Gouda cheese and the innovation on cheese is fantastic. I tried some of the most unique flavours there. I love how iti s family owned and the passion they carry for curated cheese and customers! They want you to really try and like without any push. Got 4 cheeses when I had no particular plan buy. They make you feel welcome and excited about the cheeses ! read more

Cheese Secrets - The witty board!! - Specialty Food Near Me - Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

Love this little cheese shop, a block off the main thoroughfare of Niagara-On-The-Lake! This was our second time stopping in and our first time eating there. We loved perusing all the specialty cheeses and chatting with the employees. We ordered the classic grilled cheese with the house blend of 7 cheeses ( 7 CHEESES!) and it was glorious. We also had some specialty sodas and ate at the bar so we could converse and listen to all the folks checking out different cheeses. Everyone there is so knowledgeable and excited to share what they know. We will come back next time we are in town, and would love to have them help us curate a charcuterie board! read more

See all

If you love cheese, this is the place for you. There are many cheeses from around the world plus a grilled cheese and cappuccino station. There are also many gourmet items for sale in the store. The staff is all very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. They offer free samples of all the cheeses you're interested in. I had the seven cheese grilled cheese sandwich, and it was simply amazing. read more

See all

Cheese Secrets has a variety of cheese selections, jams, and gift items. But there's also a secret: Get the gourmet grilled cheese sandwich! The grilled cheese is the only thing they make, but it's definitely something to try! Though the sandwich was super simplistic, it was super duper yummy. The cheese spilling out of the sandwich made for a nice crisp edge. The gourmet cheese (I'm unsure of the cheese mixture from the shop) was gooey and warm in-between whole grain slices. It appears that those are the only ingredients. Though the sandwich was stellar and mouth watering, the price point of $12.99 (Canadian) wasn't too stellar. I mean. It is only a cheese sandwich. The photo I have with this review is one sandwich cut in half for us to share. The store was small ish and cozy. The staff were super friendly and nice. The inventory was cute to check out. read more

Cheese Secrets - One gourmet grilled cheese sandwich cut in half. - Specialty Food Near Me - Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

This is the best grilled cheese sandwich I've ordered from a restaurant. I also never order grilled cheese sandwiches from restaurants. This place is also not really a restaurant as much as it's more of a shop and sandwich place. After learning the secrets to amazing grilled cheese, I've pretty much manage of imitate it pretty well at home. Use a lot of butter and mayo. I think this shop is cute and worth exploring. The sandwich was simple and it took some time but it was worth it. Even the bread tasted good. For $13, it was a little pricey but I think it's worth trying. The two people in the shop were super friendly. Would I come here again? Yes. There are lots of cute shops around this area and this is one of them. read more

We stopped here while in Niagara on the lake. Large variety and very yummy cheese! Cori was working and she was so friendly and welcoming. Would recommend stopping in! read more

Great variety of different and amazing cheeses. Friendly, kind, and knowledgeable staff.

Absolutely sensational. For its modest size it punches way above its weight. The selection and breadth of cheese is impressive, both in terms of source and quality, which reflects serious curatorial knowledge and expertise. The staff is incredibly helpful and cheerful. It's just so fun being there; I felt like a kid in a candy shop (only better). If you're a cheese lover as I am, just looking at a gorgeous wheel of cloth-covered cheddar can elicit goose bumps. And if you aren't a cheese-lover, you should be (you'll be so glad you did), and this is a great place to start! read more

it's an adorable little cheese shop with quirky , friendly, and knowledgeable people running it. So... we were staying by the Niagara Falls but being cheese-heads, we had to look up a specialty cheese shop where we can get our hands on tasty UN-pasteurized cheese that they don't have in the states. We found this shop a little ways away but by the pics and reviews, decided to make the trip. Parking seemed like it could get dicey in that area but luckily there's a parking lot right at the corner. We were welcomed warmly and asked if we needed help with anything. We told him our plight of not having unpasteurized cheeses, he quickly offered us samples of some tasty imported cheeses. We met also, a quirky lady that was super knowledgable and talked to us about the different cheeses we were thinking about purchasing. They also offered us a cooler bag with ice and even vacuum sealed some of the cheeses for easy transport. Well, $100 later, and we left with some exciting cheeses and very happy! Totally worth the drive for fellow cheese heads! read more

Cheese secrets was absolutely incredible and the staff were so generous and helpful and we had the most amazing time!! I can't recommend enough!! I would spend every cent I ever have here!! read more

Cheese Secrets - Our charcuterie plate!! - Specialty Food Near Me - Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

Lovely little shop for cheese, crackers, drinks to take on a picnic in the park along the river.

