The Concord Cheese Shop

Right in the heart of Concord, this shop has to be the go to place for every resident or visitor! I found myself feeling as if I was in an international delicacy shop out of the country. From the moment you step in you are brought into the world of international fine dining and eatery.
My experience here was extremely positive. We stepped in an walked in on an employee hosting a mini wine tasting! We were quick to join in and experience the fine wines of the Republic of Georgia & Spain! The hostess was extremely friendly, knowledgable and I have to say I was impressed with her knowledge about the history of wine and wine making!
We found ourselves happier than usual after our free wine tasting and headed over to the cheese section! We were met by a warm elderly woman who was happy to help teach us about different cheese from around the world and let us try some. We settled on Australian feta (superb!) and Swedish cheese (¼ of a pound which we finished in 15 minutes)!
I can’t wait to plan my next trip to Concord just to head into this little gem and buy more cheese and wine! They had a huge selection of international foods to choose from, I felt like I could have spent hours there!

Walked in, and walked out, didn’t buy anything. Not really enamoured with the wine selection, and I couldn’t get cheese because, even though it was a «lazy Thursday» at 2 pm, it was crowded and they couldn’t seem to handle the flow. Its a vintage store, charming, and they have prepared foods, which I didn’t have a chance to try. Not worth a trip there for me, but a great location for more local folks!

We could tell from our very first email from the folks at The Concord Cheese Shop that they were excited to work with us on our wedding. That’s why we chose them to supply our wedding’s cheese «cake,» and why our guests are still commenting on us having the most beautiful — and delicious — wedding cake they’ve ever enjoyed.
My wife and I are cheese people. We just don’t have much of a palette for sugar, and we wanted our wedding cake to reflect that. The problem? Cheese ain’t cheap, we had no idea how much to buy, and the stinktastic cheeses we tend to favor are hardly crowd-​pleasers.
The owner, Peter, responded to our inquiry very quickly, and immediately invited us in for a tasting. He came out, shook our hand, and brought out a bunch cheeses for us to try. It was clear that he, and his employee Brie, were excited to help us, listened to our preferences and concerns, and made thoughtful choices regarding our personal tastes, the tastes of our guests, aesthetics and budget. They even showed us some images they had researched to give us an idea of what the cheeses would look like stacked. The price they offered us was very fair — around what a wedding cake would cost, maybe a little less.
We didn’t stop there. We shopped around a bit in Boston, and while we found some other cheeses we liked and the people were friendly, none could match the enthusiasm and attention to our preferences that Peter and Brie had. We’re so happy we trusted them with our wedding «cake,» and we encourage anyone thinking of doing something similar to give them a visit. They’re delightful people with a real talent for what they do — and have a delicious supply to match!

Had lunch here on a Saturday afternoon in July. I had the tuna sandwich. If you haven’t been here before, be ready. Ordering can be a little hectic the first time. I am not sure if they toast the bread, I felt under a bit of pressure due to the number of people in line. That being said, it was an excellent sandwich.
After lunch I spent some time at the cheese counter. My salesperson was excellent. I didn’t catch her name (UMASS student in psychology?) but she knew her stuff and directed me to some wonderful cheeses. She said I could sample to my heart’s content, sadly that would’ve ended in a heart attack. I ended up with a Stilton, parade cheese (ask), really excellent gouda and a cheddar from England. Get some of the crackers that look like long Saltiness, you won’t be disappointed.

Wish I could give 10+ stars. I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! Amazing variety of cheeses for a small shop, along with wine and other fantastic items. Deli is great — definitely try their specialty sandwiches. Staff is friendly and EXTREMELY KNOWLEDGEABLE when it comes to cheese.

