What a time to be in Victoria for cheese lovers! From a rapidly growing local raw milk cheese movement to the ever-expanding range of international artisanal cheeses, there is a lot to get excited about. And to look forward to. But where should you go to buy your cheese? Read on to discover our list of the best cheese shops in Melbourne.
SEE ALSO: Our archive of the best cheese shops around the world →
1. Maker & Monger
ASK FOR: The All American Grilled Cheese Toasted Sandwich
Located in the bustling Prahran Market, Maker & Monger is Anthony Femia’s brain child. After finishing up as Operations Manager at Spring Street Grocer (more to come on that establishment later), Anthony came up with the concept for Maker & Monger in March 2015.
Since then, the cheese shop has grown from strength to strength and its appeal is nowadays focused on two big elements. The first one is their mouth-watering range of grilled cheese toasties including the likes of their famous All American Grilled Cheese Toasted Sandwich and their brand-new Kimchi & Pumpkin Cheese Toastie.
And secondly, they have an incredible range of raw milk cheeses from around the world such as Gruyère, Comté, Lincolnshire Poacher and Montgomery Cheddar.
Prahran Market, Stall 98/163 Commercial Rd, South Yarra VIC 3141
2. RIPE Cheese
ASK FOR: Long Paddock’s Banksia Reserve
Ripe Cheese is a one-of-a-kind in Australia. Established in 2019 by Hakim Halim and his partners, Ripe Cheese is the only shop in all of Australia that only sells Australian cheese. Coming from a corporate background in marketing, Hakim and his partner launched themselves into the artisanal cheese world in 2017 at Queen Victoria Market’s Bill’s Farm.
After a very steep learning curve, they decided that they wanted to open a second shop in the iconic market. And they wanted to do something that was completely different to what all other cheese shops were doing. Indeed, Ripe Cheese’s entire range of cheese is 100% Australian-made and Hakim is a true champion of the local cheesemaking industry.
Shop 61-65, Dairy Hall Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne VIC 3000
3. Boccaccio SUPA IGA
ASK FOR: 24 months Charles Arnaud Comté
Believe me when I say that cheese counters at a supermarket do not get much better than this! Boccaccio SUPA IGA in Balwyn is so much more that a supermarket though. From the expansive charcuterie (Italian, French and Spanish among others) to their wall of artisanal pasta, this gorgeous grocer is a foodie’s dream!
And their cheese section is absolutely spectacular! Throughout their opening hours, you will find at least one cheese monger working in the section. And they will be more than happy to help with your cheese selection or even freshly cut a piece for you.
While they have a great range of both local and imported cheeses, I firmly believe that their main draw card is their selection of long matured cheeses.
1030/1038 Burke Rd, Balwyn VIC 3103
4. Cheesemonger Sophie
ASK FOR: L’Artisan Organic Marcel
Located in idyllic Healesville, Sophie Classon’s Cheesemonger Sophie is a gorgeous small specialty cheese shop. The little fromagerie (opened in 2021) in the heart of Victoria’s Yarra Valley is the culmination of all of her cheese dreams.
Indeed, Sophie’s connection with cheese goes back more than three decades. She first met Will Studd when she was 19 and started working at Calendar Cheese at 22. She also worked at Richmond Hill Cheese & Larder before moving on to a consulting and management role for cheese businesses.
At Cheesemonger Sophie, you will find a carefully curated range of local and imported artisanal cheese, with a focus on farmhouse cheeses. In addition to the cheese, you will also find a daily selection of bagels and baguettes that celebrate all things fromage!
3/222 Maroondah Hwy, Healesville VIC 3777
5. K-SEIN Fromagerie
ASK FOR: Long Paddock’s Driftwood
Pronounced like the milk protein casein, K-SEIN Fromagerie is a little cheese shop located in South Melbourne Market. Owner and monger Victor Persinette-Gautrez grew up in Menton in the south of France. His career in cheese has seen in work for Herve Mons in France and also Spring Street Grocer in Melbourne.
Victor sees himself as an ambassador of cheese makers. And he has established his shop in the traditional French model where cheese is cut to order. At K-SEIN, the cheese selection is truly eclectic and you are likely to find cheeses that you won’t see in most cheese shops in Australia. His range includes both Australian and European cheeses.