Wow !!! Who knew you could go cheese tasting ? I got really lucky parking in front of this place in Niagara Falls on the lake. a small town that takes you back in time really it does ! From the owner and all his employees a big thank you for giving my wife and I such a great cheese experience. Not only do we sample about nine cheeses that we've never tasted before. They were all delicious. We had the ultimate grilled cheese sandwich with six different types of cheeses in it called the hinge it was out of this world talk about a warm welcoming for out of town people you've got to go here and try this place. It is truly amazing. We even went the next day to a food show. They were doing at the Falls view casino on Thursdays. They had their famous lobster mac & cheese, and let me tell you it was a home run thank you secrets you are the best. read more

What a gem! This specialized cheese shop offers cheeses from around the world but I especially love that they showcase a wide selection of local Ontario and domestic cheeses. There's also a small selection of cured meats as well as various jams/crackers/etc. for sale, making this the perfect pit stop before a picnic or for grabbing ingredients to make a charcuterie board. I actually came to Cheese Secrets for a more unique occasion: a private cheese tasting event for a bachelorette. It's not your typical bachelorette activity, but we had a cheese-loving bride and knew this was an absolute "must-do" for our Niagara trip. It ended up being one of the most memorable highlights of the weekend! Shoutout to Peggy, who led our cheese tasting and who was so knowledgeable, patient and generous throughout the event. You can tell how passionate she is about cheese and how she wanted to spread that love as well. Every cheese offered was excellent - my favorites being the more unqiue types like lavender gouda (actually purple in color!), truffle gouda, and merlot soaked cheddar-parmesan. Honestly though, I enjoyed every cheese that we tried, and Peggy had fantastic recommendations for every type that we were interested in. The bride was very happy and nearly everyone from the bachelorette bought something to bring home! Truly had a wonderful experience here and wish nothing but the best for this business. Hoping to come back next time I'm in Niagara! read more

See all

We had an amazing experience with Ralph at cheese secrets. He was super friendly and inviting and provided us samples of different cheeses that he loved. He gave us ideas on how to use each cheese based off what he's made in the past. We ended up purchasing a small amount of three different cheeses to enjoy with ice wine back at our hotel. We wish our home back in the states was closer because every cheese we tried was amazing. read more

We walked in the door and we were greeted with a big friendly hello! The owner was super friendly too, he made us the best grilled cheese sandwich I've ever eaten! Lots of fun to shop here, great cheese jokes too! read more

Awesome place - delicious cheese assortment- awesome gifts and delicious food. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable.

One thing that I noticed while vacationing in Niagara-on-the-Lake were the picnicing people. There were picnic people everywhere, sitting at the park, with bottles of wine or beer, enjoying the weather, company of loved ones and of course delicious treats. Of course, all the other picnic people made ME want to me a picnic person too, and while on vacation why NOT be a "ween" picnic person {translation: wine and cheese}. Thus, a stop in at Cheese Secrets was mandatory to pick-up all the picnic supply needs. I highly recommend taking the time to stop in at Cheese Secrets and the LCBO (liquor/wine/beer store) for the perfect picnic. Cheese Secrets has all your picnic needs: cheese (obvious), meats/charcuterie, preserves, pickled jams and baguettes/crackers. Throw in some fresh fruit from one of the local side-street markets on the way into town and you're set. Simcoe Park makes for the perfect spot to set up your picnic, or of course the Lake-front park down the street. I highly recommend the sweet pepper relish and fig jam as well as the caramelized onion cheddar, blue cheese and a brie cheese. Grab some baguettes and you'll have yourself a party in no time. On top of the delicious treats, the staff at Cheese Secrets are incredibly friendly and helpful. They are true cheese artisans and can truly help you for any ween picnic needs! read more

Cheese Secrets - Store front. - Specialty Food Near Me - Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

Amazing server, who was very accommodating to me and the kids. Also the best grilled cheese ever. Thank you!

