Sweet baby Gouda this place is good. Quaint cheese shops like Cheese Central are hard to come by nowadays. They have a great selection of cheese, sauces, spices, beers, wines and more! Lauren was helping out when we visited and didn't hesitate to offer us a sample of anything we wanted. Once she was nailing our tastes down she was able to offer even better selections. Cheese Central also offers various classes throughout the month. If I lived in Lodi, I would certainly take advantage. Excellent Service, Quality offerings, Wide selection and decent prices, I can't honestly find a flaw. Stop on in, you will feel like you entered the village from Disney's Beauty and the Beast, very quaint and cozy. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!!! Cindy rocks! I come here often and am always filled in on the new cheeses as well as my favorites and availability! I also took her cheese 101 class with about 12 family/ friends. She is so much fun and so is the class! Will never stop coming here. read more

Excellent selection of delicious cheeses. Staff was awesome. Stopped in to use restroom ended up staying for a half hour sampling about a dozen different selections of cheese. Conversation with Laura was fun and informative and we ended up bringing home a few selections i have never seen before. read more

Good little cheese shop, workers are super friendly and attentive. Good suggestions and some samples are available. Highly recommend you come here before you start your wine tasting adventure. read more

Just love this place. The customer service is awesome. The cheese is fabulous. Highly recommend a stop here. You can even buy your cheese and go next door and enjoy it with Weibel champagne. Perfect! read more

This store is awesome - friendly folks who know their cheese, samples to taste! Boutique olives oils, vinegars, condiments.... Lovable Livable Lodi at its best! read more

We had the opportunity to taste a wide variety of cheeses and they were all delicious. We will definitely be back!

Cindy is amazing! We were planning our Son and daughter-in-laws Rehearsal dinner ,which was being held two doors up from store. We were in need of few cheese appetizers . I had dropped by earlier in the morning and had told Cindy would be back in afternoon to taste when I had my husband and daughter. We arrived to have Cindy all ready for us with sample of several types of cheese and meats, and were very knowledgeable, helpful, and passionate . I ended up purchasing the Cotswold wedge, which is their most popular It was AMAZING. So tasty very delightful. I tried several others, and they were very good as well. I learned so much about cheese in our visit there. Thank you Cindy for making our event successful. read more

Cindy was amazing! I called and left my number to call me back and #1 she did #2 she was so helpful! We called inquiring about cheese curds which they don't carry, but she was more than helpful in recommending where we can find some and also where we can order some. It may seem like something small but good customer service is extremely hard to come by these days. This company is extremely lucky to have Cindy, she was a true pleasure to talk to and she was really helpful. Next time I need a different cheese my fiance and I will most definitely be coming to this shop! read more

OUTSTANDING!!!!! Cindy and Kim are beyond helpful, friendly, and kind!!! I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to go in and learn and taste wonderful cheeses! They are very knowledge with pairing food as well as pairing with wine. Keep it up ladies!!! Your all doing an amazing job!! read more

My wife and I had the pleasure to stop by two weeks ago on a Saturday. The staff was pleasant, kind, and friendly. Moreover, the two shop members we interacted with were very knowledgeable about cheese!!! Unlike other places we have shopped in the past, they offered samples of any cheese we wanted. We went home with two full bags of cheese and other goodies. Differently a great experience, which we will be looking forward to again soon. read more

Love this place! Reminds me of the Cheese Board in Berkeley but smaller. Friendly lady when I went in and she let us sample the cheese. Definitely coming back here! read more

We made a special trip to Lodi just to try this place out and it was well worth the trip. We sidled up to the cheese counter and had to wait a bit. they seem to draw quite a crowd, probably due to the tasting rooms nearby. Karen, our cheese monger, told us she would be right with us. She started out by asking what kind of cheese we liked. My friend was interested in blue cheese and I was interested in cheddars to start. We ended up tasting several of each, as well as a lovely French cheese (Vacherousse D'Argental) she recommended when I said I like La Tur, and a nice Camembert she recommended when my friend expressed a love for "funky" cheese. Other standouts included Fiscalini (a bandaged-wrapped raw-milk cheddar from nearby Modesto), 2016 Rogue River (a grape-vine wrapped creamy blue with a nutty bite), and the Roaring 40"s blue my friend loves so much. All the blues went especially well with the cranberry and walnut rainforest crisps that Karen recommended. we both ended up taking cheese home. We didn't try the cured meats or olives, but they have those two. As well as honey, chocolate, preserves, and dried fruits that pair well with cheese. the ladies running the store were both knowledgeable an pleasant. The store itself was bright and clean. Recommended. read more

Found this little gem when I was walking around downtown Lodi! I love cheese and this place had so many to pick from. The girl who helped me was very knowledgeable about the cheeses I sampled and very sweet. Prices are pretty good as well. Will definitely come back to buy more cheese! read more

