Cheese Boutique
Category: Cheese Shops [Edit]
Neighborhood: Inner Sunset1298 12th Ave
(between Irving St & Lincoln Way)
San Francisco, CA 94122 (415) 566-3155
- Hours:
Mon-Tue, Thu-Sat 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
57 reviews
Pacifica, CA
"I've had several of Colombo's sandwiches, which are all very good. But the best thing about Colombo's, are their groceries. I visit once a…" read more »
34 Reviews for Cheese Boutique
Nicest friggin' people EVER and super knowledgeable about their selection too. After discovering this place only a few blocks from my house I've vowed to never buy cheese from Andronico's again.
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i don't know anything about fancy cheese but you can get an amazing sandwich here for six bucks. last time i had the black forest ham and havarti and i plan to repeat that experience very soon.
unfortunately they have very short hours and are only open 5 days a week, so if you have a job this place is pretty much only available for you on Saturday.
Super cute little shop with a good selection of cheese. They also carry a bit of meat, humus, wine, crackers, etc. I was pretty impressed with the prices, I was expecting it to be on the pricey side, but I bought a pound of cheese (2 types - 1/2 lb. each, organic) and a container of humus for $10. Not bad for a specialty store and specialty cheese. The lady at the counter was super sweet and helpful. A real gem.
If you need cheese, but the good stuff, and not the mass-produced stuff you get at grocery chains, this is the place for you.
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Rightly praised for their cheeses, sandwiches, friendly owners. But have you tried the homemade hummus? Rich, flavorful and.. hey, why am I typing when I could be eating?
Great place, great selection, EXCEPT I wish the store clerks would wear gloves or do something to clean their hands between handling money and handling food.
Rick and his family, who own the shop, are completely responsible for my having gained 5 lbs since my wedding.
Some people like chocolate. I like cheese. It turns out, though, you can't buy and store vast quantities of cheese like you can with chocolate. I found that out the hard way. Peuw.
Closed on Sundays and Wednesdays. Worth the trip because they know everything about fermented milk products, and also carry some other neat snacky stuff. Also, prices are way lower than other shops in the area.
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Cute little cheese shop with a good selection. Every kind of cheese we've bought from here was extra good, and of course I love buying my cheese at a local shop.
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I stopped in to buy 2oz. of Gruyere cheese today and noticed the round yelp sticker slapped on the front door when I realized that after the many items I've purchased here, I had yet to write a review.
If you are like me and you don't go through a block of cheese within a week, then this is your place. The owners are lovely and always willing to give you advice if you ask it. They are always willing to chop up the cheese to just the right amount even if it's just an ounce.
Other great things I love here are the fresh pasta sold by the pound and the marinated olives. Delish! The fresh greek snacks look good, but I have yet to try them. There is also a good assortment of crackers, and organic local products like peanut butter and honey.
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Great cheese selection and meats. I love stopping by this place on a sunny day, pick out some cheeses, meats, crackers and olives and head to GG park or the beach. Prices are reasonable as well.
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It was a nice cold, sunny day today, so after my packing fiasco at the UPS store, I went to this cheese shop at the corner to purchase some hard cheeses to eat with my Marshall Farm's orange blossom honey. This place also carries other goodies that are great to eat with cheese.... crackers, nuts, sandwiches, and a fridge of beverages, including Le Village sparkling french lemonade (one of the very few stores that still carries this brand, I noticed).
The lady who helped me is very sweet and didn't give me attitude when I asked to sample some hard cheeses they had. I ended up purchasing the Primadonna cheese and the Old Amsterdam gouda.
I probably would've given this place an extra star if the cheese selection was bigger (but with the tiny store, I understand why they don't carry that many cheeses).
Even though they received a "100" on their DPH score card, they lose out on another star because the lady who helped me didn't wear gloves when handling the cheeses... THEN handling my money.
: /
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Dam, Cheese Boutique you make a mean sandwich- I just finished one of their roast beef sandwich and it left me shaking from how good it was...
Wow - go here from a mighty good sandwich.
For christmas I always get my Father a gift cert. to this place. He's always pleased,and not an easy customer. You see, he's from Germany and enjoys fine cheeses, and gets them readily when he's there. I ve always had good service. DO go here if you like cheese. Awesome variety
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A quaint neighborhood shop.