Went here for some Le Douanier cheese and walked out with multiple blocks of cheese. What a treat this place is! Super knowledgeable and friendly staff. I didn't catch the gentleman's name but boy did he hand out sample after sample like there was no tomorrow. I never asked to try any but he kept giving me samples and I ended up having over 20 samples, not kidding! I loved the mango and ginger cheese, so tasty! There is a chocolate flavored cheese that is so smooth it tasted like a chocolate cheesecake. I got a nice smoked gouda and about 8 other chunks of amazing cheese! I also got a really flavorful oil to spread on one of the milder cheeses I bought. This place is amazing and for cheese lovers it is a must visit! The cost adds up quickly but quality over quantity and I love supporting small businesses. Make sure to stop by even to sample some of their amazing local and regional cheeses! read more

What a charming cheese shop in the Niagara region. We tasted the blue cheese and the maple cheese and left with a little bit of both. They have cheeses from all over Canada, and the world. Be prepared to be wowed with a tantalizing array of flavours. read more

Excellent service from an informed, friendly staff. They have both local and imported meats and cheeses.

Xavier was AMAZING! Left the store within new perspective on blue cheese and a wonderful and wide selection! Recommend to cheese lovers of all levels! read more

This is a quaint little shop just off of the main street. We were putting together a picnic lunch and wanted to stop in here and pick up some cheeses. I was really impressed with the varieties they offered. The fact that many of them were local cheese was even better. I practically fainted when I saw that Cheese Secrets had "Red Dragon" cheese. Definitely my favorite. They staff were friendly and knowledgeable about their product and allowed tasting. My criticism is that all of that cheese added up very quickly. I had a bit of shell shock at the register when I saw my total. Thanks Cheese Secrets. I'll return next time I'm in town. read more

A wonderful little gem of a store, off the beaten path, with an excellent selection of cheeses - felt like a kid in a candy store :) You can taste anything and everything, and there's a bit of a Christmasy feel to the place (could have something to do with a Christmas movie being shot outside, during my visit). It was really hard to walk away not having bought half the store, but I seriously intend to make it a habit to swing by, every time we are in the Niagara region. read more

Must go and check out this spot! The cheese was delicious! The guy working there was so friendly, gave us plenty of cheese samples and made the visit a great experience. We bought a few wedges of cheese, some meat and fresh bread and made a charcuterie board back at the vrbo. Must stop in and have some cheese!! read more

Excellent customer service! We had a little lunch here before heading to some local shops. The selection of cheese was wonderful and our sandwiches and soup hit the spot! Would absolutely recommend! read more

Admittedly, there is a limited selection, but would you rather choose from hundreds of mediocre cheeses or a few really good ones? The owners, Eugene and Colleen Johnson, are cheese enthusiasts and it really shows. I really enoy their focus on Canadian/locally produced artisanal cheeses and cured meats. We choose the LeSoeur Angele and the Douanier, both of which were products of Quebec. They were both great with baguette... read more

I'll be honest - I expected more from an artisan cheese shop that Bon Appetit deemed interesting enough to list in their profile of Niagara-on-the-Lake (June 2009 issue). I think I'm also quite spoiled from having access to the cheese counters at Zingerman's (Ann Arbor, MI), Cheesetique (Alexandria, VA), and Cowgirl Creamery (Washington, DC) over the last few years. So take my review with those grains of salt. I was excited to try raw milk cheeses, as we have extremely limited access to them in the States. I was also interested in learning more about Canadian cheeses, as we don't tend to get many of them where we live either. And I guess I expect that purveyors of artisanal products will be knowledgeable about said products and interested in selling hungry customers on their merits. Unfortunately, the cheesemongers at Cheese Secrets didn't seem particularly interested in talking to us about their wares, though they did offer samples when requested. When we asked about the cheeses we were sampling, we were told the names of the cheese. We can read the labels, thanks. This was our first trip to the Niagara region, so I really can't say how Cheese Secrets compares with other cheese shops in the area. Their prices seemed expensive compared with the other cheese shops I've mentioned - and those are in major US metro areas (or are just known for their high prices). We tried a few things we liked, but left without buying anything, and wouldn't go out of our way to visit again. read more

