An exclusive cheese shop with abundance of unique pantry staples and crackers and sauces offering a limited soup n sandwich menu Sandwich we tried was the #1 beat seller Newton on sourdough- it was a new take on the grilled cheese with the addition of caramelized onions and crisp apples The sandwich was delicious to my liking . May not be everyone's favorite as it is not your classic grilled cheese . The 5 year cheddar cheese that we tasted was awesome . Other unique crackers , mustards jams and spread were amazing to look at but quite expensive. I may be able to buy some of these at. Slower price at Whole Foods or other specialty stores. They staff was vey friendly and quick in making our sandwich. It a tight space with more room for all the items on display and limited space for customers. You can definitely try this place for their grilled cheese and soup and other little finds if your are willing to splurge read more

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Husband and I both ordered combo which is half a sandwich and small mac & cheese. I will say the mac & cheese was ok, needed some salt, pepper, to me it was bland or maybe add some sharp cheddar. It's a cheese shop, possibilities are endless. He had a ham and brie and I had brie and fig jam. Sandwiches were kind of small for the price. Drinks are expensive. But I guess considering the area, maybe it's not. Employee who first greeted us was very friendly and answered questions we had. Service was pretty quick although if you are paying by card, you have to pay at a kiosk outside and can only pay cash inside unless you are buying cheese or meats or anything else from the store. Not sure why you can't order food inside. Place was cute although very small. read more

Talk about bang for your buck! The food here is superb, excellent, and so affordable! I ordered their half turkey club (no cheese) and a half salad combo for $9. I don't like cheese and usually sandwiches like that come with toasted bread but never as a panini. This panini sandwich style and flavor was TOO GOOD! The salad was topped with dry fruit and nuts - couldn't believe the quality of food with the price. This place does not have seating but there's a park right across with ample of seating. Folks here were super helpful and polite - you can even buy cheese and meat like a regular deli. read more

Olsson's Fine Foods - 1/2 Sandwich and Sm Salad - Cheese Shops Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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Update: took off 2 stars due to a rather unpleasant experience today (3:20 PM on Jan. 12, 2025 if the business owner is present on Yelp and would like to address this issue with the employee in question). After ordering inside the store, I requested to pay with points (University students receive points that they may use to pay for food at participating locations, one of which is Olsson's.) Unfortunately, the machine that scans student ID cards for points was down at the moment. While that would have been fine and I would have simply cancelled my order, the young woman employee approached this very rudely. She was visibly confrontational when I politely asked if the machine was connected/on (I asked since the scanner was not lit up as usual when she told me to scan my card), and she blamed the issue on me/my student ID card multiple times (e.g. when she heard me tell my friend "I think the machine isn't working," she immediately snapped back "no your ID isn't working"). I found her passive-aggressive maner at expressing her frustration with the system very unwelcoming and she created a hostile atmosphere inside that made the entire situation very awkward and uncomfortable. This was horrible service, especially compared to the previously wonderful experiences I've had here, and I hope this issue of customer service is resolved soon. read more

Olsson's Fine Foods - Fig jam and brie baguette - Cheese Shops Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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If it were possible many eateries in Princeton would gladly charge you for the air you breath while some, like Olsson's, just want to take your breath away. Exquisite handcrafted sandwiches and homemade cheeses will have you floating away on a ribbon of olfactory bliss. Grilled cheese and tomato soup doesn't get much better all at a price that will leave the dead presidents in your pocket smiling. I'm late to the party here but I'm glad I made it. Five very easy stars. read more

Less than one star. I found my experience abominable. I'm disappointed because it looks warm and hospitable. No greeting. Server spoke so fast it was unintelligible. She got my order wrong. The food (a sandwich and Mac and cheese was inedible. I ordered soup! Rude was not the word but hospitable was the word. I threw my 21 lunch out. Every question I asked was barely answered. Terrible. read more