Love this charming Lodi gourmet cheese shop. Cindy & her crew are the best, customer service is always excellent. They offer so many services and add so much to the downtown; catering, private parties, classes and so much more. A real Lodi gem! read more

If you like cheese, like I like cheese.. stop here. I promise, you stop once and you'll definately find something to bring you back. Everyones so friendly and helpful, but the cheese sells it.. awesome read more

Me and my husband went to Cheese Central on a recommendation from my neighbor. I had the most wonderful experience! The staff was very friendly, I loved having the opportunity to test everything, the cheese and meats were absolutely delicious, they have a non-alcoholic wine based soda that is one of the best things I've ever tasted. I will DEFINITELY be going back. So happy that I went. read more

I absolutely love this shop. We have so many favorites that they're hard to list and Cindy and Karen are my two favorite people in that shop. They are friendly and kind and I love stopping in for a quick taste of something new when I'm downtown. Thank you Cheese Central for coming to Lodi. We needed you! read more

This is my favorite place to visit when I go to Lodi. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and you can sample the cheese before you buy.

Lots of options!! Friendly staff more than willing to let you taste anything that you want that's open.. If you LoVE cheese then this the place read more

This is an amazing place! They have a huge variety of cheeses from all over the world and a knowledgeable staff that is so helpful. They can help you pair your cheese with wine or some other beverage and I have had them assist me with finding the right cheese to go into a dish that I was making. Today, it was an 18-month aged gouda and a Bucherondin from France. Love this cheese shop. read more

Ashley was our server - very knowledgable and sweet. Their cheeses were great - a large variety and very flavorful. We ended up with four kinds - a deliciously creamy blue cheese, a crystalline sheep cheese, a goat brie and a truffle tremor that were all perfect. Good service, good value, it's a must every time you are in Lodi especially if you're there for wine tasting. They provide you with a picnic pack and the wineries accept the cheese so it's perfect! read more

This is a must stop for us whenever we go to Lodi. The cheese selection is AMAZING! The customer service is great! We look for Karen whenever we go as she is fabulous but we haven't had a bad experience regardless of who helps us. We don't ever leave empty handed either. I was a strict mild cheddar gal until Karen took on the challenge of introducing me to other cheeses that she was sure I would like. She was successful! We took family members there and a couple of them are lactose intolerant. Once again Karen knew her stuff and introduced cheeses to them that they could eat without any problems. They were very happy as well! Stop in and check it out! Also let them know if you are going wine tasting after visiting them. read more

Cheese Central is a seriously amazing place with the most amazing selection of cheeses, seriously! The employee behind the counter even said, "We want you to taste it and love it before you buy it." That is excellent customer service and I appreciate their commitment to the customer experience. read more

We love Cheese Central! We were in downtown Lodi, and found this fabulous shop. The cheeses are fabulous, and my husband liked the beer he purchased too. Great friendly people running the shop too. I highly recommend this little shop. It is worth a trip to Lodi! read more

This is a seriously cool shop. I love all the different cheeses they have. They will let you try anything. I LOVE the 3 1/3 year old cheddar. It has a nice strong cheddar flavor, bit is still amazingly creamy. I usually just cut it into small chunks, and my whole family eats it by itself. Staff is usually very friendly. Definitely, a great stop when wine tasting in the area. read more

Fantastic little cheese shop with so many different types of cheese. The staff here is very friendly and even let you sample the different cheeses if you're not sure what you want. I've found so many delicious new cheeses that I didn't even know existed before. LOVE their Big John's 14-month aged white cheddar with Cajun rub, morel & leek jack, Red Dragon English cheddar with mustard & ale, and the Prairie Breeze white cheddar (just to name a few). Mmmmmmmm! read more

The owner is soooooooooooo nice! She helped me find chessecloth. Like called around town to find out what store it was at and what isle it was in. Plus, she even got the name of the person who she spoke too. The have great local olive oils, so good and fresh and yummy. The cheesee......fantastic. I love this place. Period. read more

Angel was both helpful and friendly, This is multi-use space that sells wonderful cheeses, a revolving beer and wine selection, some very nice olive oils, and various vinegars. To add to the usefulness of this quaint little cheese shop nestled in the heart of downtown Lodi, classes on a myriad of culinariesque subjects. Wonderful place this. Cannot wait to come back. read more

This place is amazing with pretty great staff. They even carry my favorite cheese, coastal cheddar. If have any questions, the staff is always willing to answer. I only took one star off because we stopped in yesterday and Elsa was extremely rude and even rolled her eyes at us at one point. Talked to the gentleman up front and was told she was new, hopefully she gets it together soon. read more

