12 Grocery Chains With Stand-Out Cheese Departments

The world loves cheese. Between the United States and the European Union, over 17 million metric tons of cheese were produced in 2024. The U.S. even has an underground emergency stash of cheese, which contains over a billion pounds of cheese in case of a cheese-based emergency, whatever that may be. Cheese is popular not just because it's tasty, but because there are so many different types with different textures and flavors. Unfortunately, most grocery stores just stock the basics.

Cheese is most commonly made from cow's milk, but can be made from several other animals as well, like goats and even camels. After pasteurization, specific bacteria and enzymes are added to the milk. The type of milk, type of bacteria, and type of enzymes all determine what type of cheese you're going to get. Your typical grocery store will usually sell the most popular types of cheese, like cheddar, mozzarella, and Swiss. However, there are several grocery chains in the U.S. that offer cheese departments that stand out from the rest.

Many grocery stores have a deli counter, and a few even have a dedicated cheese counter, but not many have their own cheese caves like Wegmans. The 12,300-square-foot building, located in Chili, New York, includes a dedicated room for Brie cheeses as well as seven "caves." The caves aren't actual caves, but rooms that mimic the caves used to age European cheeses. In these rooms, "green" or unripened cheese is brought to perfect ripeness thanks to the precisely calibrated climates in each room. This has allowed Wegmans to cultivate several award-winning cheeses, like the Sake 2 Me, Professor's Brie, and Full Ver-Monty.

These cheeses, and many others from across the world, are featured in the Cheese Shops within individual stores. Several of the cheeses reside inside misting cases, which provides a uniquely modified environment that maintains ideal flavor and texture. Cheese Shop team members are trained to know exactly what cheese to suggest for any occasion and help customers select the perfect cheese. Wegmans has stores in New York, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Virginia, and North Carolina.

Wegmans isn't the only chain offering knowledgeable cheese professionals — Whole Foods Market does as well. The company, now owned by Amazon, has over 500 locations across the U.S. Within those stores, you may run into one of Whole Foods' 300 Certified Cheese Professionals (CCPs). CCP is a professional certification bestowed by the American Cheese Society (ACS), which requires applicants to have work experience or education in the cheese profession and pass a knowledge exam to earn certification.

A CCP is to cheese what a sommelier is to wine. They're responsible for knowing not just what a cheese tastes like, but where it comes from, what it pairs best with, and how to serve and store it. The CCPs at Whole Foods walk customers through the store's vast selection of cheeses from all over the world. At Whole Foods, you'll find cheese made from cow, goat, sheep, and even water buffalo milk. Raw and pasteurized options are available as well. The Whole Foods CCPs will let you sample different types, cut the cheese to the size you need, and help you plan or prepare the perfect cheese tray.

The pride that Whole Foods takes in its cheese is just one of the cheese-based secrets of Whole Foods. The company also celebrates with the "12 Days of Cheese" every December and holds the Guinness World Record for the "most Parmigiano Reggiano wheels cracked simultaneously."

If you're not from the northwest U.S., you may not have heard of Stew Leonard's, which is a shame since it has been called the "Disneyland of Dairy Stores" by "The New York Times" and the "World's Largest Dairy" by "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" What started off as a state-of-the-art dairy farm in the 1920s became a dairy store that sold just eight items, all dairy products. Today, the company has eight stores and carries just 2,200 individual items. While the company has expanded to selling meat and produce items, dairy is still at the heart of what it does.

Stew Leonard's sells more than 500,000 pounds of cheese each year. Most popular is the handmade mozzarella, which is made from scratch in-store and in front of customers every day. The deli department also emphasizes award-winning "Made in the USA" cheeses alongside carefully hand-selected, time-honored international cheeses.

Hand-pulled mozzarella isn't the only thing that earned Stew Leonard's the "Disneyland of Dairy Stores" title. The company also offers family-fun features like costumed characters, scheduled entertainment, a petting zoo, and animatronics throughout its stores.

