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Temecula Valley Cheese Company
Category: Food Specialty Food Cheese Shops Cheese Shops [Edit]
42072 5th StTemecula, CA 92590
(951) 693-9500
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
48 reviews for Temecula Valley Cheese Company
Review Highlights
"Located in the heart of Old Town Temecula, the TVCC shop is..."
(in 9 reviews)
"...recommend enjoying some with the wine tasting they offer."
(in 10 reviews)
"Large apothecary jars of olives covered the counter."
(in 13 reviews)
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48 reviews in English
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Review from Lo A.
Temecula, CA
2/6/2012 1 Check-in Here
A glass of wine, a side of some Ciabatta bread, a delicious assortment of cheese with some fruit and baguette to finish the plate. This place is absolutely amazing. I got the fancy cheese plate, 2 glasses of wine for 44$. Def worth it. I found a great delight in combining these wonderful flavors.
With the taste of Gouda cheese still on the palate, a small slice of apricot will explode with a different dynamic. Wash down with my Cabernet, geez what a great taste that is left.
I can't wait to come back and try the other varieties of cheese.
Ps. The olives are just as amazing. -
Review from Chris B.
Temecula, CA
1/28/2012
I don't like writing negatively about any Temecula businesses and want to see them all do well. The sad part about any of the negative reviews regarding this shop here on Yelp, mine included, is that they're based on the poor customer service and I suspect that negative experience is based one, female employee, who I think is the owner. In other words, don't count on the negative service from her changing. The cheese itself is wonderful, but beyond the hit or miss service, the more irritating and unpredictable issue is the lack of any reliable hours of operation. The sign on the door with the hours of operation is a very loose guideline and I'm not talking about a few minutes. Try hours. The past 3 or 4 times we've gone here, this morning being the most recent, the store has been closed, even though the sign on the door states they opened over an hour ago. This morning, the lady was inside, just not interested in opening up and selling anything.
This company is run very mom and pop and mom doesn't like opening on time or treating her customer like they matter. On Saturday's there's a cheese booth across the street at the farmer's market. They don't have anywhere near the selection of cheese, but you can count on them being there and treating you like they actually want and appreciate your business.
Or even better, hopefully the owner of this business will realize that people read these reviews and base their decisions on what other's write. This business can be great and all it would take is a more professional approach to running a business and treating their customer's like they matter (we kind of do if you want to make any money). -
Review from Debrin S.
12/14/2011
Just fantastic! Go in and ask for a cheese plate & wine by the glass, sit out side in the tiny court yard...relax, take in the sights, sounds & enjoy.
The retail area is lean but don't let that be a deterrent. The variety of cheeses & accompaniments are wonderful, fresh & the French banquettes are delish too. The limited wine variety isn't sophisticated but ample & serves its purpose.
I believe the owner Shawna kindly made cheese suggestions & her daughter built the plate- olives, dried fruit, French bread & 4- 5 cheeses.Shawna made the Super Aged Gouda which was particularly DIVINE & my favorite.
I have been twice now on my visits to CA & will go again next time I'm here.
A wonderful boutique cheese shop worthy of your patronage! -
Review from Ferne R.
Ventura, CA
1/27/2012
This place was a golden find..actually, hard to find ' cause its a bit out of sight, but recommended by my friend Sharon who used to live in Temecula. Amazing cheese shop with some outstanding wines. We custom ordered our sandwich, any cheese, any addition. We were served a dish of amazing olives from Spain, Sicily and Greece. My cheese was Malvarosa, a sheep cheese from Spain and Mimolette from France. My fiancee order wine tasting..Couly Dutheil Brut de Franc, Robert Renzoni-Pino Grigio, Wiens Family Wines Barbera and Fazeli Cellars-Shiraz and Cab Blend..wonderful! The service and atmosphere were terrific!!!
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Review from Caroline P.
San Diego, CA
9/10/2011
It appeared that the hipster employees were too involved with their cheese to bother talking to potential customers.
We walked in not really knowing what to expect, obviously a bit lost on what to do. They glanced up and then back to what they were doing.
If new customers are in your store, educate them about your product!! Say hi! Introduce yourself! They could have easily sold us something, but with their aloof attitude we just ended up walking right back out. -
Review from Christina A.
Lake Elsinore, CA
10/19/2011
I am a big fan.... I love wine and I LOVE cheese. We go in often for the flights...of wine and cheese. Very laid back and comfortable. We have gone a few times in a group setting with friends and enjoyed our time outside & have also been a few times as a "date" and had a quieter relaxing time inside at a table for two.