NEWTON! Dropped in for what's called a Newton on the menu board; a melted cheddar cheese, sliced apple, carmelized onion on your choice of bread. The fruit slices were crisp and fresh, the carmelized onions were sweet and oniony. There were several options for bread, I think there was a baquette, rye and sourdough, the latter is what I went with. It was a pretty good option for a satisfying quick bite. At about $8, it kept my hunger at bay until dinner. Olsson's is a nice small shop, there's room for a handful of people to sit in and a few seats in front of the store outside. I'm not sure if they have a greater variety of cheeses hidden in the back but it seems like they have a nice mix of cheeses in the show case. They also have various crackers and sideshows(fruity spreads/dips) for a cheese board if you wanted to make your own. I'd trust these folks to recommend options for a dinner party cheese board. Reading about the cheese making classes, I'm curious enough to revisit to check that out as well. read more

Olsson's Fine Foods - Melted Cheddar Cheese with sliced apples and carmelized onions on sourdough. Yum! - Cheese Shops Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Okay, not an exaggeration but this place has the most delicious grilled cheese and tomato soup! It was a blustery rainy day, starved for sustenance after touring the university, wearing a non-waterproof jacket, sneakers soaked through and fingers almost frozen. After the tour--ran to the car and drove into town. Luck was on our side cause we spotted Olsson's. By now I was damp, but warmed through and starved. Almost ate an entire bag of chips waiting for the order, just a wee bit long but totally worth it, side note: I'm impatient when it comes to food. There's nothing like a perfectly grilled cheese sandwich with a delectable creamy tomato soup to dip into. Really hit the spot! As if it couldn't get better, they happened to be serving free chocolate truffles---the stars were aligned! read more

A friend recommended the Brie and Fig sandwich, and I am sooo happy to say it was amazing. If I lived in the area, I would come here all the time. I love that the sandwiches come with cornichons--it's a great combination of flavors. There's a pretty good selection of different sandwiches, and the Yin Yang sandwich also sounded delicious. I love that mine was toasted so the brie was warm and soft. It's a great light lunch to pick up, and if you can grab a seat at a picnic table in the square, you have yourself a lovely dining spot! read more

Got their Mac & Cheese, tomato soup, and salad. Their tomato soup really hits the spot on a rainy day. Their Mac & cheese is a little under salted but their cheese combination and use of shell pasta is really nice. Their salad is also delicious, as it comes with nuts, candied fruit and a delicious dressing. Princeton has more to offer than most of Jersey, but even then it's difficult to find a place that does their food really well. Olsson's does cheese really well, and as their name states, their food sure is fine! I'll be coming back whenever I'm craving a cheesy lunch or I'm needing some comfort food read more

I took this up to 5 stars because the service was super duper pleasant, accommodating, and friendly! We stopped by on a beautiful Sunday afternoon and ordered a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches, while my 7 year old ordered a cheese quesadilla, which isn't on the formal menu, but they were able to accommodate her request. The icing on the cake was when she was asked if she wanted to have half while she waited for the rest of our order to be complete. For a mom, that was really super awesome!! They have a great selection of cheeses and other gourmet items for purchase. I took home a grilled cheese with caramelized onion on multigrain that was out of this world good. Nice treat that I actually couldn't wait to eat at home, so it made for a very nice drive back home. read more

Came here on a hot Saturday afternoon during the pandemic to grab some lunch and was pretty happy with the end result. First, ordering was done outside (because of the pandemic) and we had to wait in line for a bit. Not a huge deal, but our food also took a while (15-20 minutes) despite there only being a few people ahead of us in line. The situation was definitely exacerbated by the temperature being in the mid 80's, but our sandwiches were clearly fresh, and I guess fine food takes a while to prepare :) I got the Delight Me Baguette while my wife got the BLTC. My baguette wasn't huge, but it was affordable and quite rich, so it was surprisingly filling. My wife really liked her BLTC and gave it two big thumbs up. Overall, I can definitely see us coming back to Olsson's to get some more grub. read more