I can't say enough good things about this shop. I should have asked for the name of the lovely lady that served us. She was so knowledgeable and friendly. She recommend a goat cheese called Gray Owl that was absolutely delicious. I have really never tasted anything quite so good. I will definitely visit this shop every time I am in the area. read more

love love love cheese! The world needs more cheese stores! I loved the variety of unique Canadian cheeses and the clerks seemed quite knowledgeable and shared their opinions and offered suggestions. I did not know one could taste until I saw others doing it and invited myself into it. (They might do a better job of letting all who enter know--it is what made the sale for me.) I loved the douanier, a soft cheese split by a row of vegetable ash--with morning milk cheese on the top and afternoon milk cheese on the bottom. Anyone who knows cheese knows it's expensive so am surprised at some comments on YELP. They don't sell smaller than 100km and I would've liked 50 km of several so they did lose money on me by this practice. I would've loved to bring some syrups or marmalades home but there were no tastes in a 3.4 oz jar or smaller for carry-on. They had many lovely cheese-related items from containers to serving utensils. Their high quality fresh local artisanal cheeses were the calling card. It was a delightful store and fun learning lesson. read more

This little cheese shop is off the main drag and is worth seeking out. They have a small selection of high quality cheeses and will offer samples if you're curious about a particular one. I sampled the Douanier, which was a bit mild for me but would be great on bread or a sandwich. I ended up purchasing a Scottish whisky cheddar which is nice and sharp just how I like it. read more

Cheese Secrets - So much cheese! - Specialty Food Near Me - Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

If you love cheese you'll love it here. Incredible selection with very friendly and knowledgeable owners! They gave us tastes and suggestions about everything we were looking for as well as portion suggestions. They do also have a selection of charcuterie meats and often have cheese based kitchenwares as well (boards, raclette sets etc). Absolutely in love, will definitely visit again! read more

So I've lived in the NOTL area for over 25 yrs....how did we miss this place!! The owners and staff are friendly and knowledgeable! Great cheeses!! If you want something for an impromptu picnic this is the place to go!! Gonna be heading back next week to try more cheeses!! Cheers!! read more

Had an amazing cheese experience today. Can't wait to share all our new cheese with our family. Especially the black lemon. Thanks so much.

Absolutely worth the stop with great service and an amazing selection of cheese. It is the best little shop in the entire town.

Love this shop, helped our tour group on our only free night in Niagara and sold us yummy cheese bread and honey!! Thank you for advice Cheese Secrets xx read more

Cheese Secrets - Specialty Food Near Me - Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

There are really no good places to get cheese anywhere around this area in Canada. Cheese Secrets has knowledgeable staff who let you taste anything before you buy. They are not pushy and have some pretty good cheese. Compared to other cheese shops, it's not the best. Their selection is limited, but then again, they are the only shop in the area so I will take what I can get. read more

My partner and I were very excited to visit this shop, as both of us love and appreciate well crafted cheese. We searched out this shop and found it just off the Main Street of town. I was impressed to see such a variety of cheeses and products, however I was very surprised to receive such terrible customer service from the woman working there. When inquiring about the quality of their dairy the woman glared at me and clearly didn't understand what I was asking. I simply explained to her what I was curious about and she immediately became defensive. Being an animal advocate, I only support farms that treat their animals humanely. I appreciate and search out grass fed, organic dairy products and was hoping the woman could shed some light on the dairy farms they do business with. It was clear how annoyed she was as she asked what cheese I was inquiring about, as they all come from different sources. In an effort to get a clearer picture of the background of their cheeses, I clarified a cheese I had my eyes on. She placed the cheese on the counter, told me the name of the farm and continued to glare at me without giving me any further information. It's as if she expected me to research the farm on my own time. If your looking for a friendly or informative interaction, this is not the place for you. read more