Murray's Cheese, a specialty cheese store, was founded in Greenwich Village in New York City in 1962. In 2007, the company partnered with Kroger to offer branded shops within select Kroger supermarkets, and 10 years later, Kroger outright purchased the cheese store. While there are still several stand-alone Murray's Cheese shops, most locations are within Kroger or Kroger-owned stores.

Murray's is all about honoring the time-honored tradition of cheese aging. It has its own cheese caves that have produced award-winners, like the Stockinghall Cheddar, Hudson Flower, and Buttermilk Basque. Stores and counters also feature a range of cheeses, including classics like cheddar and Gouda, cheese made from goat and sheep milk, smoked and flavored cheeses, and cheese infused with truffles for a more umami flavor.

Kroger locations with Murray's Cheese counters also provide cheese mongers to assist customers in picking out the perfect cheeses for their recipe or event. Additionally, the company offers online live virtual courses and in-person courses at select New York City locations to teach people more about all things cheese.

You may not expect a Midwest chain like Schnucks to have a stellar cheese department, but the grocer actually offers a high-quality selection of specialty cheeses. Schnucks, based in St. Louis, has stores in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. Select stores feature Specialty Cheese Shops, which offer one of the largest selections of specialty cheeses you can find anywhere.

Inside one of these cheese shops, you can discover options from soft-ripened cheese like brie and Camembert to hard cheeses like Asiago and Parmesan. Fresh cheeses like feta, mozzarella, and ricotta are also available as are variations of cheddar and blue cheese. Many of these cheeses are custom-cut and hand-wrapped in-store to preserve quality and taste.

Additionally, several of the cheese shops employ Certified Cheese Professionals and Certified Specialists of Cheese to help customers find a new personal favorite or entertaining go-to. If you want to try something truly outstanding, look for a cheese with the "Schnucks Cheese Guy" logo. These are specially approved by Schnucks cheese expert Andy DeCou, a CCP and a member of La Guilde Internationale des Fromagers.

Trader Joe's is somewhat unique on this list, as it doesn't have a specific cheese counter or anything fancy like that. Instead, you'll typically find the cheese along the back wall at Trader Joe's. The grocer doesn't have the largest selection of cheeses, but everything it does have is carefully curated for discerning customers.

The cheese you'll find at Trader Joe's is all store-brand, but being Trader Joe's, that just means it's artisan and high-quality. Within Trader Joe's cheese section, you'll find options made from sheep's milk like the Mini Basque and Authentic Greek Feta. For something super-indulgent and creamy, check out the Triple Crème Délice de Bourgogne. The Unexpected Cheddar Cheese is another favorite of TJ's customers, offering a smooth texture that's sweet, salty, and nutty. Other top cheeses at Trader Joe's include the Marinated Fresh Mozzarella and unique options like the Blueberry Vanilla Chèvre and the Chèvre with Honey.

Another store offering fresh-pulled mozzarella is Market Basket. The small chain, focusing on gourmet foods, has two locations in New Jersey. Within these family-owned stores, you'll find a cheese department full of artisanal, gourmet cheeses, many of which are made in limited quantities and sold exclusively to Market Basket. 

This includes hand-pulled mozzarella. The curd is a product of Wisconsin, the state that produces the most cheese, and is worked by hand into a delicate creamy cheese. You'll also find homemade dips and spreads in flavors like Beer Cheddar, Italian Sunset, and Florentine Spread. Both Market Basket locations employ knowledgeable cheese staff who are ready to help you select the perfect cheese and hand-cut your selection to order. With unique and limited-quality options constantly popping up on shelves, you never know what excellent cheese you're going to find on your next trip to Market Basket.

Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace is an Italian grocery store with 11 locations across New York and New Jersey. While the grocer focuses on Italian fare, it offers the same core departments as any other grocery store, including a meat department, deli counter, bakery, seafood department, and produce department. There are also a few things that set it apart: the pasta room, where customers can watch fresh pasta being made, and its expansive cheese selection.

