Cheese fans, this one’s for you.
Be grate-ful, because here in Pittsburgh, it’s easy to get cheesy. From cheese plates to cheese shops, Pittsburgh knows how to appreciate the curd.
Below we have outlined a few of our favorite ways to purchase cheese in Pittsburgh. This guide is broken into 4 sections:
-Local Cheese Markers
-Local Cheese Shops
-Where to Buy Cheese Boards
-Our Favorite Cheese Dishes
…. and while we’ve got you here, be sure to check out our guide to Where to Find the Best Mac & Cheese in Pittsburgh.
If we forgot something Pittsburgh cheese related, don’t fret! Please leave it in the comments below!
The Ultimate Guide to Cheese in Pittsburgh
– Local Cheese Makers-
Goat Rodeo Farm & Dairy
Pittsburgh’s prolific cheese maker, Goat Rodeo, can be found in restaurants and markets all over the city! On their 130 acre farm (located just north of the city), Goat Rodeo produces a wide variety of cheeses using milk from their herd of goats. A few of their popular goat cheeses include: fresh chèvre, the washed rind Bamboozle, the soft ripened Chickabiddy, and the cave-aged More Cowbell. A full list of locations and restaurants using Goat Rodeo can be found online.
Goat Rodeo (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Clover Creek Cheese Cellar
On their farm in Williamsburg, PA, Clover Creek produces their cheese slowly and by hand using raw milk. Clover’s cows are grass-fed, and the cheese is produced during the summer and fall when the cows are grazing in the pastures. This allows all the benefits from their grass-fed milk to be transferred to the cheese. The creamery produces 15 types of cheese, including the Royer Mountain, a Romano matured in Clover Creek’s cellar for over a year, Galen’s Good Old gouda, Tussey Mountain Swiss Raclette, and many more.
Clover Creek Cheese Cellar (Williamsburg, Pennsylvania)
Pasture Maid Creamery
Visit the Pasture Maid Creamery shop in New Castle to purchase the farm’s local and fresh dairy products produced from their pasture-raised cows. If available, be sure to snag some of their popular 1 pound basket cheeses!
Pasture Maid Creamery (New Castle, Pennsylvania)
Hidden Hills Dairy
This family-owned creamery, located in the rolling hills of central PA, produces a variety of cheeses from their Jersey cows. All of Hidden Hill’s cheeses are produced with quality milk from stress-free cows. A few of their small-batch cheeses include: Allegheny, an Italian-style cheese, Boltonfeta, a Greek-style feta, Buttercup, a creamy semi-soft cheese, and Ivory Lace, a havarti-style cheese.
Hidden Hills Dairy (Everett, Pennsylvania)
River View Dairy
River View is a kosher dairy located and hour and a half from Pittsburgh along the scenic Clarion River. The creamery produces their products with goat’s milk, which they believe “is far easier to digest, is denser in nutritional value.” Their products include handcrafted goat and sheep cheese and flavored yogurt drinks. Their products can be found at Salonika Imports in The Strip District.
River View Dairy (Clarion River, Pennsylvania)
Cherish Creamery
Nestled within the Amish Farms of North Pennsylvania is Cherish Creamery, a goat’s milk dairy farm. The Kosher farm produces artisan dairy products like milk, drinkable yogurt, and many types of cheeses, including: feta, cheddar, chevre, and parmesan.
Cherish Creamery (Reynoldsville, Pennsylvania)
Lamagna Ricotta Cheese
There are only three ingredient in Lamagna ricotta cheese: milk, vinegar, salt. Using the old world cheese making styles of Italy, Lamagna’s cheese is fresh and completely milk based (no whey). The Lamagna family moved to America from Italy in 1928 and proudly brought their passion for making cheese with them. The company is based in Verona, but you can find their products in many stores around Pittsburgh.
Lamagna Ricotta Cheese (Verona, Pennsylvania)
Little Antietam Goat Dairy
Order online or hunt Little Antietam down at farmers markets to get your hands on cheese from this small batch dairy farm! Antietam offers fresh goat cheese in a variety of flavors, such as pumpkin spice, garlic, and tomato basil.
Little Antietam Goat Dairy (Waynesboro, PA)
– Local Cheese Shops –
Mediterra Café
Cheese fans, look no further than Mediterra Cafe! This quaint Sewickley cafe and market has a world-class selection of meats, cheeses, spreads, and accoutrements, many of which cannot be found elsewhere in the city. In addition to just picking up individual cheeses by the wedge, Mediterra also offers an entire menu of speciality platters that can be pre-ordered for pickup. For example, the “All Stars” platter serves 6-10 and features Barber’s English Cheddar, ermitage brie, aged manchego, aged gruyere, Eat This Bacon Marmalade, raisins on the vine, flatbread. For dining in, Mediterra also serves cheese boards all day, which feature a daily selection of their finest ripe and ready cheeses.
