Wandering around Rice Village, an unexpected find. A Cheese Affair…read more What a delicious shop! A Cheese Affair is a French-style gourmet cheese shop filled with fromage from across the globe. The artisanal cheeses are so delicious. Nice to sample a few of the cheesemomger's favorites. They also have beautiful cheeseboards or make your own. They have a wide selection of crackers, jams and even French wines. Will definitely be back. Would make a great place for a Yelp event. Hint, hint.

The beautiful blue facade sets the stage for a memorable experience. From the moment you walk into…read moreA Cheese Affair, you know you've happened upon a rare, well curated, independent specialty retailers in Houston. The store is practically a museum to cheese. The selection is broad but not overwhelming. The owner and staff create an atmosphere that celebrates a genuine love for fine cheese. They offer an efficient education in cheese and can pinpoint a recommendation based on any way you describe a preference. A Cheese Affair is one of the many reasons Rice Village is a haven for unique, sole proprietor retailers, operated with passion.

Came by to sample their weekly cheese rotation and somehow walked out with more than planned (zero…read moreregrets). We ended up leaving with the Salva Cremasco (my BF's pick) while I chose a random interesting-looking cheese called Screamer--because sometimes the mystery pick just calls to you. Half the fun here is getting to try cheeses you'd probably never think to bring home otherwise. The Salva Cremasco was surprisingly easy to love. Mild, buttery, and savory in a way that felt approachable rather than intimidating, with a smooth semi-firm texture that got creamier as you ate it. At first, it tasted very clean and milky with a light nuttiness, but the finish had this subtle earthy, almost mushroomy/vegetal note that kept things interesting without ever becoming funky or sharp. It felt like the kind of cheese you accidentally keep cutting "one more slice" of until suddenly... half of it is gone. We were also sold on trying the FLUFF Bake Bar cookies made with goat milk, which honestly felt very on-brand for the whole experience. Dangerous place for impulse purchases--but in the best possible way. What really keeps making this place memorable, though, is the people. I love the knowledgeable and warm welcome we always get from the staff. Even on a visit that barely lasted 15 minutes, they somehow still made the experience feel memorable--like you stopped by to chat with people who genuinely love what they do and want to share it with you.

I can't believe I've lived in Houston for this many years and never stopped by Houston Dairymaids…read more I learned that they're the backbones of many restaurants' cheese selections, and I had to trace it back to the origin. A small, discreet shop with a backyard-like parking lot, it's unassuming on the outside but full of character on the inside. Upon entering, you're welcomed with samples of the five cheeses of the week, generally going from soft to firmer and stronger. Their cheeses are displayed in a small fridge, but you can always request varietals ahead of time if you've got something in mind. We bought blue cheese they had on sample (the "Ewe Calf to be Kidding" from Wisconsin, a triple-milk (sheep, cow, and goat)) and the last of their Capricorn Goat Blue cheeses for about $10/piece. Since they rotate out their cheeses weekly, it may become a regular stop on our weekend grocery trips (they mention that many people do that). They also mentioned that their wines rotate out and they have a good relationship with local distributors to understand what pairs well with their cheeses. They also let you start an account so that you can keep a history of all the cheese you buy. You better bet that I signed up. They're celebrating their 20 year anniversary in Houston. I wish I had come earlier to experience some of those years. It's got to be a cornerstone of Houston cheese and probably the among the best cheesemongers in Houston.

A new hidden favorite cheese and specialty chocolate shop in Old Town Spring…read more After a sunny afternoon of walking around these cute shops, we landed on owner Season wonderful cheese Paradise. Season offered a cheese tasting with 2 types of aged cheddar 12 years and 9 months, a few soft cheeses including the aged cheddar cheese spread ( which we could not resist and took some home). We also tried the dill goat cheese and goat cheese with chocolate chip. The small but beautifully laid out cheese boutique has an area for tastings in the back with specialty pretzels and fudge. Would highly recommend and we will next time we visit Spring.

Cheese. Italian tiralli crackers. Chocolate. My favorite…read morethings to bring me in to this Old Time Spring shop. A nice offering from Season the owner for a cheese board tasting and we were hooked. We learned a bit about different types of aged cheeses and even some pairings. Had to get some crackers from Italy and soft spreadable cheeses for home. Plan on returning next time visit Spring for an event or for more delicious items. Recommend:A+

This place felt like home. This was our fourth place of the night. This was the first place that…read morefelt right. Ashley was our server and was amazing. So nice and knowledgeable and friendly. I had the radish dish and it was amazing. Looking forward to going back! The ambiance was really nice and comfortable too.

