Custom charcuterie boxes for beach picnics are what keep me coming back. If I'm anywhere near Del Mar, I make a point to stop into one of my favorite cheese shops. I always take it straight to the beach because everything tastes better with your feet in the sand and front-row seats to the waves. This small European-style cheese shop is known for its curated selection and cheesemongers who actually listen. They follow my preferences every time: nothing spicy, no olives, no dried apricots, and always something sweet like jam or honey. There's never a hesitation or attitude like I've experienced at other shops. Whether I need a box for just myself or something larger, they customize it perfectly. Beyond their global cheese selection, they carry artisan charcuterie, truffle products, European crackers and breads, local honey and jams, boutique chocolates, and small-batch pantry items. I also love the little surprise chocolate they throw in. Thank you for always listening and creating the most beautiful, delicious boxes for me. I rave about your shop to everyone and will continue to do so. read more

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Best cheese shop hands down. I love the individual to go cheese and crackers - I often get for bdays and taking on the boat!

A cute shop with a wide variety of meats, cheeses, and other tasty treats. We went in for a 6-item sampler. We had no idea what to choose. The associate that helps us was very patient and knowledgeable. We ended up having them chose the items for us. We were pleasantly surprised at the beautiful arrangement. The social picked the perfect tasting plate for us. read more

Venissimo Cheese - Del Mar - Such a beautiful presentation. The 6-items also included the fruits, nuts, jam, and crackers. - Cheese Shops Near Me - Del Mar, California

Out of all the food establishments that I have visited within San Diego's North County' in Del Mar at the Flowerhill promenade; I felt that Venissimo is a casual, down to earth and very mellow ambiance is a gem of a place that is not busy, a perfect place to go by yourself and the staff are so helpful and having a a glass of wine while you wait for your order to be plated on site for enjoyment in AC indoors or in the ocean breeze outdoors. The ambiance gives you a break.from the busy world! It's quiet, peaceful and pleasant with a delicious handmade sandwich that is made to order cold or hot or do a charcuterie board as they off a little meal deal with a glass of wine ... It's an adult happy meal:) I have been known to buy cute packaging like a tin container of artisan salt for $6 bucks because it's black garlic. If you are a foodie, cook or loner jonsing for a glass of wine... go to Venissimo in Del Mar... for the many cute things to buy or put into a gift basket... this place is a new wine hideout. I like the vibe here... there is wine to buy in a low key environment. read more

Venissimo Cheese - Del Mar - A journey of cheese, meat, jam, fruit, edible flowers and nuts with crackers and a glass of wine - Cheese Shops Near Me - Del Mar, California

Parking is a shared lot but there is a garage in the back, entry to the left of Whole Foods. Staff were friendly. Beware eating on the patio, there were very persistent wasps!! Ordered a hot grilled cheese with salami. It came with grapes. $12. Taste was good, a little salty. Sourdough bread was tasty. The sandwich itself was a little smaller than I was expecting. Def not shareable. They have lots of different cheeses and many were ordering charcuterie boards. read more

Venissimo Cheese - Del Mar - Hot grilled cheese - Cheese Shops Near Me - Del Mar, California

I have been to Venissinmo cheese shop multiple times. They carry a variety of artisan cheeses from all over the world, including brie, blue stilton, and camembert as well as many aged varieties and fresh cheeses. Because it's a specialty shop, the prices will be higher than at local chain stores like Whole Foods or Gelson's. Primarily, I go there to get small cheese boards or they have a wonderful happy hour deal where you get a glass of wine with a charcuterie board. There is a small outdoor patio where you can enjoy your meal. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable about their products. They will offer wine and cheese pairing options if you don't know where to start. read more

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Based on the reviews we were so excited to try this place. It is very cute and has lots of options. We enjoyed the Quattro platter. My disappointment is in the service. Not friendly at all. The previous review stated how helpful the employee was- not for us. I mentioned what kinds of cheese I liked & said I wanted something along those lines. I tried to get her to help with some suggestions, but she didnt offer any guidance. She ended up giving me a plain cheese I couldve gotten anywhere else. Just so disappointed- especially with the cost & tip. Too many other places likes this to enjoy- definitely won't be returning. read more

Wow! What an amazing place to shop for Cheese and accoutrements! We are members of the Cheese of the month club and it is amazing! The flavors, the pairings, and the selection to choose from for other culinary entertaining is awesome. The knowledge of the staff is intriguing to chat with about each of the cheeses. They share the history, and the palate like a wine expert, with a nice area to sit and enjoy immediately some of the offerings. Just an enjoyable experince! read more