Mediterra Café (430 Beaver St)
Chantal’s Cheese
Pittsburgh was elated when Chantal’s Cheese opened in Bloomfield in March of last year. At this neighborhood-style cheese shop, customers can find guests over a hundred unique cheeses from all over the world, fresh La Gourmandine bread, house-made mozzarella, freshly-pressed grilled cheese sandwiches, and a large selection of jams and condiments. The shop is the passion of owner Anaïs Saint-André, of Lyon, France, who wanted to create an environment where cheese lovers of all levels could sample learn, and appreciate.
Chantal’s Cheese (4402 Penn Ave)
East End Food Co-op
The East End Food Co-op, located on Meade Street near The Frick Art and Historical Center, is one of the best places in Pittsburgh to shop for artisanal food, and cheese is no exception! Within their cooler selection, the co-op offers a huge selection of both regional and national cheese brands. Pair it with some fresh bread and local apples (also available at the store) and enjoy! Tip: Frick Park is conveniently located just down the road and is perfect for a picnic.
East End Food Co-op (7516 Meade St)
The Cheese House
Started in 1974, The Cheese House offers over 100 types of domestic and imported cheeses and is one of the largest cheese and specialty foods stores in Western Pennsylvania. Located in New Wilmington, The Cheese House is an easy one-hour drive north of Downtown Pittsburgh. The shop is well worth the trip, as you’ll discover plenty of cheese and other specialty foods! The in-store deli offers both prepackaged and freshly cut cheese. A full list of available cheeses can be viewed online.
The Cheese House (3356 State Route 208)
Pennsylvania Macaroni Company
When you say “Pittsburgh cheese shop,” for many people, Penn Mac is the first place that jumps to mind. This legendary cheese counter is one of the best places in Pittsburgh to find all of your favorite cheeses, including both classic and hard-to-find blends. Most of the cheeses, save for those that are prepackaged, are freshly cut and weighed to order. If you’re looking for a cheese in Pittsburgh, there is nowhere better to search than Penn Mac!
Pennsylvania Macaroni Company (2010 Penn Ave)
Groceria Merante
This tiny Italian market imports many foods fresh from Italy, including cheese! If you’re looking for Italian cheese (and other unique groceries), make the trip to Groceria Merante, located on Bates Street in Oakland.
Groceria Merante (3454 Bates St)
Giant Eagle Market District
All Giant Eagle Market District locations have a top-notch Charcuterie & Cheese department that is great for picking up artisan meats, cheeses, spreads, and pâtés. Giant Eagle sources both international and local artisan products that are great for preparing meals and gifting. Scroll through their website to see some of the products offered, including: crested duck charcuterie, parma sausage company, alexian pâté, ‘nduja spicy prosciutto spread, and more!
Giant Eagle Market District (Multiple locations)
Family Farm Creameries
Family Farm Creameries is a purveyor of independent dairy products from Western PA as a way to keep consumers connected to Pennsylvania’s rich dairy heritage. The retailer offers cheeses, milk, ice creams, and specialty dairy products. They can be found at farmers markets around the city. A schedule and full list of products can be found online.
Family Farm Creameries (Various farmers markets)
Frankferd Farms
This family-owned farm and market market offers organic, local, bulk, and specialty foods. The products offered are regionally sourced, and do not have any artificial dyes, artificial flavors, or high fructose corn syrup. Frankferd also host many events in their scenic barn. This charming market is well worth the visit, as it is only 40 minutes from the city.
Frankferd Farms (717 Saxonburg Blvd)
Stamoolis Brothers Company
If you’re in the market for delicious feta cheese, head to Stamboolis Borthers in The Strip. Since 1909, Stamboolis has been offering the city of Pittsburgh fine Mediterranean foods. The cheese, in particular, is very popular item at the shop, and customers cannot get enough of their Greek Feta. They also offer cheeses imported from Cyprus, Spain and France.
Stamoolis Brothers Company (2020 Penn Ave)
– Where to Find Cheese Boards –
Meat & Cheese Boards at De Fer Coffee & Tea
Served with marcona almonds, honey, and crackers, De Fer offers several types of unique cheeses at their Strip District Cafe. Options include: young manchego, young pecorino, fresh mozzarella, fresh ricotta, five county cheddar, and mountain gorgonzola. Be sure pair your plate with a beverage from their extensive beverage program (negroni menu, anyone?)