While waiting for our reservation at Rosie Cannonball, we stopped in here for some wine and a small…read moreappetizer. We asked the staff for a suggestion and loved the red wine that they picked. We also appreciated that the appetizers were unique! The staff was friendly and helpful but service is a bit slow. We ordered the butter and radishes which I thought was so unusual and yet it was delicious! Would order this every time we came! Will definitely come back - a nice little stop for wine!

Fabulous little shop! So much delicious cheese to sample and choose from, along with a ton of other…read moresnacks and small meals to take with you. They also have wine to buy, and you MUST get their frosé! Marvellous, simply marvellous.

If you're in Round Top for some antique-ing, wine drinking, dining, picnicking, etc, I recommend…read morepaying a visit to The Little Cheese Shop for all your wine, cheese, charcuterie, and snack needs. This shop is locally owned and offers all the basic cheese board fixin's and snacks needed to complete your self-made board. I purchased a few cheeses, dark chocolates, honey, and crackers; and since we still had plenty of shopping to do, the store owner held onto our bag for us so the goods wouldn't melt in the summer heat.

We absolutely loved our charcuterie board! It was so beautiful and delicious! The presentation was…read moreamazing. It was worth the price and I had it delivered. It was boxed so cute and crackers, cookies were in the cutest gingerbread box. Also a beautiful Christmas card. I highly recommend and can't wait to order from them again

I have had a lot of boards or boxes in my day. Since we moved from the city, out here I've…read morestruggled to find a shop that I really enjoy. Everything was perfect together. It had me digging through the mixed greens hoping to find another little surprise in the bottom. Excellent! I will be a repeat customer.

You can tell a lot about how great an establishment is by how often their customers frequent their…read morelocation. I've only ordered almost 30+ Charcuterie boxes in the past month. Karyn and Sara goes above and beyond my expectations to ensure my family and friends my gifts are perfect. These boxes are perfect for any occasion and it's definitely something that brings people and families together. One of the best things about the For the Love of Charcuterie is their consistency. You can always expect the meats, cheeses, crackers, fruits, and chocolates to be fresh. It's of quality, not your run in the mill cheap meats or cheeses.

I ordered a charcuterie board for my 9 year old's birthday party. It was beautiful and delivered on…read moretime and very courteously. All the parents stayed to graze. The quality was really good. Really great service. I will probably order more in the future!

Spec's is an oasis in a Texan desert! (Especially on FM 1488). It was a great move on their part…read morewhen this lil' gem relocated from their hiding place in the sleepy lil College Park Randall's Shopping Center to front and center on 1488 across from HEB....Talk about a reveal and coming out partay !! While on the smaller side of their stores... Who really cares cuz what's important is they're here and in this neck of the woods! Great location and easy access, friendly staff, parking is literally 2 steps from their front door, shelves well stocked with whatever one may ever need - From soda and grenadine for little Maddie's birthday party, a stogie for Uncle Donny, a nip of fine Wine for Great Grandma Christy to a heavenly bottle of cherished Whiskey for Pastor John. Spec's...You have arrived! (and are appreciated) Ps -would've given 5+* but full keg service not offered and being referred to the Rayford store to pick up tap and accessories just doesn't cut it :-(

Very small Specs with limited supplies. The man who worked there today, 6/13, acted annoyed to be…read morebothered with our questions and had a very flat personality with other customers as well. The woman wasn't much friendlier. Sorry to have bothered you. Don't worry, we won't be back.

This is my 2nd time visiting this cute Hawaiian styled cheese store in Spring…read more They have expanded and still offer free cheese samples and even a few items such as homemade chilled. Cheese on sourdough. The owner is so friendly and she knows customer service, could not resist buying a few Hawaiian items from her . She shared her roots were from Switzerland although she had lived in Hawaii .( hence the name of her shop ). Could feel the Aloha vibes and will return next time in Old Town Spring.

As a true Yelper, the word FREE and SAMPLES always stand out…read more Walking down old spring town and browsing the cute shops, I came across a sign of free cheese samples. As I do enjoy the charcuterie gives I made my way to Big Island little cheese. I was greeted by the sweetest ladies, Monique and Tamara. While other customers finished shopping I browsed @ the store and view all their cute gems. As I make my way to the cashier side Monique offer the cheese samples and they were all delicious. They have soft and hard cheese. Some are unique, all tasty. Smoke Gouda was my fave although it seems like the Wasabi might be the most popular here. They also have delicious and I mean delicious soft serve pineapple ice cream. Has such a delicious pineapple flavor and melts right in your mouth. They even have cheese classes.