My experience with the staff was nothing more than amazing. I was looking for smoked blue, which is hard to find, but the hostess behind the counter had her stuff down. She knew exactly what brand they had in stock and how much. Very accommodating if you want to sample. I paid just what I thought I would pay for my beloved smokey bleu. read more

I can't even tell you how many times I have been there, and I still find a new and different cheese to try. It is impossible to say what my favorite is, as I seem to find that perfect one every time I go. There are not many stores that will let you taste just about anything they carry, and be happy about doing it. Oh, and don't forget the olives - Yum I don't think I ever leave downtown without cheese! Cindy and her team are the best!!!! read more

Keep an eye out for fun classes offered at Cheese Central.... Just went to a wine and cheese pairing class. Plenty of wine and cheese sampling, wonderful information by 3 experts from the cheese, food and wine industries. Ummmm....now that gingerbread house class coming up sounds fantastic.! read more

If I could give 10 stars I would. I just absolutely love this place. Everyone I have encountered here has been so helpful and friendly, and I love the fact that you can sample and order as much or as little as you'd like. I love the mouse trap. I love the ideas they give you for recipes. I love the suggestions they provide based on your preferences. I basically love it all. Mostly, I admire that they love to get to know their customers and help them in their culinary journey at any level which makes me want to support them as not only a business, but as people. They are good people over at Cheese Central, but I cannot say I am surprised, because aren't cheese people always good people? read more

I go here every time i'm in town, Always to straight to the back to try new cheese. Ashley Is a very nice lady, she always asks what we prefer. I don't like goat cheese, or blue, but I bought some really nice creamy Swiss and yellow cheese with some herbs. Yummy!!! Thank you Ashley for always being a good sport at helping me learn more about cheese. read more

Our favorite shop in downtown Lodi. The staff is knowledgable and friendly. The cheese is to die for!! we highly recommend!

Karen was so helpful! I was never into cheese until I walked into this place. Now I'm a fan thanks to Karen and her knowledge and letting me sample so many different kinds read more

I have to say being a regular and a local in this town, the owner is such a sweetheart! Abundance in love and in cheeses. They also have sampler (or I believe) some complimentary oils and breads right when you walk in the door. Their cheeses are excellent! And fairly priced, for they are cheese, you can't argue with the bargain. read more

I have made three visits to Cheese Central while wine tasting in Lodi, CA. My first two visits were nice, even though the place gets packed on holidays and weekends with cheese tasters, they have 2 small display coolers so there is not very much room and it is just too hard to do any real tasting if they are busy. Our third visit last weekend was horrible. I t was a holiday weekend and there were two people working in the shop, one on the register and one at the counter with a trainee badge (this is a Friday Jan 2). There was a group tasting xheese so we patiently waited and waited for the trainee to help those already there. After she got to us we were treated so shabby I could not believe it. The young lady was rude and every time we asked to taste something she said it was reserve and was not for tasting. I am very patient and understanding, besides I have been to Cheese Central on two other occasions and had great service. I was totally shocked at the horrific attitude this trainee exhibited-she was outwardly hostile. I mentioned this to the person working the cash register and she told me she was the owners daughter and could not do anything about it, that it was her mother's store. I was also curious why did'nt the young lady on the register help out at the counter? I called and complained and the owner returned my call and said she was sorry for our experience and the young woman was a trainee. I did not want her to grovel, but I felt that the apology was pretty lame. I have worked retail in the past and I understand good customer service-basically, the McDonalds philosophy of the #1 rule is "the customer is always right" and Rule #2 is "see Rule #1". Like I said, I like Cheese Central but the customer service on this day was terrible, it was a holiday weekend, there were only two people in the store with one only working the register. We had talked this place up so much it was very disappointing to treated in such a way. There were people who wanted to spend some money on cheese and crackers, etc. but we just left the store after the horrible customer service. Additionally, the trainee knew nothing about the cheese, the type, the manufacture, etc. I recommend if you go to Cheese Central call first and see how many people are working that day, they were woefully understaffed for a holiday weekend and the staffing they did have had little or no knowledge of customer service or cheese. If it is a holiday weekend be ready to be cramped and waiting-patience is a virtue. I know Lodi is the next Napa and Cheese Central has the opportunity to become a thriving business, but they have to rise to the occasion I would normally give 3 (A-ok) , but the bad attitude and cramped tasting room knocks it down a star. read more

One of my favorite cheese shops ever! They offer of course varieties of different cheeses and will help you pick out one that they think will be to your liking depending on what your taste is. They allow taste samples too. The customer service is always great here. They offer other items as well such as crackers to make a picnic if you're going wine tasting. They will supply utensils for you as well. I would highly recommend anyone to stop by here to get items to make a cheese board for wine tasting. read more