The staff is usually hit or miss but, they are all very friendly. Some just more about the wines / cheeses than others.
I would have given a 5 star but, they are a little pricey... We usually spend 80-100 for the two of os..... but well worth it since was always have a great time. -
Review from Ted A.
8/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Every cheese has a story here. I think the Girl owns it with the blond hair. if she doesn't own it, she acts that way.
its tucked away down a side street and they have everything from the ordinary to the extra ordinary - English, Irish, French, Vermont and several great local cheeses from California.
This is the perfect place to complement all the wine options. Incredible cheese, knowledgeable staff and great environment -
Review from Tristan D.
Buena Park, CA
1/2/2012
Ohmigod. An incredible find. We got the "Fine Cheese Plate," and had the owner do the varietal picking... She gave us a great Marlborough, a good sheep (can't remember), a stellar triple-cream, and an incredible truffle / cow from Northern California. Great olives, and Brew Dog in a bottle if you don't want wine (my partner had a recommended table red, which was good). We were glad to be served by the owner-- she gave us dinner ideas that were right on as well. Highly reccomend!
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Review from RACQUEL j.
Temecula, CA
8/22/2011
Well I really didn't want to let You in on this little seceret ......
OMG the best imported Cheesees that compement any dish,appetizer, pair with your favorite "Wine" or just hang out at the shop and let the great staff(James) learn you a thing or two about the extraordinary cheeses as you sample great imported meats,olives,dates,apricots,along with fresh baked bread. Or just go for a artisan sandwich and a beer (great beer selection ;) I absolutely love this place. Try it!!! But Shhhhhhh don't tell to many people (it's a small cheese shop it might get to packed) its a gem* tucked behind the "Sweet Shop" on Front St. Oh!! And sometimes they even have live music out on the patio.
5* stars... when James is working 6* ;)
Peace
Rox* -
Review from Jen S.
6/25/2011
Awesome customer service and yummy cheese!
So I drove from San Diego to visit my brother in Temecula for my birthday. Temecula sucks and I was trying to convince him to come visit me in San Diego instead. However, he suffers from extreme flatulence and his wife will not be in a car with him unless it is for a 10 mile or less car ride, so I was forced to drive out there. His farts made the house smell so his wife kicked us out for a few hours. What to do in Temecula? I suggested we go to Old Town, as i had never been there.
So after passing several tacky touristy shops and an antique store that sold Nazi memorabilia (yeah, no joke) we saw the cheese stop and decided to go on in.
Now, before posting this review, read other reviews for this place, and they are pretty mixed. I don't understand why some people said their cheese selection was poor and the customer service was bad. My experience proved quiet the opposite!
A nicely mannered Englishman (and a Chelsea supporter, which is awesome) was working in there. They had about 20 different kinds of cheese, which was a good amount considering the small size of the business. I mean, if you want a larger selection, go to Whole Foods. I told him that I lived in Europe for a decade, what kinds of cheese I ate while living over there, and he gave me some great recommendations that I tasted. At first I felt a bit bad that he was ripping into a block of cheese that had never been cut JUST so I could sample it, but he was quick to tell me with great sincerity that he wanted me to taste the cheese. I would up buying some strong cheese from Belgium made by monks. I forgot the name of it, but it was delicious! They even had English stilton cheese with lemon, which is hard to fine in the US.
My brother was looking at their beer selection. He brews beer at home, and had a nice, educated chat with the fellow working the shop about English bitters.
We had a great experience and I will surely be returning to this place to buy more cheese. The only unpleasant thing about my experience in the shop was that, after the fellow cut lots of cheese, my brother cut some cheese too. I think he was hoping that the rich smells of the beautifully blue marbled cheeses and the aged cheddars would mask the putrid smell of his gas, but it didn't. My brother is an Arsenal supporter, so this wasn't too big of a shocker that he couldn't control his gross bodily functions. I just hope the nice people working there couldn't smell it. -
Review from L F.
Ontario, CA
4/30/2011
Delicious cheeses! *****goat cheese with apricots and honey. ****Brie except we couldn't call it that since it's not from that province of France.I didn't care for the hard cheese, but my 4 friends ate it up in minutes, so they thought it tasted delicious. I though it was too hard and tasted like parmesan or romano cheese, just not powdered yet. Last cheese sample was the blue cheese : wowsers pungent, blue bits every where. Delicious olives and baguettes for the cheese.