First let me start by saying, the three stars is not based on the quality of the Wine, Cheese and Deli sandwiches… okay maybe when you get a cold sandwich that was made a few days earlier…
I have visited The Cheese Shop over many years, starting maybe around 1995. There is a significant selection of fine wines, cheeses, imports, and other products. I have grown to perhaps appreciate the sudden stinging aroma of the variety of cheeses hitting you all at once when you enter. It’s a rather tight space to maneuver through, as there are usually many customers and tourists in the early afternoon along with their wide array of products displayed. There is a European charm to the atmosphere, with some vintage décor.
What usually brings me here are the sandwiches. I frequented the shop more often in 2009 when I was working in the center every day. When it was a little slower, I recall coming in late afternoon and David, one of the long time workers there shared a brief chit chat about this and that with me. He was kind enough to offer me a sample of a cut of cured meat. I could tell he was passionate about the goods and experience they offer at TCCS. I would get an Italian sandwich usually, whether it be the one they made every Thursday with a loaf of focaccia (I forgot what they named it) or one they would make fresh on ciabatta with a wonderful bruschetta. That and a bag of chips, perhaps a side cold salad and a drink (they have some of my favorite fruity sodas) would make for a lovely lunch. Most of the time I find their food delightful, but as of recently I must say the prices are bordering on greedy.
14 dollars for just a sandwich (yes I understand with very high quality meats) for the amount you get is a little ridiculous. They know that if they post the prices on the board like they used to (e.g. 9.96/lb) that their customers may turn around and go somewhere else. I think they feel it would be tacky for the kind of establishment they are trying to be, to post their prices – but it’s a deceptive tactic. Now I enjoy spending the extra dollar for a memorable artisan sandwich, and never am I cheap. This is Concord Center, and I expect the prices to be high, with inflation reoccurring, but it just kind of made me feel robbed for what I was served.
If you want to eat inside there — good luck because there is only one little table against a building post. I hope I’m not mistaken recalling a time where they had some outdoor seating. I understand with all of their goods taking up space inside, that more seating indoors could break some codes… and Concord Center shops having additions put onto their centuries old buildings isn’t common.
So, if you plan to go to The Cheese Shop to grab lunch, especially during a rush, be alert, take a number (because they won’t tell you), and try not to awkwardly bonk or knock anyone or anything over… luckily I haven’t yet.

Went here last weekend and it was amazing! Great selection of wine and cheese. The guy in the beer section was very helpful. I mean wine and cheese you cant go wrong. Amazing hidde. Gem

Awesome cheese shop! I was looking for something on par with The Cheese Shop in Carmel, CA and The Concord Cheese Shop did not disappoint. I visited midday on a Saturday, so it was a little busy, but that didn’t stop them from providing excellent customer service. They let you try any cheese you want and I found them willing to cut chunks to the sizes I desired (although with the softer cheeses like Camembert are sold in either half or whole wheels). After trying several cheeses, I asked the lady helping me to suggest some cheeses to me, otherwise I’d just end up getting the same types of cheeses I always do– her suggestions were excellent. I tried things that I never would have tried. I came home with about $ 80 worth of cheeses (it was part of my Mother’s Day gift, so don’t hate) and they are all so good. After trying the cheeses, I got a sandwich from the deli. The deli was very, very busy and the staff working it was a little on the «salty» side, but the sandwich I got was worth it. The sandwiches are sold by the pound and are a little pricey (I paid $ 11 for a tuna sandwich on a croissant with the fixings). As far as seating is concerned, I think they only had 4 or 5 small tables, but I was able to get a seat, even on a busy Saturday. They have a very respectable wine selection and a small craft/​import beer selection and also sell gourmet foods and teas. I will definitely be back and have already recommended this shop to my foodie friends!

These folks have a great assortment of cheese and know their stuff! We go in and describe what we are after (mild/​stinky, soft/​hard, cow/​sheep/​goat, etc.) and they come up with multiple selections. They let you taste what you want and give you time to decide without rushing you. If you go on Christmas Eve, it is packed! They only day (AFAIK) that you have to take a number to get served.
Contrary to a different reviewer, we’ve never had a problem with them cutting as small a piece as we want.
Pricey, but good imported cheese is!
An alternative with a good small selection is Whole Foods in Bedford.

Well versed in cheese and charcuterie and was pleasantly surprised by their great selection and recommendations.

Oh lordy no thanks. An overwhelming terrible smell as you come in, obviously from the cheese. The people that work here are nice but as a first time experience a little over whelming. There is really bad lighting in the front and in the wine area and really bright lighting in the deli area. Not a lot of places to sit so i am not sure why that is an option almost all sandwiches are taken to go. Although the sandiwch options were very good and all tasted delicious we got a Little Piggy that had so much hot mustard that I almost drowned in my own sweat.