bottom line upfront, online ordering system, I do not recommend at all, order was not ready when it said it was. cheese sandwich tasted great, i do wish there was more substance to the sandwich, I had a quarter pickle on each side and the cheese was gooey and delicious, But there was a lot of bread without any meat, cheese, mustard, pick. I came on a Saturday, used their online ordering system, which was a tablet located outside of the store. It's seems convenient that when you place your order , it texts you when it's ready for pickup. i placed an order at 2:09 PM for a sandwich with pickles ham and cheese. at 2:22 I got a message saying "staff confirmed your order is ready for pick up", I arrived at 2:30 ready for my pick up. Staff said it was NOT ready and it will be soon. 2:38 it was ready. I like that I could order my sandwich through their tablet versus using my phone or walking into a small store during busy hours but their online system needs a fix so the pickup confirmation doesn't come out prematurely. read more

Used to be good, but when portions shrink while prices remain the same... one should question value. I got a 1/2 size sandwich this time around and somewhat bland. Plenty of other places you could spend $10 for a decent sandwich ;) read more

Olsson's is the greatest little shop, with a nice selection of cheeses and cheese-related items and accompaniments, super super friendly and knowledgeable staff, and delicious sandwiches and tomato soup. The volume of items that they carry isn't that high but it's all been carefully and intentionally selected; each item has a little sign with a picture of a mouse and a helpful description written by an employee (my current favorite is the one for the Torres truffle potato chips); the descriptions for cheese also list suggestions for pairings. They also offer cheese-making classes and have a cheese of the month club, and there's a small basket of under $5 smaller pieces of cheese next to the register. I've mostly gotten sandwiches here, which are pretty tasty but not ideal as a meal option, mainly due to the bread and price-to-fullness ratio. There are also some baked goods from Featherstone Foods in the Bronx. The grilled cheeses and baguettes they here are $7.50 each (there's a $10 credit card minimum). They're pricey and not super filling, but the fillings are high quality and the combinations are very thoughtful. I usually get a baguette; they're lighter on the cheese and panini-pressed to warm crunchy perfection. I've really liked the spring wildcard so far (goat cheese, Moroccan carrots, tapenade). There's a special posted outside in addition to the fixed menu, and sandwiches come with cornichons (mini pickles that they also sell in jars) and in the cutest paper bag with the same mouse pattern as on the little signs around the store. The only complaint I have is that the bread used isn't that great quality. The baguettes are quite nice after they've been pressed, but the grilled cheeses are soft and flimsy. For grilled cheese/melts Say Cheez has better bread and more flexibility with (albeit not as high quality) ingredients; for example adding arugula at Olsson's is a dollar extra. They've also run out of ingredients several times I've been there, including sourdough bread, raw red onion, and the standard Brie they usually use for the baguettes (they used rougette instead). They also have delicious tomato soup (really tangy and tomato-y) and salad. The salad has a relatively high ratio of fruit/nuts to greens (it has dried fig chunks!) and comes with a really lovely balsamic dressing; it's a bit too much on a sweet side for me. They sell their soup (tomato and other kinds) in larger containers in a fridge in the back, as well as drinks, dips/spreads, and some Griggstown products. There are some tables for two inside, as well as a few outside, but it's kind of narrow and cramped for eating. The shop is located in Palmer square so you can easily take your food to a bench and enjoy it there. read more

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After a stroll through the Princeton Campus, we decided to stop by here, and I am so glad we did. The hot food was delicious. I got the half grilled cheese and tomato soup combo, which was such a great treat on a cool fall day. My husband had a delicious caprese with turkey, which I had a sample of (I'll probably be getting that next time). We also had the macaroni and cheese which was great as well. I liked that they used shells for the macaroni instead of the typical elbow macaroni, so this means sooo much cheese explosion in every bite. The prices were great compared to whatever else was around the area. You can also order through a little electronic kiosk outside. Just be aware that it is pretty much a take out spot inside a cheese shop, so if you are going to eat, you will have to eat at one of the benches or picnic tables outside Palmer Square (sounds like a great day to me). We will definitely be returning soon! read more