Server was an older guy with an accent (delightful to my ears) who explained the province of the cheese and flavor expectations. Service was excellent but we were there at 6ish, so no crowd. patio seating cool breezes and trees shaded us.
A female server poured our wine pairings for each cheese: this is why I gave this place 3 ***. Pairings were something awful. Lady was nice enough to switch a couple of wines for us, since we couldn't stop shuddering after tasting then first two whites paired with the goat cheese and Brie that we couldn't call Brie. I think our taste buds were spoiled since we just finished wine tasting at Up a creek and SCoast.
Cheese 4 stars. Wine pairings 2 stars. -
Review from Crislyn M.
Hawthorne, CA
7/13/2011
I was here on a Sunday and really enjoyed my experience. They had live music out on their patio which really made for a nice time. The service was friendly and the cheese delicious.
My mom and I did the wine and cheese pairing, but if I were to do it again, I would order one of their cheese plates and a glass of wine instead of the paring. Everyone around us had large plates of cheeses, olives, olive oil, break baskets, fruit etc and it seemed far more vaired and plentiful than what was served with the paring.
All in all this place was great and we experienced only great customer service. The live music they had really made the day. -
Review from Amy J.
Temecula, CA
3/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
The place has a very casual, almost DIY feel to it--but lovely all the same. The gouda they make on-site was yummy; definitely recommend enjoying some with the wine tasting they offer. Prices were reasonable.
It's tucked in a wooden complex, off the street, so look for the folding wooden sign that's on the main street sidewalk. -
Review from Derek W.
Chicago, IL
Okay so we visited Southern California during the rainy week of December 2010. Figures. Well that won't stop Chicagoans from exploring downtown Temecula while the rain water flows violently through the streets with comically poor drainage. Anyway we happened to notice a sign pointing to a cheese shop tucked away behind some other buildings.
We noticed that the selection was small (Compared to some cheese shops & factories in Wisconsin where you walk in and see everything imaginable and in large quantities right there) however lots of variety and very unique. Ever have Lemon Zest cheese? Neither had I. AWESOME.
We also decided to do their Wine and Cheese tasting. We went with one of the cheaper ones where the shop owner had picked the cheeses to go with some red wine and bread. She made some awesome selections! The bread was good but dry. We asked for some olive oil to dip it in which she was happy to provide.
This brings me to something and is why I was compelled to review . . . We did not find the shop owner to be the slightest bit rude or condescending. To the contrary she was extremely helpful and friendly. As we were leaving someone walked in and I figured out from the snippet of conversation I heard she was a regular there. If the shop owner was truly terrible . . . How would she have a regular customer?
I recommend this place highly. -
Review from Mary M.
Temecula, CA
3/6/2011
If you care enough about cheese to drive all the way to Temecula, this place will definitely make it worth your while. They have some really amazing stuff, from the smelly blue to the milder brie varieties. I've tried many and loved them all. There is no other place I've found that comes anywhere close to the quality of cheeses that you will find in this shop. My husband and I have also done the wine and cheese pairing and liked it quite a bit. It's best to do this in the spring or summer, when you can sit out on the lovely patio.
Unfortunately, I cannot in good conscience give them five stars because their service ranges from great to awful, depending on who is working. I have a hunch a lot of repeat business has been lost due to one of the Bitter Betties behind the counter. Interestingly enough, I think it might be the owner. I don't necessarily always need service with a smile, but if people are dropping a dime on your fancy overpriced cheeses...show a little freaking respect.Listed in: Great Places in Temecula
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Review from Florence D.
Seattle, WA
8/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
I would have given TVCC one star, if it hadn't been for the quality of the cheese and the employee's seemingly good intentions, despite his total lack of follow-through.
After a full day of wine tasting with friends, a cheese plate sounded like the perfect munchy to split between four before the hour long drive home. The owner was not on hand the afternoon we stopped by TVCC, but a friendly and knowledgable employee greeted us and seemed game to put together a good plate based off of our various tastes.
Sadly, the employee's seemingly good intentions and pleasant attitude fell completely short of our expectations. We received the bottle of wine that he recommended us within 10 minutes of sitting down on the back patio, but 45 minutes passed and we still hadn't received our cheese plate. Evidently, the two other customers who were already seated on the back patio when we arrived were experiencing the same problem. The employee eventually emerged from the shop with a cheese plate... only to give it to us, not to the two customers who had already been waiting before we even arrived. We'd seen the other two customers pop in and out of the shop to remind him that they were still waiting, so it was pretty amazing that he'd forgotten all about them. Granted, we didn't know how busy it was inside the shop, but according to the other two customers who kept checking on their order, it wasn't busy at all. At any rate, we asked him to give the plate to the two other customers who had already been waiting, and ended up waiting another 15 minutes for our plate. The employee was somewhat apologetic, but there was really no evident reason for his apparent confusion, and none of us could fathom why it would take 45 minutes to cut cheese and pile some food on a plate.