Most reviews for this spot is not for their deli but for their whine and cheese – this selection (whine and cheese) deserves a 4 – 5 star rating. My rating reflects my experience with the food at the deli NOT the whine and cheese.
Some people write their reviews to benchmark alternative local spots – I don’t. I use Unilocal to find the place that I «just can’t miss» for food. When a place has reviews of north of 4 stars I expect it to be a place I just can’t miss. The Concord Cheese Shop is not one of those places. It’s good, just not as good as reflected on Unilocal.We ordered five sandwiches that were all simply good – not amazing. I didn’t really like the Turkey sandwich or the little mermaid one either.
This is a three star spot. A good place to go when you are hungry but don’t go out of your way for it.

The best! And the cheese? Oh my God, the cheese! You have to go, you just have to. When you first walk in, you are greeted with wine and imported groceries but your eye will immediately go to the gorgeous, impressive selection of cheese. Amazing selection of cheese and wine, the staff really knows their stuff and the sandwiches are wonderful. Do yourself a favor, spend a warm afternoon in Concord Center and visit the Cheese Shop. Concord is absolutely beautiful and the Cheese Shop is one of it’s gems.

Ok, this place has a fantastic selection and the gals working there seem to know their cheese pretty well. But call me a cheapskate, I could not get her to cut me a piece of cheese that costs less than 15 bucks. The first wedge she proposes is like a quarter of an enormous wheel. «No, much smaller. Maybe a 3^rd of that.» She proposes a wedge barely smaller than the original. I should have just said «Give me 6 bucks worth of that» and let her deal with eyeballing it.
Especially if you’re planning on getting a few different things, go in with a strategy for not ending up with 50+ bucks worth of cheese.
They also have a counter in the back that does sandwiches, soups, and salads. So you can lunch there too.

For all the specialty food you need, and all the cheese you didn’t even know was missing from you life.
I came here with a friend who was hosting an Element Beer tasting. I had just been on a trip to Concord a week earlier and didn’t see this place — now, it’s going to be my go-​to stop for… everything!
— affordable sandwiches and deli options
— a cozy window section where you can sit and eat
— well priced tea tins
— more kinds of mustard, spices, crackers, etc. than you know what to do with
— local honey
— every kind of beer and wine in existence (or close to it, at least)
— TONS OF CHEESE
I tried about 8 kinds of cheese — the people behind the counter were super friendly and knowledgeable, and made it into a really fun experience (like you’d imagine a wine tasting to be, but with endless cheese. Aka heaven). I ended up buying about $ 20 worth of the best cheese of my life.
Highly recommended for local flavor (people and cheese-​wise), a place to rest your feet, good prices, and friendly service.

Everything here is amazing unique and high end.
The deli in the back is a little hidden gem.
Amazing wine collection and snacks to go with them.
They even carry foreign desserts and treats.
Great local place to grab a bit to eat, buy a nice gift for family or friends, or even just get some great cheese

I’m gonna get some cheese,
I got $ 40 in my pocket,
Going to The Cheese Shop in Concord,
This is Freakin’ Awesome

Cheese, fresh bread & wine. What’s better than that? Nothin’.
This was my first time here and I was overwhelmed with the cheese options. Luckily the owner stepped up and helped me pick out 2 cheeses:
1. Grace’s Choice (Vermont)
2. And of course the Crucolo (Italy)
Both were fantastic! I will be back. There are 100 more chese I have to try.

Best place ever! Seriously. I enjoy this more than Formaggio because I feel the employees are more helpful and the space is less crowded.
The employees are very knowledgeable and helpful. They’ll recommend whatever you need and they are very patient. You can also purchase wine, chocolate and other fine pantry goods in this store, in addition to the deli counter.
I like the number system. It’s helpful and efficient. Can’t wait to go back!!!

Nested in the center of the lovely town of Concord, this wonderful cheese shop was definitely a good place to stop for… some… cheese… on our way back from Hutchins Farms.
We were able to easily find street parking and upon entering, we faced a store packed with all kinds of good stuff, not just cheese, but wines and a few speciality food items as well.
The staff was very friendly and even allowed us to sample some of their goods including a fantastic gruyère. They were also able to field various questions, make some fantastic recommendations and had some great, honest feedback in regards to a specific cheese which was very gooey because of the high humidity levels we had this summer.
All in all, despite some pretty expensive prices for some items, this is a fantastic specialty store full of great things to nosh on. Awesome staff, great inventory and plenty of samples. Solid and in many ways, quite possibly better than Formaggio Kitchen in terms of pricing, which is another great thing as the latter can be quite expensive already.