The cheese department at Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace offers hundreds of international and domestic cheeses, all hand-selected by experts. This includes fresh mozzarella, made using a recipe from Salerno, Italy, and whole milk curd to create a fresh, silky, soft cheese. Other cheeses you'll find at Uncle Giuseppe's include Parmesan, Romano, pecorino, burrata, provolone, Gouda, and more. While so many choices can feel overwhelming, the cheese staff on hand can help you pick the perfect cheeses for your palate or platter.

Based in West Des Moines, Iowa, Hy-Vee has been operating for nearly 100 years and has stores across Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. While all locations are full-service grocery stores, some have extra offerings like fitness centers, full-service restaurants, and on-hand Certified Cheese Professionals.

Hy-Vee employs several Certified Cheese Professionals, who are stationed at specific locations across the chain. You'll find them inside Hy-Vee's Cheese Shop, and they're happy to help you find the perfect melting cheese or put together a charming charcuterie board. They can walk you through non-traditional options, like goat milk cheddar or a garlic and fine herb Gournay. Want to keep it local? That's no problem, either — the CCPs curate a quality cheese selection that includes American-based options like Vermont Creamery St. Albans or the award-winning Roth Kase Butterkase Cheese. The Hy-Vee CCPs can also help you determine what items pair best with each cheese so your dining experience goes off without a hitch.

Since 1929, Heinen's Grocery Store has been focused on providing quality products to customers. This includes over 400 hand-selected gourmet and artisan cheeses, leading "Cleveland Magazine" to give the chain the "Best Cheese Selection" designation. Heinen's has two dozen locations across Ohio and Illinois, and every store includes trained and educated cheese specialists to help you find a new favorite or create a better charcuterie board.

Hand-selected options featured in the Heinen's collection include Heinen's Imported French Brie, Gorgonzola, Wisconsin Cheddar, Vintage 9 Year Cheddar, Imported 24 Month Parmigiano Reggiano, Fondue Blend, 90 Month Aged Extra Sharp Cheddar Spread, and a line of grass-fed organic A2 cheeses. Several options even come straight from Ohio cheese producers, like Mackenzie Creamery, Mayfield Road Creamery, and Turkeyfoot Creek Creamery. Not sure what to choose? Don't worry, the cheese specialists at Heinen's know that 400 cheeses is a lot, so they let you try a sample before you make your choice.

Publix is an employee-owned supermarket chain based in Lakeland, Florida. It has over 1,000 locations across Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky. Each store has an impressive selection of cheeses within its deli, but what sets Publix apart from many other supermarket chains is the 36 Publix Deli specialty cheeses, which you'll find displayed within the Publix Deli specialty cheese case at each location.

These specialty cheeses include some of the best cheese varieties from around the world, including France, Spain, and Switzerland. Try the soft French brie, a sweet, creamy cheese with hints of mushroom. Maybe the crumbly Spanish Manchego with a caramel, nutty flavor, is more your style. Looking for a snacking cheese? Try Publix's imported Swiss Gruyère, a creamy, sweet, and salty cheese that pairs well with fruits, crackers, nuts, and bread. Through Publix, you can also wow your guests with unique charcuterie options, like the Publix blueberry vanilla goat cheese, a sweet and savory option that will leave your friends talking for years to come.

Aldi is known for being an affordable grocery — its cheese department isn't usually the first thing people think of. However, for a discount grocer, Aldi has an impressive cheese department.

A few things to know before shopping for cheese at Aldi: like Trader Joe's, Aldi doesn't have a dedicated deli counter — the cheese is typically kept along the back or side walls. Additionally, most products are from one of Aldi's in-house brands. The basic blocks and shredded cheese come from Aldi's Happy Farms brand, but the grocer also offers the Emporium Selection line, which is specifically for gourmet and artisan cheeses.

Within the Emporium Selection brand, you'll find options like cranberry cinnamon goat cheese, Irish cheddar, manchego, and Gruyère. The brand even offers specialty hand-crafted options like a roasted garlic with tomato and basil soft cheese, a pepperoni marinara semi-soft cheese, and a garden vegetable with sweet basil semi-soft cheese. If you're looking to create a stunning charcuterie board or just elevate your snacking while on a budget, Aldi is the place to visit.