In the end, it was fortunate that we were in no rush to head home, and were not on the verge of becoming cranky-hungry. If those had been the circumstances, we would have walked out 30 minutes into the wait. The cheese plate did feature 3 great cheeses that fit the description of what we were looking for, and 1 so-so cheese, with the Beecher's peppercorn cheddar coming out an easy victor. The cheese was paired with various dried fruits and olives, and accompanied by some quality bread and crackers.
We might return the next time we're wine tasting to buy some cheese in the shop to go, but we won't be game for another hour+ wait for a simple cheese plate in an empty shop. -
Review from Sharon M.
San Diego, CA
9/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had read all the reviews for Temecula Valley Cheese Company, a few times. I was weary to go, but I love wine and I love cheese so it had to be done.
We got there around 11:30am on Saturday so it was not too busy - 1 other man in the store buying some cheese and a lady at the table cutting cheese. We stood at the small counter and waited about a minute before being acknowledged. I was worried inwardly that much of what I had read was true. However, the lady cutting cheese did say, "I'll be with you in a moment', so we waited. A man came in shortly after and came up to help us. I ordered a wine tasting for $12, a premier cheese for $25 and we added a couple of meats so our total was $45. We went outside and service was fast - our meats arrived first with some wonderful bread and olives. Then the first of the wines, and then the cheese. It's a nice view outside, though the bees are annoying since they love cheese as much as me!
Once we'd finished with our samplings I decided to buy some of their gorgeous mixed olives - there was a long line inside, but it went down nice and quickly. James served us and couldn't have been more fun. It may be because I'm from England as well so our senses of humour meshed - who knows, but everyone we ran into was polite and helpful. I bought two cheese, and some lovely mortadella.
We enjoyed ourselves, and will definitely go back. I think I shall become a regular for those olives!
My only criticism is that I do wish that when you walked into the store people looked up and welcomed you. I think really that's the only complaint that seems to be consistent throughout the reviews. But in fairness, my guess is that the lady is a little shy, rather than aloof :) -
Review from Donna S.
5/31/2011 11 photos
This shop is not on the main street, but hidden behind some buildings. I always see the little sign with an arrow pointing to a hidden cheese shop, but I never bothered to go searching. But since I purchased the groupon style special, we made a point to check it out.
I didn't get the bad service that many mention on the reviews. The staff was very friendly. There was a selection of cheeses in the refrigerated case that I didn't really get to check out since it was kind of crowded when we went in and I wanted to get out and snag a table. Large apothecary jars of olives covered the counter. http://www.yelp.com/bi... We opted for the Ultimate Wine & Cheese pairing with 4 cheeses and 2 glasses for $20/person. But we were given four glasses, so that was very nice. We were given each cheese and wine course separately, opposed to all the cheeses on one platter. I will agree that service can be slow. But it was such a nice warm, breezy day, we just enjoyed the weather and people watched. And the first course sucked me in with the beautiful glasses in which they served the sparkling wine. http://www.yelp.com/bi.... They were very generous with the complimentary olive bread http://www.yelp.com/bi... and my favorite cheese was a really nice manchego. http://www.yelp.com/bi... The Sicilian olives I purchased were also really good. http://www.yelp.com/bi...
We definitely enjoyed a nice relaxing time here. If you are in a rush, you may not want to try eating here, but if you have some time to linger and enjoy, it's a pleasant experience.Listed in: Temecula Trips
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Review from sofia b.
Murrieta, CA
11/2/2010
Mmmmm I love cheese, especially artisan cheeses. Once you've had artisan cheeses, the Kraft cheese makes you go Blah!
Located in the heart of Old Town Temecula, the TVCC shop is a pleasure dome. Filled with all kinds of cheeses, some made local, some imported from France, Italy,Spain, and other places that make handcrafted cheese. All delightful. Its a great stop as you stroll around Old Town, they let you taste before you buy and its also a great place to have lunch with a friend or loved one. They have wine n cheese plates, also beer n cheese plates. They carry a good selection of wine n beer that pair well with their cheeses. They also carry quality meats, breads, olives n jam spreads. Enjoy -
Review from David L.
