Shopping in the cheese stores of Madrid is at least an experience for taste and smell. Delving into this dairy product is just as fashionable as drinking specialty coffee or discover the nuances of the beer at a tasting.
It was time to recognize the value of a food that has gone through our history and to vindicate the many varieties of Spain, through the cheese dairies of Madrid.
1. Forming
The aesthetic acuity of Clara Diez, an expert in cheese, is transmitted in everything she does and Formaje, the cheese store in Madrid that she opened with her husband in 2020, is proof of this. The couple has been delving into the world of artisan cheese since 2014 and getting to know its particularities, both inside and outside Spain, by working hand in hand with producers and other figures within the sector.
This has led them to achieve great recognition in a very short time. In 2021, they were on the list that World’s 50 Best Restaurants dedicated to people under 35 years of age, and in which diverXO is usually in the general category.
In case pronouncing the name of the store causes any doubt, it is not the French word fromage, but its Spanish version, which is pronounced as it is read and comes to say the same thing: queso or cheese mold.
Plaza de Chamberí, 9 (Chamberí)
2. Cultivo Cheese Factory
When you enter one of the four Cultivo stores, two things are clear to you: that no matter the time of year, you won’t be hot, they are conditioned so that the cheeses are at the ideal temperature; and that you will most likely take some artisanal cheese home with you.
This cheese factory covers all the steps in the production chain; they are cattle breeders, producers, refiners and distributors. In addition, they have made a commitment to introduce technologies to obtain unique cheeses, with character and typicity. At the same time, they maintain two traditional cheeses, Manchego and Gamoneu.
They also do cheese tastings to teach in depth about the varieties of cheese they produce.
Cavanilles Street, 6 (Pacífico); Carrera de San Francisco, 14 (La Latina); Conde Duque Street, 15 (Argüelles) and Clara del Rey Street, 20 (Prosperidad)
3. Qava
In Qava they follow the selection criteria of Jose Luis Martin, the master cheese tuner. This cheese store in Madrid is committed to Spanish cheeses that come from small artisan cheese factories approved at European level. In addition, they must meet certain standards in terms of size and shape, have natural rinds, optimum ripening time and balanced yet complex organoleptic characteristics.
But Qava is not only a cheese store, its owner shares his wisdom in cheese tastings, workshops and courses to broaden the horizons of this basic food.
Doctor Castelo Street, 34 (Ibiza)
4. The Cheese Factory
La Quesería is one of the reference cheese stores in Madrid, due to its longevity, advice and variety of products. They have been advising the people of Madrid for more than 20 years with their cheese boards and wide range of products, with a representation from all over the world, but with a special focus on Europe. We could say that the taste and knowledge of cheese in recent decades has been growing at the same time as the reputation of this store and its owner, Raul Castaneda, son and grandson of shepherds from Leon, who transmits his know-how to perfection.
Calle de Blasco de Garay, 30 (Chamberí)
5. Octavio’s Delicatessen
Octavio’s charcuterie is a story of two generations, who have been reinventing themselves and maintaining the essence of the San Antón Market since the 1970s. Although cheese is not the only product they sell, their good eye in selecting it makes them stand out as one of the best places to buy cheese in Madrid.
This expertise can now also be enjoyed at the Barceló Market and Cea Bermúdez Street. In their stores you can choose the cheeses by their origin: mainly Spanish, Italian and French; by the type of milk; by their maturity and by their intensity. In addition, they help you to organize a cheese-based dinner with pairings included.
Augusto Figueroa Street, 24 (San Antón Market); Barceló Street, 6 (Barceló Market) and Cea Bermúdez Street, 54 (Chamberí)
6. Brie high
The authentic smell and taste of France is that of the fromageries and Brie Alto brings us the best of the neighboring country. Pauline Vallantin-Dulac and Richard Dhieras, both originally from Bordeaux, guide their customers through their artisanal and raw-milk cheeses, who are usually attracted by the typical Welsh soft cheeses that are less common in Spain.
In his store you can also find wines, jams, preserves and some other French delicatessen to accompany the cheeses.
Alonso Cano Street, 10 and Vallehermoso Street, 36 (Vallehermoso Market)
7. The cheeses of l’Amelie
The cheeses of L’Amelie is both cheese shop and cheese bar, as they define themselves. That is to say, here you can buy artisan cheeses from France, Spain, Italy, England and Switzerland; or seasonal cheeses, which have a specific consumption time, unlike industrial cheeses. And also enjoy a cheese board on site and accompany it with a wine on the terrace. They also organize cheese tastings in Madrid and events of all kinds, from weddings to part of the catering for the Madrid Tennis Open.
Torrecilla del Puerto Street, 5
8. La Carbonera
In La Carbonera the protagonists are the cheeses, but they are also a restaurant with a very careful menu and with nods to its star food, such as its goat cheese tart from the cheese factory of Elvira García. In this hybrid of restaurant and cheese shop you can have a cheese board (from 4 to 10 different types) or order it at home. They also do tastings, both of cheese and wines, in which they are also specialists.
Calle de Bernardo López García, 1 (Conde Duque)
9. Bon Fromage
If you have any questions about cheese or are looking for something very special, Alberto Girón, the master cheesemaker at Bon Fromage, can answer them for you. This cheese shop in the Mercado de Chamartín, despite its name, is much more than a French cheese store. In addition, they also deliver the cheese boards to your home. It is the perfect store for turophiles who want to delve deeper into their cheese tastes, even learning how to pair it with wine.
Bolivia Street, 9 (Chamartín Market)
Cheese production in Spain has multiplied by 2.6 in the last ten years, according to data from the Organización Interprofesional Láctea (Interprofessional Dairy Organization). Together with the increase in consumption and interest, cheese stores in Madrid have multiplied and become more specialized, if possible, creating a wide and very appealing offer.