So rude. The food is pretty amazing and I have been a fan of their grilled sandwiches. One day, I decided to order a sandwich and I called ahead. The person on the phone was extremely rude to me and dismissed me with "Ma'am it's busy today. No sandwiches," and then hung up the phone. The tone was rude and disrespectful. I then walked by the store and the store was empty. There were zero customers inside. Mind you, I called at 12 pm which is two hours after they open and six hours before they close. Disappointed with the service and how rude the staff is. For the owner: hire better people and teach them how to treat customers with kindness, respect, and empathy. read more

What can I say about Olsson's that hasn't been said already? This is a gem if you love cheese, and boy do I love cheese! I have never partaken in their sandwiches due to dietary restrictions, but I have certainly purchased cheese in the past. The service here is the best! Everyone that works here is helpful, kind, patient, and knowledgeable about all the cheeses they carry (there is one gentleman in particular that knows all the back stories to the cheeses, he's the best!!!) They will let you sample anything you want and will help you select the perfect cheese - they can narrow it down by type, region, what you intend to do with the cheese...really anything you need help with cheese-wise they got you! My sister and I love to stop in here when we have a hankering to eat fancy cheese. Our favorite is definitely the truffle gouda (the name of this cheese escapes me, but if you ask to sample the truffle gouda they will know what you mean). Prices are a little high but you get what you pay for. The cheeses in this shop are special :) Definitely worth stopping in! read more

We love Olsson's. The cheese and meats are wonderful. The staff is helpful and they are always help to create wonderful platters for parties and gifts. You have to try their Mac & Cheese or grill cheese sandwiches, YUM! read more

i've walked past this store so many times and somehow never really realized it was there!! finally stopped in yesterday and got a sandwich, and it was really good. i ordered an olssens caprese, but am definitely coming back to try more. their cheese and meat selection looks really good, and is reflected in their sandwich options. everything was pretty decently priced, especially for downtown princeton. only thing is there's very little seating, like only one counter near the window because the shop is so small, but i got my sandwich to go :) their drink selection was also really interesting. read more

Olsson's Fine Foods - Olsson's Caprese - Cheese Shops Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

A charming spot for high quality sandwiches made with high quality cheese. They tastefully pair their cheeses with other ingredients to make satisfying sandwiches. You can also buy cheese to go from their selection of global cheeses. They also have a creamy tomato soup that goes well with the Traditional grilled cheese sandwich. The staff are polite and take cheese very seriously, as all people should read more

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We tried their fig and Brie sandwich, tradition grilled cheese, tomato soup and their cheese tasting plate. I have to say that the fasting plate might have been my favorite!! All of the cheese were so delicious! The sandwiches were also delicious and the tomato soup was perfectly creamy and a great addition for the grilled cheese. We had a wonderful lunch and were able to eat right across the street in the small square with picnic tables. read more

Everything is amazing! The people are helpful and welcoming. I never leave unhappy. The only negative is I wish there was more seating because the two small tables fill up quickly. And when you're sitting, it feels like the other customers are staring and just waiting for you to leave. Other than that, the sandwiches are all delicious and they allow you to sample the cheeses if you like. read more

I came here yesterday for the mozzarella making class and it was great! Rudie, the instructor, was very friendly and knowledgeable. I called saying I was running late and he gave us tips on where to park for the day. The class itself was a ton of fun! We were given cheese curds and learned to stretch them and and make cooking mozzarella. I had trouble doing mine, and Rudie came over and helped me. They have a great selection of cheeses and are always willing to answer any questions. One of the employees, Claire, was super helpful in describing each of the different cheeses and recommended her favorites. It's overwhelming but the staff truly want you to walk out with a delicious cheese. They also have these boxes with cheese ends so you can try out different cheeses without making the commitment of a full wedge. I definitely am coming back to buy more cheese and even take some more classes. Compared to other cheese making classes in NJ, the one is on the more affordable end. read more

