Pennsylvania has cheese shops where you can buy fresh curds straight from the farm, sample imported European varieties, and pick up award-winning Brie made by local cheesemakers. Some even serve grilled cheese sandwiches or let visitors watch cheese production.
The stops range from Amish-country creameries to specialty counters in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. You’ll find raw milk cheddar, cave-aged cheeses, fresh mozzarella, and shops that have served their communities for decades.
A few require extra planning, especially smaller farm stores with limited hours. Here are 12 Pennsylvania cheese destinations to consider for your next road trip, including what makes each one different and what to look for when you arrive.
September Farm , Honey Brook, Pennsylvania
Grilled cheese tastes even better when the cheese was made a few steps from your plate. That simple idea runs through every corner of this family-run country market in Honey Brook.
The farm makes its own cheddar, Monterey Jack, and fresh cheese curds. Flavors go beyond plain, with options like roasted garlic and bacon smoked for anyone who likes a little extra kick.
Timing your visit can pay off. When production is underway, guests can watch the cheesemaking process up close, which tends to turn kids into instant curd experts.
The kitchen serves grilled cheese sandwiches and other comfort foods, so lunch is handled. A bakery and an ice cream counter take care of dessert, and nobody will judge you for ordering both.
Families get one more bonus. An outdoor playground gives younger travelers a place to burn off energy while the adults compare cheddar notes.
Bring a cooler for the ride home. The farm sits close to Lancaster County, so it makes an easy first stop on a longer countryside loop.
Di Bruno Bros. at the Italian Market, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Back in 1939, two brothers named Danny and Joe Di Bruno opened a small grocery in South Philadelphia. They sold bulk goods at first, and cheese did not take over until the 1960s.
Today the original shop on South Ninth Street goes by a well-earned nickname, the House of Cheese. The space is compact, so expect a cozy squeeze on busy Saturdays.
Inside, the selection covers domestic and imported varieties. Soft, mild cheeses share space with sharp, aged specialties that have been waiting months for their big moment.
The cheesemongers are the real draw. Tell them what you like, what you are serving, or how much you want to spend, and they will point you to something that fits.
Di Bruno Bros. has grown into several locations with catering services. Still, the original counter keeps the family story front and center.
Plan extra time for the surrounding Italian Market. Bakeries, specialty grocers, and food vendors line the nearby blocks, which makes it easy to turn one cheese stop into a full afternoon of snacking.
Chantal’s Cheese Shop, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Building a cheese board can feel like a puzzle with too many pieces. A trip to this Penn Avenue shop in Pittsburgh helps solve it in one stop.
The store focuses on a carefully chosen lineup of cheeses, cured meats, and extras. Crackers, spreads, and other accompaniments sit close by, so you are not running across town for the finishing touches.
The cheese selection rotates. Domestic picks mix with European favorites, which means a return visit next month might bring something new to try.
Staff members know their stock well. Ask for a pairing idea or a cheese that will please a picky relative, and they can usually steer you right.
Hungry shoppers have a reason to linger. The shop makes grilled cheese sandwiches using bread from La Gourmandine, a local French bakery with its own loyal fans.
A smart move is to order a sandwich first, then shop. Decisions about which wedge to bring home are much easier on a full stomach, and your cart will thank you for the patience.
Clover Creek Cheese Cellar, Williamsburg, Pennsylvania
Two hours a week is all you get. The farm store at this Blair County creamery opens on Saturdays from 10 am to noon, so set an alarm and plan accordingly.
The effort is worth it. The family makes raw milk cheeses using milk from their mixed heritage breed cows, and the whole process happens right on the farm.
Milk flows straight from the milking area into the vats. The curds are stirred, cut, and pressed by hand, which is about as old-school as cheesemaking gets.
Aging happens in climate-controlled cellars on shelving made from locally grown sugar maple. Natural rinds form over time and build flavor.
Names on the menu are half the fun. Look for Grateful Ched, Smoked Galen’s, Royer Mountain, Tussey Mountain, and Pirate Blue, a cheese that clearly sails its own course.
The farm started in 2005 and was processing all of its milk on site by 2017. Shoppers can also pick up pasture-raised raw milk and grass-fed beef, so bring a large cooler.
The Grand Fromage, Skippack, Pennsylvania
About 100 cheeses rotate through the cases here at any given time. That number sounds scary until you notice how neatly everything is sorted.
The shop groups its stock by type. Fresh, bloomy, semi-soft, washed rind, firm, hard, and blue each get their own section, which makes browsing far less confusing for beginners.
Cheese is only part of the lineup. Shelves also hold pâté, dry sausages, crackers, mustards, relishes, jams, preserves, and pasta.
Bread comes from Bakers on Broad in Souderton. Grab a loaf and you have the start of a picnic before you even leave the counter.
Party planners get extra help. Staff can suggest cheeses for a dinner party or put together a custom platter for birthdays, holidays, or any event that needs a little brie-lliance.
The location is a bonus too. Skippack Village is known for walkable streets lined with independent boutiques and restaurants, so cheese shopping can easily stretch into a relaxed afternoon stroll through town.
Goot Essa, Howard, Pennsylvania
Ask a Pennsylvania Dutch speaker what Goot Essa means, and you will hear good food or good eating. The name sets a high bar, and the cheese clears it.
The business began in 2001 as a six-family Amish cooperative in rural Centre County. Those farms still rely on traditional methods, including horses in place of machines.
Milk from six nearby Amish farms goes into 19 varieties of natural, cave-aged cheeses. The styles are European, and the milk comes from cows, goats, and sheep.