Shop 30/322-326 Coventry St, South Melbourne VIC 3205
6. Stella’s Pantry
ASK FOR: Switzerland’s Chällerhocker (be sure to get a piece with the label still attached!)
Located in the heart of Warragul in West Gippsland, Stella’s Pantry is undoubtedly a destination where you can let your culinary creativity go wild! In this beautiful regional shop, you will find an incredible array of charcuterie, gourmet pantry items and, of course, artisanal cheese from around the world.
As well as their European-style delicatessen, Stella’s Pantry also offer a range of hampers for all occasions. From pasta to chocolate, through cheese, their beautiful hampers celebrate small batch and local produce.
5/12 Victoria St, Warragul VIC 3820
7. Milk The Cow
ASK FOR: Cheese & Wine Flight
Over the last 10 years, Milk The Cow has become quite the cheese establishment in Victoria. At its two locations in bay side St Kilda and suburban Carlton, Milk The Cow is both an eat-in restaurant and a specialty cheese shop.
While you can of course have a chat with their highly-qualified cheese mongers and buy some pretty spectacular cheese, the quintessential experience at Milk The Cow is to sit down at one of their tables and order a cheese tasting board. Moreover, their curated boards come with cheese and accompaniments.
But if you want to take things to the next level, order a cheese & beverage flight.
1/157 Fitzroy St, St Kilda VIC 3182 and 323 Lygon St, Carlton VIC 3053
8. Simon Johnson Providore
ASK FOR: Tête de Moine (and the Girolle you will need to turn it into cheese flowers)
Simon Johnson Quality Foods is Australia’s leading provider of imported and home-grown gourmet foods. From the finest Ortiz Sardines to Valrhona Chocolate.
And, of course, artisanal cheese! You can find Simon Johnson Providore at five different locations throughout Australia but only one of them is in Melbourne. Located on a busy suburban street in posh Toorak, this little shop is a haven for all things gourmet.
471 Toorak Rd, Toorak VIC 3142
9. Spring Street Grocer’s Cheese Cellar
ASK FOR: Neal’s Yard Dairy Westcombe Cheddar
Featuring Australia’s first underground cheese maturation cellars, Spring Street Cheese Cellar offers a remarkable selection of Australian and imported cheeses. As well as fresh and young cheeses, you will find wheels of pressed cheeses that have been expertly matured within their cellar.
Walk into the specialty grocer from Spring Street and walk down the staircase to discover a whole new world of artisanal cheese.
Basement/157 Spring St, Melbourne VIC 3000
10. That’s Amore Cheesery
ASK FOR: That’s Amore Buffalo Mozzarella
In 2004 Giorgio Linguanti arrived on the shores of Port Phillip Bay. In only four years, this young Sicilian went from not speaking a word of English to opening his own cheese company. Drawing on his Italian heritage, Giorgio started making a range of pasta filata cheeses using local cow and buffalo milk.
While their range is available at a number of specialty shops around Australia, you can’t beat the freshness of pickup up a ball of Buffalo Mozzarella from their own cheesery in Thomastown. Indeed, That’s Amore Cheesery is a one-stop shop for artisanal cheese and gourmet groceries.
As such, you can expect to find their own Fior di Latte and Ricotta as well as an Abruzzese-style Porchetta and Christmas Panettones.
66 Latitude Blvd, Thomastown VIC 3074
Special mentions
We simply cannot talk about Melbourne cheese shops without mentioning two pioneering businesses that are unfortunately not with us anymore. Richmond Hill Café & Larder was one of the first specialty cheese shops in Melbourne and sadly closed its doors in April 2019.
And in 2022, we lost the cheese shop that would have easily been number one on this list, Harper & Blohm. With her unparalleled passion for artisanal cheese, Olivia Sutton had created a mecca of cheese at her Brunswick establishment.
But sadly, due to dwindling local foot traffic post-pandemic and the rising cost of imported cheese, Olivia and her team hung up their aprons for the final time in August 2022.
Thank you for reading our post on the best cheese shops in Melbourne, Australia. Did we forget your favourite shop? Let me know in the comments.
Jonah is a a hipster, eco-warrior and slow food afficionado. Coming from a scientific background, Jonah has a particular interest in cheese science. And yes, he loves a good cheese pun!