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Cool spot in Palmer's square. Among many. If you are a cheese lover, this is your place. Cheese is their specialty but they also offer a range of grilled cheese, Mac and cheese, soups and paninis. It's small but they pack a lot into a little space. I had the delicious fig panini which paired fig with Brie cheese. It was sweet and savory. A delightful combination. I am intrigued by the long list of grilled cheese sandwiches and plan to return. read more

Olsson's Fine Foods - Delicious fig baguette - Cheese Shops Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

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I can't believe I never noticed this gem of a place until now! It's an amazing cheese shop in itself, but also a great place to stop by for lunch or even hang out with friends. My favorite cheese is their **Midnight Moon** cheese. TIP: they receive cheese shipment on Thursday, so it's more likely that their popular cheeses will run out on Tuesday/Wednesday. This tragically happened to me and the Midnight Moon cheese over Thanksgiving. As a place to dine: they offer a sandwich menu, but more interestingly a grilled cheese menu made with artisanal cheeses for a super reasonable price (less than $10!) I've had **the Parma** and my friend has had the Newton. Both were super delicious - I can't wait to come back and try the other ones. My favorite menu item are their **cheese platters**, which come in two sizes: small (three types), or a large (five types). It comes with crackers, and fresh and dried fruit too. If you let them know what kind of cheeses you like, they'll prepare a plate to your tastes. It's such a nice item to order if you're just looking for a mid-afternoon snack to chat over with friends. Much more special and endearing than a cup of coffee in my opinion :3 Also, may I say that their cheese spreads on slate is so aesthetic~ They really know how to plate! The friendly staff here are a knowledgeable bunch, and will help you find the right cheese for you, even if you are a cheese newbie (although I adore a good cheese, I couldn't identify the "flavor profiles" in a cheese). This shop really has all the small town charm of Princeton that makes me so happy to have grown up here! read more

My friends and I shared the traditional grilled cheese and the mac and cheese. It was the richest cheese we've ever tasted. Cannot recommend enough! read more

My friend and I LOVED coming here yesterday. I usually don't get to stop inside because when I go to Princeton it's a night when the store is closed. My friend and I really love cheese and dine cheeses. They had a ton of cheeses here that you can't find in the stores (unless maybe you go to whole foods). They were all reasonably priced around $20 per pound which is inexpensive for fine cheese. We were able to try the cheeses before we bought them. They'll give you a really skinny slice to try which is understandable seeing as the cheese costs money. The people working there were really nice and knew a good amount about the cheese. I'll make this my new cheese stop for fancy parties. read more

Olsson's Fine Foods - Cheese case at Olssons. - Cheese Shops Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

Two words: six stars. Cozy, friendly, and the finest fromage!! Sample the truffle pecorino first. Then melt into a delicious fig baguette, The Newton, and a warm creamy bowl of tomato soup. You will want to take the time to slowly savor every blissful bite. read more

Transported me back to when I lived in France. Got the Brie and fig spread panini. That's all you need to know. read more

Olsson's Fine Foods - Cheese Shops Near Me - Princeton, New Jersey

They have delicious food. I also took an online Mozzarella cheese making class with them. It was so much fun and very informative. I am trying my best to support small businesses during these crazy COVID times and I will definitely support this business!! read more

The Newtown is excellent, we substituted the cheddar with the red witch. Mac and cheese and tomato soup were also very good. Nice staff and they were very informative about the various cheeses they sell. Definitely will be returning!! read more

I purchased a virtual mozzarella making class for my mom's birthday, and it was AMAZING! We had such a great time, and the cheese was delicious. We even signed up to learn how to make burrata in a few weeks! Thank you for a fun Saturday morning. read more