A few standouts deserve a spot on your list. Der Alpen Cheese follows an alpine Gruyère style, Felsa Yehr is a Manchego-style sheep milk cheese, and Der Edel Bleu leans toward Stilton.
Soft Brie-style options round out the shelf for anyone who prefers mellow over bold.
The shop offers sampling and opens Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It stays closed on Sundays.
Guided tastings or a deeper look at cheesemaking may need advance arrangements, so call before you go.
Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Locals rarely use the full name. Around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Macaroni Co. is simply Penn Mac, and it has long been a classic Strip District stop.
The cheese counter is the headliner. Imported Italian favorites like Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino sit alongside domestic cheeses and plenty of other picks from abroad.
Lines at the counter can get long on weekends. Grab a number early and use the wait to scout the rest of the store.
There is a lot to scout. Shelves are packed with pasta in shapes you may not know existed, plus olive oil, spices, and Italian grocery staples.
A practical tip is to shop with a dinner plan in mind. Pick a pasta, a hard cheese for grating, and a good oil, and the meal is basically ready.
Many visitors spend an hour here without trying. After that, the surrounding Strip District offers more food shops to explore, so wear comfortable shoes and leave room in the trunk for a macaroni mountain.
Calkins Creamery, Honesdale, Pennsylvania
One soft cheese from northeastern Pennsylvania keeps beating the competition. Noblette, a Brie-style cheese from this Honesdale creamery, has taken multiple first-place awards at the World Championship Cheese Contest and American Cheese Society events.
The creamery sits on Highland Farm, which has been in the Bryant family for generations. Cheesemaker Emily Bryant Montgomery leads the operation, and production began in 2006.
All the milk comes from the farm’s own Holstein herd. Raw milk cheeses age for at least 60 days before they reach the shelf.
More than 20 varieties are made here. Look for Barn Red Cheddar, the Havarti-style 1841, Gruyère-style Fallsdale Meadow, and Old Man Highlander Gouda.
One name always gets a laugh. Vampire Slayer is a garlic cheddar, so maybe skip it before a first date.
Curd fans have options too, including award-winning Garlic and Chive Curds. Stock up on a mix of soft and aged styles, then plan a tasting night at home to see which one wins your own family contest.
Claudio’s Specialty Foods, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Ricotta fans, this one is for you. Customers keep coming back to Claudio’s for its fresh ricotta, and many say it changed how they think about lasagna.
The shop is another longtime fixture of Philadelphia’s Italian Market. Its focus stays tight on Italian groceries, cured meats, and cheeses.
The cheese selection travels far. Imports arrive from Italy, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
House-made American varieties hold their own as well. Smoked provolone and mozzarella are two to put on your shopping list.
The vibe is classic old-school market. Shopping here feels like a neighborhood routine that has been running for decades, and regulars tend to know exactly what they want.
New visitors should not feel shy. Ask what is fresh that day and grab some olives while you are at it.
Since Claudio’s shares the street with Di Bruno Bros., you can easily hit both on the same trip. Just bring an appetite and a sturdy bag for South Ninth Street’s bakeries too.
Apple Valley Creamery, East Berlin, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg gets the history buffs, and York gets the factory tours. Somewhere on the country roads between them, Apple Valley Creamery quietly wins over cheese lovers.
The shop has a true country-store setup in the farmland of Adams County. It is family-owned and tied to a working dairy operation.
Several of the cheeses are made with milk from the farm’s own herd. That means a very short trip from cow to counter.
Variety is easy to find. Along with its own products, the shop carries additional artisan cheeses, so shoppers can mix local picks with other favorites.
Picnic planning works well here. Pick two or three cheeses, add a few farm products, and you have lunch for a scenic drive through orchard country.
Families on a battlefield trip will appreciate the break. A quick stop gives kids something tasty to look forward to between monuments.
Check hours before heading out, since rural shops can keep different schedules than city stores. A little planning keeps the day running smoothly.
WC Clarke’s The Cheese Shoppe, State College, Pennsylvania
Coffee started as a side project. Owner Bill Clarke began roasting beans to help support his cheese shop, and the roaster soon became a big part of the identity.
The shop opened in 1977 on Calder Way in downtown State College. Generations of Penn State students and local families have wandered in since then.
At one point the shop carried more than 200 cheeses. Today the case holds around 80, which still gives plenty to choose from.
The shelves go well past cheese and coffee. Teas, fine chocolates, oils, vinegars, and locally baked breads turn the store into a handy specialty pantry.
Early morning is a fun time to visit. Calder Way has a reputation for that fresh roasting buzz before the town fully wakes up.
A good game plan is simple. Pick a cheese, a bag of beans, and a loaf of bread, and breakfast tomorrow is settled.
Game day crowds can fill downtown fast. Visit on a quieter weekday if you want time to browse.
Downtown Cheese Shop, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Saving the finale for a market full of food makes sense. Reading Terminal Market draws crowds every day, and Downtown Cheese Shop has held its spot there for more than 15 years.
The counter stocks a broad mix of international and domestic artisan cheeses. Owner Jack Morgan actively hunts for rare, well-made products from Europe.
Accompaniments get serious attention too. Crackers, olives, olive oils, vinegars, and condiments come from around the world.
Samples are part of the routine. Staff members will offer tastes and help you narrow things down, which is very useful when the case is this full.
Planning a party board? Ask for help pairing cheeses with charcuterie, and you will walk away with a plan instead of a pile of guesses.
Location is the big perk. After choosing your cheeses, wander over to the bakeries, Pennsylvania Dutch vendors, and prepared-food counters nearby.
One building, many food traditions, and a cooler full of cheese. That is a fine way to end a road trip across the state.
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