I was already running two hours late to my friends oyster fest. I planned on bringing heirloom tomato salad. Well, I had the heirlooms and the remainder of the ingredients but no fresh mozzarella. I just did not have time to deal with whole foods and I recalled this little gem. I am so glad too. I was able to get a great deal on fresh mozzarella. $1.99 per mozzarella ball. Also, I ended up picking up a bottle of one of my favorite olive oils too.
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This is a great cheese monger and an awesome alternative to the over priced lunch meats at Andronico's.
While their cheese selection isn't as diverse as the shop at Carl and Cole, they have fresher cheese, better prices, and they don't mind helping you find a cheese you like.
The owners are gracious, and have extensive cheese knowledge. My only complaint is that their hours are a little up in the air. They are closed Sunday and Wednesday, but I can't find a little hours sheet.
As far as my comment about Andronico's... the lunch meat carried here is from the same vendors (as far as I can tell.), just as fresh, and HALF the price.
I come here as often as I can.
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Calm as I write this, breakfast sitting well...memories of meatsies, balsamic vinegarette, and baguettes. I used to live right around the corner from this place and I miss it all the time. Low key neighborhood joint. Nice selection of cheese and knowledgeable folks that might just shoot the breeze about what else, but cheese. Sometimes I make a special trip through the Irving Street Gauntlet just to get a sandwich. But in all truth, I'm not all that brave or motivated. Most days I just dream it was as easy as sixty-some steps south to a shop that might make your sandwich ahead of time on a Saturday, knowing you'll be there right at closing because you work, and they work, and they know how it is. Perhaps. Perhaps they know your name.
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It really is a boutique. Small store, great selection of cheese, friendly and personable service. Got my boyfriend hooked on pastrami sandwiches again. And price is better than your big grocery shops.
The only drawback is that the store only has the owner working by himself. And it's either completely empty or everyone in the neighborhood seem to suddenly crave cheese. Also watch out for a certain old little lady. She will want to buy 5 or 6 jars of sugarless jam. And she is gonna want to cut in front of you. And the longer you make her wait, the more jars of jam she's gonna want to buy.
Moral of the story? Make her wait.
We have lived in our home kitty-corner to this shop for 28 years. The current owners have been there over 20 years and we love them! The selection is great and the people are lovely and helpful.
You may find good cheese at Trader Joe's, but if you live anywhere near this shop, support them instead. Their prices are very fair and they are so helpful. They will give you a sample of anything you ask about.
Seventeen thumbs UP for Rick and Nada.
Had a craving for cheese and thought instead of spending my hard earned money to some corporate board run supermarket, ie: Safeway I thought that I should stop by the Cheese Boutique. The choice was a good one. They have so many varieties, I could not choose, but with the help of the owner she let me sample some choices and I ended up buying three types of wonderful cheese and home made humus, with some olives for snacking I think I made the right choice to choosing the Cheese Boutique.
I like how this place feels like a shop out of the past. It's a small, neighborhood place that is friendly, has knowledgeable staff, and aims to please their customers. Unfortunately, this type of shop seems to be disappearing.
They have some very good, basic options here. What I mean by that is there are a few blue cheeses, some popular hard cheeses, like Goudas, and some good soft options. However, at times, I feel like their selection is just too limited.
They also have some good meats, breads, and oils. But, I feel like I'm being generous with 3 stars because, to be honest, I always feel disappointed when I come here.
Oh heavenly cheese! Where for art thou? At Cheese Boutique of course! I love this place! I love....CHEEEESSSEEEE! The owners are so nice and these yummy cheeses are affordable. I'll never go to Andronico's for cheese ever again!
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Always an excellent service. Just wish they had some Vsterbotten cheese to!
small? Check.
full of refrigerators? Check.
chockabock complete with tastypants thin crackers? Check.
some of the tastiest hummus i've had in a while? Check Check.
oh, and I haven't even tried the cheese yet! :)
Cheese Please ! I know I'm being cheesy, but I just can't stop. OK I had to get that out of my system. Now we can move onto more important issues.
Like how the other day I walked in trying to remember a cheese that I had bought before. The owner remembered for me! The customer service at this place is da bomb. The owner is great at making recommendations and making sure you get what you need. Super nice folks. They also have a great selection of meats (prosciutto, salami etc.) and other specialty items for way cheaper than nearby Andronico's. Extra points, because you can ask for samples of things before you buy it!