La Jolla, CA
8/9/2010
Terrible customer service!
Since we had an hour to kill in Old Town while waiting for a table for dinner, we decided to stop in for some wine and cheese. This was actually my second visit to the Temecula Valley Cheese Company. The first time (about 6 months prior) was pleasant, nothing special - but nothing bad either. Oh how things can change.
Without getting into the gory details, bottom line is this: the place was not busy, but we waited 45 minutes and our cheese plate still had not been prepared. When I went in to check on my order, I was told it was coming out in a few minutes...but as I walked away from the counter, the lady said *thinking I couldn't hear her* "This isn't McDonalds!"
Really lady? Really? That's how you treat your customers? Really? For one thing, at least McDonalds cooks things (from what I hear, haven't touched the place in years), but all you do is cut cheese, and next and most important, don't insult your customers. -
Review from Anne C.
Santa Barbara, CA
8/20/2011 1 Check-in Here
Tucked little bit out of sight from Front St., we were lured into the shop on a warm Friday afternoon after laughing at their "Have a Gouda Day" sign on the street. It's a nice airy shop offering lots of really nice beers (which got my boyfriend so excited he wanted to cry) and wine. There's also a lovely little patio, that is a bit too sunny for Temecula summers.
We came in seduced by the idea of cheese platters, and ordered the simple cheese platter, which runs for $20. The only difference between the "simple" platter and the next one up is that the lovely British gentleman chooses the cheeses for you, as opposed to you picking out your four cheeses. We went with his recommendations, and added meats, which was an additional $4 a person, which was pretty reasonable considering the lovingly sliced, even numbers of the prosciutto, Spanish chorizo, salami (and a fourth one I can't remember). He cut the meats and cheeses while we waited, and brought out two thoughtfully arranged plates with cheeses arranged around sliced fresh and diced dried fruit, a small plate of yummy olives, and then cured meats with a little pile of mini-gherkins. Each item was explained to us, and he was very friendly and not jovial. We ended up enjoying all the offerings (save The Bermuda Triangle soft cheese, which wasn't our cup of tea), and appreciated his time.
As a warning, this is definitely not a place to go if you're in a hurry. They take their time (there was only a single guy working there when we arrived, and he actually took a little while to even show up). But the atmosphere and engagement were really appreciated. I think he may have also undercharged us for the beer. -
Review from Jessica H.
Temecula, CA
10/19/2010
I am in love with this shop. I wanted to do a wine and cheese party for my 25th birthday, so my husband and I stopped in and asked them a million questions, tried at least 10 cheeses, and settled on 5. All of them were delicious! What really impressed me (besides the patience and genuine enthusiasm they showed me) was how they took care of my order. They plated everything for me, and threw in free olives as well as a few more cheese selections- so when I came to pick up my order it was beautifully plated with extras. The honeycomb they plated with my bleu selection was divine. They even remembered to wish me a happy birthday and told me to let them know how the party went!
Be patient, allow plenty of time to sample and chat and enjoy the process- not for people that want to throw money down and demand a chunk of cheese. You folks can take that attitude to the deli in Ralph's. -
Review from Kris C.
Updated - 7/6/2011
***Please note the following is based on the cheese tasting experience and not simply going their to buy cheese and leave***
I use to go here all the time. Seriously maybe every other weekend. Then things started to change. So not only is the service rediculous (I say this now because the overall experience has NO payoff) but they changed how they do things. It use to be that I could go in and say hey put something together these are the type of cheeses I don't like and go from there. This was always fun to me because otherwise I am not really trying new things. The last time I went in after wait for at least 10 minutes with nobody else in the shop and three employees standing around chatting, was told that they now charge to do that. So of course I said forget that (as this place is already not that cheap) and picked out my owne cheeses. The problem with this is there was absolutely no assistance in selecting these cheeses. I cannot believe how downhill the service has gone here. As I stated in a previous review, it was never great, but if you were patient when they did serve you it was quite pleasant. It will be a very long time before I go back again. What really stinks about this is I very much was a regular, so you would think some attention would have been paid to that. Very very frustrating and disappointing.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/27/2010
You have to be patient when you go here. As long as you are, it is worth the wait. The staff is… Read more »
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Review from Denise A.
4/9/2010
This was part of our Day 2 on the Temecula Adventure itinerary. After our pedicures and shopping spree, we decided to head back to the old town area for some cheese and olive oil tasting (Review for Olive Oil Tasting here: http://www.yelp.com/bi...) to find some goodies for our picnic.