They never let me down. We got the 6 item plate for 2, I think it was $36! We picked 3 hard cheeses, 1 soft, and 2 meats, no spicy per my friend's choice. Included 4 packages of crackers! We went on a Sunday afternoon and it wasn't busy at all. The quality was as always delicious, it was quiet and we had the whole patio to ourselves. It gets chilly cause there is major covering over the seating area for Venissimo. I recommend a bigger group so you get more cheeses and meats but all in all I love this place. read more

Venissimo Cheese - Del Mar - Cheese Shops Near Me - Del Mar, California

Despite the fact that Whole Foods and Gelsons are in this same area and they also sell gourmet cheese this place still has a loyal following. The cheese mongers here will give you precise advice for both turophile and novices alike. Their selection (global diversity) isn't the best, at least compared to years past. But they will have something interesting for everyone's needs. Maybe the best kept secret here isn't necessarily their cheese, but their sandwiches. Be sure to grab one if you stop by. - They sell some gourmet items that are unique by themselves. Those can make great gifts too. - Been a while since I've seen Australian cheeses. - During the Christmas rush they close down their sandwich menu. - They also sell party trays for Christmas which were very popular. read more

Venissimo Cheese - Del Mar - More than just cheese - Cheese Shops Near Me - Del Mar, California

Came back on a warm day and enjoyed a wonderful cold glass of rosé with another cheese platter and the nutty grilled cheese! Grilled cheese was perfectly grilled, think we still preferred the savory grilled cheese though:) The Quatro platter was JUST as abundant as the 6 item one we got last time. The alp blossom cheese is so light and has such a delicate floral taste, you can REALLY smell the flowers too! Husband's favorite this time was the Bleau mont cheddar which was firm and very bold flavored--cheddar lovers look no further. My personal favorite this time was the Dunmanus cheeses which was SO creamy and decadent with a little funk hehe Got several slices of the beef saucisson also which was so soft yet perfectly rich spiciness. They slice it nice and thin which is definitely my preference! Service is fantastic as always-just look how beautifully displayed the plate is read more

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I was having a major cheese craving that was perfectly satisfied at Venissimo. They have so many options from around the world. I am a sucker for the Saint Agur and ewephoria but enjoyed some new cheeses as well. I love ordering a tray and getting to try a few. They package everything so beautifully it's almost hard to dive in and mess up the masterpiece. In addition, they do make paninis and have a lot of supplementary charcuterie items in the store. read more

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Not giving 5 stars just because the prices are way too high, but oh my, I could find Garrotxa cheese ($23 a piece) and that brought me flavors and aromas from my homeland. We all know there is no price to that! This was my first time visiting as I usually don't frequent this shopping center and did not even know there was another Venissimo here (I remember at least 10 years ago there was one in East Village when I used to hang out there). This store caught my attention because you can also sit and eat outside and it is just beautiful, pleasant and the people working there are super nice too. I also bought olives from my country filled with chorizo (never tried those before in Spain!) and were delicious. $7 is not what I would usually pay for a small tin of olives but, they, it is a specialty store after all. I would totally go back and explore with more time the varieties of cheese and also the other goodies. read more

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I really like the ambience there, and the cheesemongers give good descriptions of the cheese. They also keep your records on file so that you can ask what cheeses you bought in the past. The price is what it is for a small boutique shop (supporting local doesn't come free): last time I was there I paid $43.50lb for Manchego, which is about double what Whole Foods charges. Likewise for Brie, I paid $33 lb, whereas Whole Foods has Bries ranging in price between $12-$22 per lb. But, these are not your big box cheeses: you will find unique flavors to the same regions/types of cheese here that are sold in big box stores like WFoods & Vons. read more

Delicious cheese plates at a very fair price. It almost cost me as much to make it at home lol. I dream of the charcuterie board I tried from there almost a year ago. read more

First time here & I can't wait to come back tomorrow! I love this hidden gem. Shoutout to Rachel for making the most delicious cheese plate for me!!! She deserves a raise. She asked every type of leading question and was to the point. It means a lot when someone actually cares and is great at their job all at the same time. I loved every bite. The wines by the glass selection are great too! Love the ambiance. They have indoor and outdoor seating. The service is top notch. Very grateful I decided to come in today...I got chased by a dog and needed a glass of wine haha. read more

Venissimo Cheese - Del Mar - Euphoria, Sofia, and Gruyère cheese plate 10/10 & Sauvignon Blanc 10/10!!! - Cheese Shops Near Me - Del Mar, California