My dad and I pulled to the side of the street in Palmer Square in Princeton today, after the big snow. We happened to be right beside Olssons's Fine Foods. They had a big menu on a board right on the sidewalk. We were hungry. We ordered the BLT with cheese. And the lady let me come in and peruse her vast supply of rare cheeses and more. She was very friendly and inspired me to return to her shoppe in the not too distant future. If there were only one kind of cheese available in the future (as if we had some sort of apocalypse that destroyed various cheeses) my cheese of choice would be Camembert. In her display case she had Le Châtelain brand Camembert. I am planning a holiday shopping expedition in which I return and get some of my favorite cheese. Thanks for making our day great. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! read more

First time I came here I got a great sandwich. Came for lunch and ordered the exact same thing (Newton sandwich w cheddar cheese on sourdough). Got there a minute or two before it was made fresh and ready, sat down a moment later to eat and yuck. They made my sandwich with whitebread that was literally wet and soggy to the touch. My boyfriend went in to ask for one on sourdough and they laughed at him claiming it was sourdough. We are not blind, it is soggy white bread. Boyfriend got a sandwich that was supposed to have prosciutto, barely had the essence of it, and the mac and cheese is just gross. Tomato soup is good, but not worth the overpriced mistakes otherwise. read more

Love this cheese shop. Stopped by here to pick up some cheese on the way to a friend's for dinner. Not only did I get some great cheese (that we all scoffed down) I got a couple of great stories behind the cheese as well. They really take the time to help you find the best cheese that you're looking for and are very knowledgable and friendly. Definitely recommend and I will definitely come back next time I'm in the area. read more

Cutest cheese shop I happened to stumble upon today. They gentleman behind the counter greeted us with cheese samples right as we walked through the door and nothing is better than that! My boyfriend and I both got sandwiches and split a small mac and cheese with bacon and that filled us up. Definitely will be visiting again to try out out more of the sandwiches. The baguettes were perfect! read more

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Grilled cheese (the Newton) was superb and the staff were so friendly and helpful. A gem!

This place is truly a gem. Although this review is long overdue, I cannot fail to mention that I was turned onto Olsson's via a Central Jersey UYE. I had never heard of the place and other than knowing it was delicious, really didn't know anything about cheese. After my visit to Olsson's, the name became a name that I would surely not forget. As I began to mention, my first visit here consisted of a cheese making class with other fellow yelpers. It turned out to be a blast! We learned about the history of cheese, as well as what makes good cheese, and even made some of our own. Before leaving I ordered one of their baguette sandwiches - Delight Me - a crusty baguette with prosciutto, ricotta, and red onion marmalade. I need to note that these sandwiches receive a lot of TLC. This is not something that will quickly be thrown together by some sub shop. The ingredients here work so well together and the bread has the perfect crusty crunch. This is just something that you will have to experience for yourself. Being in town a couple of months later, I took my girlfriend here. We once again ordered a couple of their sandwiches. This time I chose the Cherry Baguette, with brie, cherry jam, and sea salt. It too was delicious and my girlfriend loved Olsson's Caprese - Manouri, tomato, and sweet basil pesto. The couple that own Olsson's are very passionate about their business and will answer any questions that you may have. Although there isn't really anywhere to sit in Olsson's, there are plenty of seats across the street in Palmer Square. The next time you're in town, take a sandwich to go, bask in the sun, and enjoy a perfectly made sandwich by people who really care. read more

For many years IMHO the very best area place to buy cheese was Bon Appetit in the Princeton Shopping Center. With their sale of the store, it is a bit disconcerting to see a teenager behind the cheese counter rather than the venerable owner Michel Lemmerling. I had felt that experience was gone forever until I ran into Olsson's on Palmer Square. There the owners Rudie and Jennifer Smit preside over a wonderfully curated set of worldwide craft cheeses. Recently, I was glad to put up with weekend Palmer Square parking to get great recommendations on cheese pairing for a dinner party my wife and I were putting together. Rudie was thoughtful and accommodating. While I still buy cheese at Bon Appetit, as well as Wegmans and Whole Foods on Route 1, I consider Olsson's to be the best of the lot. I also enjoy supporting a small, family run business. This is an independent review. I have no relationship to this store, nor to the best of my knowledge, know anyone who works there. read more