We walked in and no one was behind the counter, the owner was out back taking care of other patrons. She came in and immediately asked how she can help us. I let her know that we were looking for cheeses for our picnic and she asked if we liked soft or hard cheese and then she asked mild or sharp. We said "all of the above" then laughed.
She helped us out and offered us some samples. We started with a creamy mild cheese "Fromage D'Affinois" and worked out way to progressively harder and sharper cheeses. We then tried the "St. Jorge" that was a step sharper and lastly the sharp Gouda that the owner made herself with a team of employees. She said it takes about nine hours and it's hard work, I can't even imagine.
After sampling all three cheeses, we bought a little bit of each. I liked them all, but have to admit that the sharp Gouda was my favorite. You really can taste the love :)Listed in: Temecula Spring Adventure
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Review from christina p.
Phoenix, AZ
5/17/2009
I didn't try any cheese from this cheese SHOP. Because of the rude service, I decided to leave before giving them any of my money!
A cheese lover, I was so excited to see what they had to offer. While browsing the case, I noticed many of the cheeses seemed to be imports. Yum!
An employee came in and was presumably wrapping up something for a customer from outside. "So, you do you make any of these cheeses?" I ask, figuring it's a fairly simple and direct question that can be easily fielded while multitasking.
"We're a cheese SHOP. Have you ever been to a cheese SHOP?"
Well, yes. As a matter of fact I have. I've been to a few thank you. No need to come back to this one. -
Review from Amy b.
San Diego, CA
5/11/2011
Love this place! Get the cheese platter and meats on the side with a craft of wine!
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Review from Jennifer A.
San Diego, CA
9/6/2009 1 photo
I'm always game for cheese. So after a bit of wine tasting when my friends suggested sharing a plate, I was like, uh...yea!
Our schedule to make it to the next winery allotted us about 40 minutes to sit and eat our selection...plenty of time, right?
While we received prompt and helpful service when we ordered, the delivery took quite a long time. Yes, I understand it may take a little time to put together a plate, and yes I understand that a few customers did come in after we ordered and they needed to be tended to, but don't we get some priority for being there first? Plus the cheese and dried fruit that finally came (while tasty) didn't seem too complicated or time consuming to get together.
We had to eat our cheeses a little bit faster than we'd like to make it out the door in time. Sadness, I kind of wanted to savor it more. -
Review from B P.
Riverside, CA
12/11/2009
Whoever the lady was with the mole on her face was rude as a Frenchie. But I don't want to insult the French too much - she was way beyond the rude stereotype.
We asked what cheeses came on the four-cheese platter. She looked at us like we were morons and huffed, "Whatever I choose to put on there and to present you with." We left without having anything because of the rotten attitude of this lady. -
Review from Wayne W.
4/15/2008 1 photo
Here's something you don't see even in many major metropolitan areas - an honest to goodness cheesemonger! Tucked away in Old Town Temecula, this shop is the perfect compliment to Temecula's wine country. Cheese and wine, after all, are a match!
This is a fun little shop. The wife and I went there during our Wine Country Vacation last year and then came back when we did a day trip the day after Valentine's Day. They have all kinds of cheeses from all over the world, as well as specialty meats and breads.
You can have a taste sampling there...or you can take home what you like... or they'll even make you a sandwich of whatever you like.
They now have an alcohol license, so they feature quality beers and wines for paring with cheese and sandwiches.
The owner was really friendly and knowledgeable. If we lived closer, I suspect our paycheck would be partially subsidizing them! :) -
Review from Cris C.
Temecula, CA
11/10/2008
Good Cheese costs $, and this place has oodles of great cheese, a small garden to dine in, catering, decent selection of wine, beer and cheese related items. Concerts during the summer, interspersed with wine maker dinners.
Stop by and taste what real cheese should taste like! -
Review from yuka n.
Rowland Heights, CA
This is r 2nd time here. Ordered the fine cheese platter ($25) included 4 cheeses of your choice, some olives, slices of baguette, sliced pears & apples, & some dried fruits. Very tasty! Extra ($4) small dry salami plate. Yummy! The service wuz good. Wish they added more 2 wut we paid 4... Needs shady spots if customer wants 2 eat outside.
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Review from Tamara S.
Temecula, CA
9/25/2010
We stopped in here last night and I was soooooooo disappointed. We will not return. My first experience here was at a Hot Summer Nights with a crowd of people, and it was OK.