De Fer Coffee & Tea (2002 smallman street)
Mozzarella Menu at Vallozzi’s Pittsburgh
Mozzarella bar? Yes please! The cheese menu at Vallozzi’s offers plenty of favorites like burrata and buffalo, flown to Pittsburgh from Italy.The restaurant imports true buffalo mozzarella and smoked buffalo from Campania Italy. The smoked mozzarella is smoked gently over hay, which provides a more pleasing flavor than most American counterparts, which sometimes use artificial smoke. Another must-try cheese is the Bettelmatt, which is a limited production cheese (only about 100 vats per year), from a single pasture in Piedmont. The milk can only be harvested during a specific period of 2 weeks during the year, which is why it is so limited. They also offer prosciutto tastings, salumi tastings, buffalo tastings, and a rare Tuscan olive oil tasting.
Vallozzi’s Pittsburgh (220 Fifth Ave)
Cheese Plate at Poulet Bleu
Poulet Bleu offers a curated selection of cheeses from the popular Bloomfield cheese shop, Chantal’s.
Poulet Bleu (3519 Butler St)
Cheese Tasting at Casbah
Casbah’s extensive cheese program features many fantastic cheeses including: Vermont Creamery St. Albans, Losfeld Mimolette, Uplands Farm Pleasant Ridge Reserve, and Jasper Hill Landaff.
Casbah (229 S Highland Ave)
Cheese Plate at Scratch Food & Beverage
Current cheese plate includes: st. malachi cow’s cheese, r&g goat milk camembert, mustarda.
Scratch Food & Beverage (1720 Lowrie St)
Cheese Plate at Eleven
Current cheese menu includes: Nancey’s Camembert, Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Buttermilk Bleu Affinee.
Eleven (1150 Smallman St)
Cheese Plates at Allegheny Wine Mixer
The Allegheny Wine Mixer has one of the best cheese plates in the city. Choose from a selection of cow, sheep, and goat cheese. A few of the cheeses featured include: Challerhocker, Jasper Hill Harbison, and Birchrun Hills Blue.
Allegheny Wine Mixer (5326 Butler St)
Fromage & Charcuterie at Andys
Enjoy a rotating selection of cheeses accompanied by honey combs, pickled vegetables, lavosh, and grilled bread.
Andys (510 Market St)
Cheese Plate at The Cafe at the Frick
Start your meal at The Frick and by munching on their selection of fresh, local cheeses.
The Cafe at the Frick (7227 Reynolds St)
Cheese Plate at La Riviera Bistro
Visit this trendy bistro in East Liberty to enjoy the chef’s rotating selection of French cheeses.
La Riviera Bistro (5925 Baum Blvd)
Cheese Board at Colony Café
Colony offers a selection of soft and hard cheeses, served with nuts, honey, and toasted bread.
Colony Café (1125 Penn Ave)
Cheese Platters at Threadbare Cider House
Threadbare Cider offers several types of appetizer platters, including a pickle platter, hummus plate, country pâté, and their cheese plate, which features Clover Creek Smoked Galen’s, Hidden Hills Boltonfeta, River View Dairy chèvre, Goat Rodeo Cowboy Coffee, and apple.
Threadbare Cider House (1291 Spring Garden Ave)
– Our Favorite Cheesy Dishes –
Buffalo Mac & Cheese at Bonfire Food and Drink
Bonfire Food and Drink (2100 E Carson St)
Aligot Potatoes at Poulet Bleu
Poulet Bleu (3519 Butler Street)
White Pie at Iron Born Pizza
Iron Born (Multiple Locations)
Cheese & Potato Pierogies at Cop Out Pierogies
Cop Out (350 Butler Street)
Cheese Fondue at The Melting Pot
The Melting Pot (242 W Station Square Dr)
Mac & Cheese Grilled Cheese at The Yard
The Yard (Multiple locations)
Sallie’s Snack from Wise County Biscuits
pimento cheese, fried egg, chow chow
Wise County Biscuits (Mobile pop-up)
Gnocchi Sorrentina Style in a Bread Bowl at DiAnoia’s Eatery
Potato Gnocchi, Meatballs, Red Sauce, Pecorino Romano, served “Sorrentina Style” in a bread bowl with mozzarella, pecorino romano and basil
DiAnoia’s Eatery (2549 Penn Ave)
Lemon Berry Ricotta Pancakes at Square Cafe
lemon ricotta pancakes filled w/ blueberries & topped w/ butter, powdered sugar & whipped cream
Square Cafe (1137 S Braddock Ave)
French Onion Soup at Paris 66
Paris 66 (6018 Centre Ave)
Swiss Raclette at Palazzo 1837 Ristorante
Palazzo 1837 Ristorante (1445 Washington Rd)
Industrial Size Soft Pretzel with Beer Cheese at Industry Public House
Industry Public House (Multiple locations)
What is your favorite cheese dish in Pittsburgh? We want to know – leave it in the comments below!
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