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simple, humble unpretentious sandwiches crafted just like you make at home if you had all requisite ingredients/time/motivation/girlfriend.
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This place is a neighborhood gem! Great cheese selections, great prices, and it's a no-frills, independently-owned business. The owner is so nice, and so helpful (apparently he's owned this shop forever, and raised his kids in the apartment above the store). If you have no idea what you want, just ask him and he'll guide you to the right stuff.
great selection, great prices. maybe even better as a meat deli than a pure cheese shop. try it all, and get the Agvar spicy garlic red bell pepper paste jars for your breakfast pleasure.
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Super friendly and attentive owners, reasonable prices, and great selection make this place infinitely better than andronico's for cheese and cold cuts.
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Extra aged Gouda (which I found out was pronounced "how-dah"), check.
Humboldt Fog, check.
Raw milk Morbier, aah yeah, check.
In my 'hood, check.
Why the hell haven't I checked this out before?
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The cheese is fantastic! I think people often over look their sandwich options. They are very reasonable & higher quality then let's say a subway. The majority of my visits there are to check out that tall black-haired guy. He has such nice hairy arms & I love it when he hands me back the sandwich and our hands slightly touch.
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I love places like this small independent store. I always buy my cheese here as well as other hard-to-find mediterranean items. The guy behind the counter is much friendlier than the lady that staffs the cheese shop in cole valley.
I agree, this place is the bomb. I just like to go in and look around at all the delicious stuff. The feta cheese there rocks, and you can buy great homemade hummus for $1.99. The owner is super nice. The real clincher is that they have a nice little British foods selection, where you can buy Heinz baked beans and what I think are the most delicious things ever created: McVitties digestives! If you don't know what digestives are, don't be put off by the laxative-reminiscent name. They are actually just the most delicious tea cookies ever made. If you are an Anglophile like myself, you will also appreciate their selection of Cadbury chocolate.
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I once dated a boy named Stefen. He had an eye for good sandwiches and lived a few blocks from this spot. Their sandwiches were great 7 years ago and continue to rock now, judging from the line out the door on a recent afternoon. I, however, do not eat sandwiches, so my rating is based on what DIDN'T rock at the Cheese Boutique...
-Yes, they have a HUGE selection of cheeses. But so does Andronico's.
-The Roquefort de Papillon was musty and not at all tasty, and it was clear that it was due to improper storage.
-The olives were sub-par:
----The moroccan oil cureds were not oil-cured long enough
----The green marinated olives tasted overwhelmingly of Cumin (and I have been known to be heavy-handed with the Cumin)
-The Orangina was flat. Like, Com[pletely Flat.
-The Prosciutto was sliced so thick that even I couldn't eat it and I am all about meat
On the Upside...
-They have my fave flatbread in small, cheap portions
-They had a great goat cheese brie that I am now salivating at the thought of
-They sell Zergut in very large jars for only $3.99! What a deal!
-The only feta they have is the freshest, tangiest I have ever tasted!
-All of this (roquefort, feta, brie, prosciutto, flatbread, huge jar of zergut, olives, and orangina) was around $30. At Andronico's, one could spend twice that...
So...they get three stars for being near the park (picnic convenient), for having a wide selection in that dollhouse-sized space, and for keeping their prices reasonable. Just TRY a sample of cheeses or meats before you buy to avoid any unpleasant surprises!
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Top notch shop.
I walked by this little place nearly every day and finally one day decided to drop in. Seeing that it was a cheese shop, I decided to test out my (relatively obscure) cheese preferences. Not only did Rashid had the halloumi, he was a big fan and gave me a whole schpeel about the cheese. On top of that, he had gjestost. I haven't seen that outside of Norway and a small Norwegian community in Astoria, Oregon. I knew I brought that Norwegian cheese slicer back for some reason...
And all of the cheese was reasonably priced.
Good tabbouleh too.
wonderful little mediterranean grocery store that carries a small selection of wines, lots of wonderful cheeses and deli meats (incredible quality but very expensive), and other specialty products (nutella, european biscuits, quark, pomegranate jam, turkish figs, etc). they also have a small selection of pre-prepared foods like dolma, tabouli, etc. i love this place as the owner is really friendly and the eclectic grocery collection is delightful!
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