Last night, we ordered wine tastings and a cheese plate.The pickings were VERY slim. Most of the cheeses were run of the mill, things you could buy at a grocery store. When I mentioned that I liked cheddars, Cabot's Extra Sharp was suggested. Well, that's in my fridge so I passed.
The wine tasting consisted of a taste of wine, followed by at least 10 minutes of nothing. We had to get up a couple of times to see what was happening. We finally got the cheese plate. It was nice, but not worth the long wait.
The young lady who waited on us was so artifically....happy....almost shrill. That in itself made me want to run for the hills.
I get the sense the place isn't doing well. It's so sad, too, because it's a cute place and a nice concept.... if they only had a grip on customer service, it could be so much more.
When short-staffed, why not offer some inexpensive nibbles to guests while they're waiting? It would not be difficult to have a few pre-prepared plates with a few little things to put on the table for guests.
These small touches make a difference. It says, "we care about you and want you to enjoy yourself while you're here."
People appreciate an "experience." People tell their friends about an experience, and insist that their friends must go have the same experience. Instead, the TVCC is getting more 1 star reviews because of lacklustre service and, well, lack of an experience.
We won't be back, TVCC but I wish you the best!
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Review from LINDA L.
Rowland Heights, CA
7/14/2010
My friends and I decided to try out some cheese at Temecula Valley Cheese Company, which is located in Old Town Temecula. There was a wait to get service. There was one young, new guy that was taking orders, but he didn't know anything about wines or cheeses, and not even the menu they had up. We ordered the wine tasting which comes with 5 different types of wine. He asked me which 5 wines I wanted, and I asked him which is recommended, or favorites and he didn't know so he asked an older lady that gave us an attitude just because...we asked? I don't know what her problem was, is it that bad to ask? Gez! After spending 5 minutes figuring out which 5 we wanted, another lady yells out to the boy that the 5 tastes are already chosen. Wow! What a waste of time. Oh wells, he was new. So we ordered the cheese and other goodies and grabbed a table. It was nice sitting out there, and the lady who poured us our tasting was very informative and friendly.
The only real problem is that on a windy day, the dust kicks up and the winds are pretty strong so it blows everything over. Other than that, I did enjoy my time there. I would definitely come back and try other samplers. -
Review from Cal F.
Temecula, CA
6/5/2010
A joke and getting worse. This place always irritated me, long waits, owner does not know how to handle more the one person at a time, does not understand the idea of just selling a chunk of cheese to a customer with money in his/her hands, and staff who does not know the product, and there isnt much to remember with 12 difference types of friggen cheese.
The last time last week we went there will be the last time. After farmers market went to this place at 9:40am on Saturday. They open at 10am, but someone was in the store. So I wasted 15 mins walking around and got back at 9:57am, tried the door, still locked, the lady saw us and looked back down. We had to sit outside like cattle waiting for the privilege to spend our money. Now I would have been gone long before, when this insulting treatment started but my girlfriend wanted a special french blue cheese she got there a month ago.
Doors open!! So we walk in, somehow a couple was already there!, and as usual the owner is pissing away all her time with this one couple while we stare and wait (beg) to give our cash to this store. Looking around we realized there was hardly any cheeses, about 70% less then the last visit and the last visit there was less then the last.
Bottom line, financial times are real bad and these clown's business model is to play "I open the doors exactly at 10am" game, and refuse to stock cheeses that people specifically come back to get. Why go here, you never can trust they will have what you like, not to mention to waiting and staring and wasting of time to buy a chuck of cheese.
They lost $60 that day from us, and about $150/month for potentially many years. I was prompted to go to Amazon and find a vendor for the cheese I wanted and found one. Now I get a shipment monthly, cold packed, for 20% less and I dont have to wait, play games, and get upset. -
Review from Stef H.
Norco, CA
5/3/2010
We found the Temecula Valley Cheese Company in the back of a Front Street Establishment. (Old Town Temecula) We asked the friendly front counter gal to surprise us with a sample of cheeses and she said no problem . I asked for a buttery oak Chardonnay but they didn't have any(hmmm, Wine Country?) and this bummed me out so I settled for a fruity Chardonnay. My husband grabbed a Rolling Light beer which he deemed as good. Although we enjoyed the cheeses and beverages, the service was unusually slow and they're really weren't that many folks on the patio. For $7.50 a glass, I did expect more than a splash.
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Review from kristina c.
Murrieta, CA
1/20/2010
I have to say that I was sad to see some of the negative reviews about this shop. We go there regularly and find it to be extremely friendly with a small neighborhood vibe.