Everything I hoped for, I love the surprise of the employees creating the plate. I can't wait to go back for more!! Looking for a reason to use them for hosting read more

In English, Venissimo means: we become. Does this translate to "we become cheese"? That would be a bit cheesy, even for me! What Venissimo should mean is "I love cheese". This place is the superstore of everything cheese. They have some of the best cheeses to be found in the world. We love pairing cheese with wine and they have a cheese for every wine. This is the only place that I have found Red Dragon cheese. That is a favorite of ours but have had a difficult time finding it until our visit to Venissimo Cheese. We attended a friends birthday party here and they had an assortment of cheeses, olives, chocolate covered pretzels, bread and spreads. We asked if they had Red Dragon and in a few minutes they brought out a plate of it. They carry several wines or allow you to bring wine for a $10 corkage. Venissimo is a great find in the Flower Hill Promenade, Del Mar. We love hosting wine tasting's so that I can educate friends. We will be back to pick up cheeses to pair with wines for our next tasting party. So, I suppose, we become cheese! read more

husband has had a $50 birthday gift card to Venissimo sitting in his wallet for quite some time...we were finally both free during the day to come use that gift card! yes we could have used it to buy cheese to bring home...but we opted to use it for a lunch date instead. We ordered a big board that had 3 meats/3 cheeses/fruit/nuts/chocolate and a bottle of wine (their selection)...$40 we picked a table outside (they have 1 inside table but many outside community tables) The wine was fine ...nothing to get excited about...but good the platter...wow! it was more than enough for both of us...we actually took some of the cheese home. we also bought some cheese "to go". will absolutely come back for another lunch date! service was fabulous! selection was fabulous! read more

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Super cute spot for a charcuterie and a glass of wine! We ordered the quatro for $20 and chose 2 meats and 2 cheese. It took them a while to prepare it but I can see why. It was beautifully presented with florals, jams, crackers, and a generous assortment of nuts and berries. I loved it. read more

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Popped in a few minutes before they were to close. Needed some Jamon from Spain and they had it. Tried a few cheeses also and they matched the Sauternes I was to serve it with expertly. Bravo!!! read more

Thank you Dawn!! Venissimo Cheese is the Best They ALWAYS pull thru and do a top quality job Really appreciate the hard and work love that this shop does :) read more

Venissimo Cheese - Del Mar - Perfection!! - Cheese Shops Near Me - Del Mar, California

I have been on the hunt for a charcuterie place for me and my daughter to share. Luckily they were able to make one on the spot for me with a 20 min wait. I got to pick out the meat and cheeses. It was beautifully done but one of the main reasons I came here was because they have real honeycomb and I even asked her to not forget the honey because my daughter specifically asked for that. Well guess what when I picked up my order and drive home there was no honey :( First thing my daughter said was where's the honey??? The board was beautiful and delicious as well as the fig and jam sandwich I ordered but forgetting the main ingredient to the board really put a damper on things a little. Not the end of the world I know but a bummer indeed! read more

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Phenomenal service, great selection of cheeses, and wonderful ambiance. I've come here a couple of times already to get a charcuterie board for two, and they're always so helpful. I've grown to love cheese and can't wait to go back for more. I recommend this place for anyone who ever asks. read more

Great cheese and very nice workers! Super helpful and knowledgeable! Recommend highly~ read more

Cheese please! They offer a wide selection of cheese from around the world. Opted for the "Sampler" and sandwiches. The best cheese shops that I have gone to are in Paris. Well, I'm not in Paris. I have to say that the cheese and sandwiches were pretty good - the addition of nuts, spreads, fresh and dried fruit made the presentation look like a work of art. Add a glass of wine and your good to go. Bon appétit! read more

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Big 5 stars especially for the service- people! Great selection of cheeses, no where else comes close.

My favorite cheese shop and my favorite location! The cheesemongers here are always so sweet. I am a horrible customer and go in generally not knowing what I want, not knowing how much to buy, still somehow not really being that knowledgeable about cheese despite being "in to it" for years, and really needing them to hold my hand. Honestly, it's probably that they take such good care of me and are so sweet why my brain doesn't bother learning a damn thing about cheese. I know I can just go see the mongers at Venissimo and get pampered. My favorite thing is to come get a little cheese board and glass of wine and sit outside here. Great for studying, working, or bringing friends/a date! Outside area is fully shaded but open air and breezy. I love bringing people here but honestly come most of the time on my own for a treat. This is also the cheese shop I go to whenever I need to make a board at home and impress people. read more

