Joe's Dairy

 

1

14

Joanna C.

New York, NY

I live close enough to Joe's Dairy that the church bells everyone mentioned across the street actually wake me up every morning.  (Not so quaint at 8am on Sunday...)  I always think to go there on Sundays, but it's closed then, so I have to wait another week, but then I forget until the following Sunday, and... this has been going on since I first read about it months ago.

Until today.  I stopped in and bought a big ball of smoked mozzarella, and then I came home and thought I'd rip off a little piece before I put it away.  WHOA.  Cheese revelation!  Next thing I know, I've eaten almost half the ball, just tearing into it with my hands.

This is fabulous, amazing, deeeeeeeelicious smoked mozzarella.  The outer layer tastes like marshmallows cooked over a campfire, SO intense and smoky and sweet.  And the inside is rich and fresh and just salty enough

Now that I've tried it, I think I'll be able to remember to go on a Saturday next time.

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Elite '08

93

226

Jessica F.

New York, NY

I wanted to like the mozzarella from here.  Not liking it is almost like saying you don't like Junior's.  Or Peter Luger.  But I didn't.  

Me:  My name is Jessica.

Everyone:  Hi, Jessica.

Me:  My name is Jessica, and I didn't like the lightly salted fresh mozzarella from Joe's Dairy.

Everyone:  (Gasps)

I know.  I'm amazed.  And a little embarrassed.  I'm not saying this because I am some super-obnoxious mozzarella snob for whom nothing is ever good enough.  How can you not want desperately to like this place and what it makes??  It was made for television, it has lines out the door, the people who work there are the salt of the earth, AND, they like dogs.  I mean, I want to buy them a drink is how much I wanted to like their mozzarella.  But I can't.

It's warm.  It's fresh.  It's salted perfectly.  But it is rubbery, tough and overpulled.  Not even the celestially creamy, earthy, authentic taste of milk in every bite could recover from an eating experience with heirloom tomatoes and $20 balsamic that was ruined because my jaw ached from chewing.  Rough, rubbery and tough, this cheese was simply murdered by loving hands that killed it with kindness.

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1

6

jenifer k.

New York, NY

The Best mozz. in the city, all the top restaurants get it from joe's.
Make sure to get the smoked mozzarella.
But go in the afternoon after 3pm to get the fresh stuff.

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4

49

Jen M.

New York, NY

I had to cover this place for one of my reporting classes (my choice), and in addition to the best smoked mozzarella anywhere, the owner, Anthony Campanelli, and his brother, Vincent, could not be nicer.

Every time I walk in here (or even pass it on the street), the smell of smoked mozzarella permeates the air.  Joe's is one of the few places left in New York City that smokes its own mozzarella in the basement.  (Vincent told me that the first few times the brothers tried smoking the cheese, it went horribly wrong and the firemen on W. Houston came.  After that, they'd call the firemen to let them know they were trying to smoke cheese to save them a trip!)

The store has 35 different types of cheeses, by my latest count, and all can be cut and measured to your specifications.  Various deli meats are also available.  People are always popping into this place to grab some cheese, so count on a minimal line.  It's almost never empty, and for good reason!

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Elite '08

83

264

Nina C.

New York, NY

The freshest mozzarella in the city.  Love it!  If you're running late, the indicator that you've missed the boat would be the chiming of the church bell across the street from this small cheese shop that specializes in frsh mozz.  Besides getting a hand made ball (or five) of mozzarella, try the proscuitto-wrapped mozz.  Yumm!  Open 9:00am - 6:00pm Tuesday - Saturday, closed Sundays and Mondays, as if you couldn't figure that out!

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52

373

K N.

Los Angeles, CA

It is the BEST smoked Mozzerella I've EVER had. Buy it by the block/ball!!!

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Elite '08

79

570

Li M.

New York, NY

Not a big cheese person, but I love this store!  It's small and quaint and they sell great cheese products and I always bring my cheese-loving friends here.  The people are friendly, the atmo. is nice.  And the church bell makes you feel like you're in the Dead Poets Society movie...only you're buying cheese in the city.

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