I love yelp and read it for reviews but sometimes as with anything it can be misused. I have met so many people at the cheese shop who find it to be a place to get away "in town". The service is sometimes not "immediate" but it's not a fast food restaurant and if you ever have questions and realize that the staff takes as much time as you need you'll realize the reason for the less than lightnening speed of delivering your plate.
I would not write to defend for slow service or even if someone thought service was rude, but I happened to be in the cheese shop when Betty H. came in and her account is just simply not true and so unfair to be posted.
First of all, if Betty H. is a person of "color" then it's VERY slight color. Perhaps there could have been some Asian desent but she didn't even have an accent.....when I saw her she looked like an "American". Multi cultural as we all may be. #2 - the group that came up to the counter behind her were NOT all white. It was a large group and some were white. Some were not. #3 - The owner did not help the second group that came in at all. The girl who was coming back from her break helped them and the owner went to Betty H. to see how she could help her. #4 -Betty H. started screaming at the owner IMMEDIATELY and the owner apologized and said she didn' t see her but what could she get for her. #5 - Betty H. became irate and started screaming that the shop owner was a racist. #6 - The owner said she didn't even know her and she was not a racist. She said she would be happy to get the lady something but if she just wanted to yell please leave. #7 - Betty H. said she would not leave. She continued to scream and make everyone in the shop very uncomfortable. At this point the owner said if she didn't leave she would have to call the police because she was scaring people. #8 - Betty H. said she was going to write a review on yelp.
The second group of Americans were shocked and some went out to hug the owner after Betty H left because she was visibly shaken and what happened was just plain crazy.
No one deserves to be treated the way the owner was and then for lies about the situation to be posted.
I wonder if Betty H ever considered the possibility that the owner was wrapping up cheese and didn't see her? Honestly didn't see her. I wonder how differently things would have gone if when the owner initially apologized and said "sorry I didn't see you, how can I help you" if Betty H. would have just asked to sample that cheese flight. Maybe Betty H. was having a bad day, maybe the owner was having a bad day.......but I can tell you that what I saw in that shop was nothing short of someone looking for a reason to be mad. -
Review from Mary M.
Temecula, CA
6/28/2010
This place has the most amazing selection of cheeses from all over Europe. They absolutely melt in your mouth, they're so tasty. I particularly enjoy the blue cheeses such as cashel, cambozola and stilton, but they have so many different kinds that you're bound to find something that you like. They also offer wine and cheese tastings, which are really awesome. On a warm day, you can sit out on the patio sipping wines and eating the best cheeses ever. I would agree that the service isn't always necessarily "with a smile", but I put up with it because it's really hard to find that caliber of cheese anywhere else around here.
Listed in: Cool Places in Temecula
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Review from victoria E.
Temecula, CA
6/20/2009
I would have chosen one star if not for the fact that I had been to this shop a few times in the past and had really good experiences. However, this last time that I went was horrible. I waited for more than 20 minutes, never got helped and ended up leaving without any cheese. It was not crowded, so there was just no reason for it. The two people behind the counter seemed to be uninterested in being helpful and they made no effort to let me know that they would be helping me any time soon.
In the past the folks behind the counter were friendly and helpful. I was really disappointed. Not only was I disappointed because I did not get the cheese that I wanted, but also because I really love cheese and was so excited about the cheese shop being in Temecula - but now I don't think that I will ever go back there. -
Review from Jessica H.
Costa Mesa, CA
4/6/2007
How come there is a place like this in Temecula but not back home in Long Beach? (Maybe I just have yet to find my Long Beach cheesemonger...) This is a small, but very well-stocked, cheese store. They've got interesting cheeses from all around the world. Even if you, like me, don't know too much about cheese (I'd say my cheese knowledge is ever so slightly above average, but definitely not exceptional), just let them know what kind of cheeses you like and they will be ready with some tasty suggestions (and free samples!). There was only one person working when we were there and lots of customers, each getting individualized attention, so the wait can be kind of long, but definitely worth it. Forget the wine, I might drive down to Temecula just for the cheese!
Listed in: Wine Tasting in Temecula
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Review from Shelly V.
Temecula, CA
1/5/2007
Tucked behind some stores in Old Town this cheese shop just opened but is a tasty addition to the Old Town strip. Don't be put off by the smell of feet when you walk in the door... they sell the good & stinky, hand crafted artisanal cheeses here. Take a break from antiquing and stop in for a snack. I highly recommend the triple creme brie, gouda, and squeaky cheese curds. Ask for a sample and try something new.
