes you can tell by looking at the water that they're sitting in - if it looks scummy - fugetaboutit. What are they thinking displaying stuff like that?? Whole Foods has one kind that comes in a bag (don't laugh) called Mozzarino (I think) - imported from Montreal and made by Saputo - fabulous! fresh, creamy taste - and a higher fat content than the locally made stuff. But who wants to cross two bridges just for a salad (ok I have, more than a couple of times). Too far.

Anybody else out there know where I can get the freshest mozarella??? Cioffi's is good, but sometimes I can't spare a couple of hours of driving (live near Oakridge). Any suggestions?

[Keith Talent]

"(live near Oakridge)."

Try KONI in Marpole, on Granville across the street from the Safeway, (who's lot makes a convienet parking place, not that I'd reccomend parking illegally.) (Actually I do reccomend it, but like to have a posted disclaimer in case you should be the first person in the history of auto's to be ticketed while in the lot.)

[peppyre]

Bosa on Victoria Drive. They have such high turnover in that store that everything is fresh. It's 2 blocks south of Hastings, not really sure of cross street.

[annanstee]

There is a very good shop in North Van.  It is across the street from Capilano mall, nearest the liquour store.  I don't know the name, sorry, so I can't give an address, but it's not hard to find. 

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Cheese Sales

991 West 3rd Street

North Van

I work in the business park just down the street.

[quattroporte]

"(live near Oakridge)."

Try KONI in Marpole, on Granville across the street from the Safeway, (who's lot makes a convienet parking place, not that I'd reccomend parking illegally.) (Actually I do reccomend it, but like to have a posted disclaimer in case you should be the first person in the history of auto's to be ticketed while in the lot.)

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KONI? Is that a deli? German?