Phenomenal cheeses, crackers, mustards, oils and all sorts of party accoutrements. Great sandwiches and a nice wine selection. Very friendly staff!!! read more

Cheese to me is like...a Fart. It stinks and it's an afterthought. You can patent that phrase if you want. I thought it was pretty brilliant when I came up with that thought in the car. I am not a fan of cheese. In fact, I'm downright afraid of any cheese that has a funk to it (ie bleu cheese, goat cheese, Camembert, etc). This was my second visit to this location. My first visit here was great and I bought a nice truffle cheese for me and friend to share for her bday thing. So the other day, I decided to take a Afternoon-cay (Afternoon + Vacation = Afternooncay). I decided to come to The Promenade and just spend some time here. I explored about 8 different stores that day and ended at Venissimo. The same two girls I met the first time were working there that afternoon. How I love Summer and Tami. They are absolutely the two people you want working there if you have a cheese-phobia like me. Yes, the give you free samples. I'm QUEEN of free samps but when it comes to cheese, yeah, I'll pass (gas? - just kidding). But the girls here make me feel so comfortable that it's hard NOT to try what they hand to me. They have a section dedicated to stink cheese for those of you out that enjoy the smell of feet. This section has all the stinky cheese, refrigerated, and on 3 shelves. I felt pretty comfortable with these girls so I kinda just asked earnest 'I can't believe you just asked that Faye' questions: "So, like...the bottom shelf...is that like the 'not as stinky' cheeses. And like...the top shelf...is that like the TOP SHELF creme de la creme of STINK." And the unimaginable thing happened. They got me to try bleu cheese. They said bleu cheese paired with honey will make the taste less harsh for me. But why try 'something' that has to be covered with honey in order for that 'something' to taste good. Made no sense. Summer said to first taste the honey, then the cheese, then chase it with the honey (I'm laughing out loud right now b/c it seriously reminding me of those drinking years in college). Well, guess what. Did I fall in love with bleu cheese that afternoon like you're hoping. Nope. Double nope. It still tastes so bad - like so so so bad (to me). They of course have beautiful mild cheese for you wimps out there (like me). Get the truffle Memoire (expensive as all heck BUT so worth it). The girls then showed me the stinkiest cheese in the shop. It's a Munster. They taught me that the rind of these stinkiest of cheeses will always look different than the other cheese rinds b/c the cheese maker constantly WETS THE RINDS TO ENCOURAGE MORE BACTERIA GROWTH. Well ain't that effing dandy. They both said that they cannot eat this cheese b/c it was too strong for them. They let me smell it (maybe I do have OCD) and let me tell you. Words CANNOT *even* describe the funk of this thing. I tried ONE more bleu to confirm that I just cannott handle it. And this time WORDS can describe the funk of this cheese. Do you remember when you were little and your parents would take you to the Wild Animal Park. There was a petting zoo there where little goats would be running around. Remember the distinct smell of dirt, hay, poop, goat, etc. all combined. THAT is exactly how this bleu cheese tasted. Like barnyard poop funk. So there ya go. A 5 star review for a cheese shop from a girl who has a cheese phobia. 'nough said... read more

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I love visiting Venissimo's around town. Every time I visit one I try a variety of cheesed and have them make me a grilled cheese on a baguette. This time around I went for the "Nutty" made with Gruyere and red onion confit with added Sopressatta on a very crusty bread and side fresh pear (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/venissimo-cheese-del-mar?select=ivik8kgEd98aZzbgXF0FVg#OfiwjtG_QzXB-poEWGpCIw). $7.. The Gruyere was thick and rich and partially melted with an earthy and nutty flavor (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/venissimo-cheese-del-mar?select=ivik8kgEd98aZzbgXF0FVg#qGsMhNYW6DgoyRulFqg15g). The bread was warm and very crusty with great flavor, and the red onion confit was slightly sweet, but not much, however just enough sweetness to let you know it was there. The Sopressatta added a mild spiciness with the richness of the meat and fatty pieces in the meat. It was heated just enough that the natural oils of the meat began to glisten (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/venissimo-cheese-del-mar?select=ivik8kgEd98aZzbgXF0FVg#NPAyk6MtXdymRFgpR_KZMg). A unique yet delicious grilled cheese. The service and knowledgleable staff were amazing. They very helpful and very hospitable to every one who entered the shop. With their great products and customer service, it was very simple to hand down a well deserved five star rating. read more

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Outstanding customer service. Dawn and her associate were so helpful and welcoming. incredible little special a full bottle of wine charcuterie board with meats and cheese + bread and a load of chocolate $45 Such a cute Lil spot ! read more

Venissimo Cheese - Del Mar - Cheese Shops Near Me - Del Mar, California

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I HAVE DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN! Being a lover of cheese, this place is so awesome. The girls at the store that helped us were very nice and helpful and made our experience delightful. The cheese were great tasting, paired with delicious wine, fruits, spreads and baguettes. If you want to put cheese in your mouth and have your toes curl, look no further read more

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Had a unpleasant experience today. Around 3:45pm after waiting 15-20minutes in line to order my daughter a sandwich I was told I couldn't order a sandwich by a lady who was not very nice. Although I just saw a few of them come out right before me. They should have had a sign or let people know that were waiting in line that they were not serving sandwiches anymore. All the ladies seemed to be working very hard. It was packed! Maybe next time I'll give it one more try. read more

I've lived in the area for my entire life, yet somehow I hadn't come across Venissimo until today when I was searching for places to get a cheese and charcuterie plate! I'm currently on a keto diet, meaning I can't eat carbs and I have a diet that's high in fat (if it sounds questionable, do a bit of research on it then get back to me!) so cheese plates are definitely the ideal situation for me. Anyway, I'd just had a cheese plate yesterday at Cucina Urbana, and I was ready to have another. So I dragged my boyfriend here. We opted for the plate with three cheeses and three meats. I let the monger know about my diet (with the hopes that she would minimize the fruit on the plate), and she knew about keto which was great. I let her know that my boyfriend and I really like brie, and my boyfriend isn't a fan of bleu cheese, but aside from that we wanted to give her free reign to pick what she thought was best. She gave us an incredible brie, some sort of cheddar that had a bit of a kick, and a wonderful truffle oil cheese. Wow. The brie and the truffle cheese were INCREDIBLE. They truly paired well with everything on the plate. The prosciutto was so fresh, too, and my boyfriend really liked the jam. We aren't huge cheddar people, but I really enjoyed the cheddar we had. We're definitely coming back for another plate soon! read more

Venissimo Cheese - Del Mar - Three cheeses, three meats. Cheeses (not specific names) from left to right: truffle oil cheese, a cheddar with a kick, and brie. - Cheese Shops Near Me - Del Mar, California

Wonderful selection and we always learn something new every time we go in. They make fabulous cheese trays and their gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches are outstanding! read more

Venissimo Cheese did a great job with the cheese/ chacouterie boards for my Wine Group's zoom tasting last night. We ordered them for all 15 attendees and people were able to pick them up during day at either Del Mar or Mission Hills locations. The folks at Venissimo made it all so easy for us! People were blown away by the quality and the quantity was very generous. read more

Venissimo Cheese - Del Mar - Each attendee got one of these for takeout - Cheese Shops Near Me - Del Mar, California

Who doesn't love cheese?!?! If so, Venissimo is the absolute BEST cheese shop in the San Diego area! They have sooo many varieties of delicious artisan cheese to suit your particular taste profile and food/wine/beer pairings. The service is amazing and they'll kindly let you sample any cheese which may be of interest. This place is outstanding, you must check it out! read more

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A few criteria for a 5-star place are as follows: 1) Someone in your party says, "Holy moley" after biting into something 2) Someone in your party says, "...Amazing..." after biting into something 3) Passers-by stare at your food for an uncomfortably long time You will find all these things when visiting Venissimo Cheese. Full disclosure here- I LOVE cheese, but these guys absolutely knock it out of the park. We tried a few of the sandwiches and found out they partner with Bread and Cie who don't mess around when it comes to bread. The sandwiches were well balanced with a cheese and a chutney/jam on the sweet ones and salami and tomato on the savory ones. There are more options I just didn't have any more room to try them. They also serve wine and have charcuterie options which looked amazeballs- date night, thankyouverymuch. All this and I haven't even gotten to the cheese yet! A cornucopia of the stuff awaits you. It's just cheese heaven, really. The have accessories and add-ons galore. If you're ready to step up your cheese game, and you've ready for a treat, make your way down here. They're right next to Whole Foods, right across from Geppetto's on the lower level. read more

I had a wine and cheese tasting here and it was lovely! I was skeptical of the price since it was $60 which seemed very steep, but we ended up trying a huge variety of cheese and wine pairings over 2 hours. Small snacks such as pickles, olives, and bread were provided as well. I loved how intimate the tasting was -- only seating around 15 people max. I would recommend a class here as a fun date or outing with friends. read more