Brix Cheese Shop & Wine Bar

Great place after work for drinks and a light dinner. Awesome waitstaff; explains drinks and menu items, very nice and always kept our drinks filled. Will definitely go back!

Great venue for group gatherings!
We reserved the upstairs room for my sister’s baby shower. The owner was very accommodating and recommended an off-​peak time when the room reservation was less expensive (Saturday, 2−4pm). In addition to the room reservation fee, there was a $ 150 food minimum, and he was able to make suggestions that worked for our group. Since it was a baby shower, we didn’t purchase alcohol, but it was open bar and guests were able to go downstairs and order from the bar.
Other than setting up the room, background music, and setting out the food, the owner was pretty hands-​off. (Since it was an off-​peak time, he was the only one working.) We were able to arrange and decorate the room how we wanted it, and the owner even helped us hang a banner above the stairs. The set up included disposable plates and cups. Had I realized this, I might have brought our own to match the shower theme, but it worked out just fine. We had access to 2 bathrooms (one for men, but at a baby shower it became 2 women’s rooms), the area behind the bar, a water cooler, a coat closet, and the storage closet where there a few extra tables and chairs.
All in all, we were thrilled with our experience. I definitely recommend it for a small party venue. Our 22 guests fit just fine, but any more than that might have been a bit crowded.

Great food, great drinks, great staff, great atmosphere — I haven’t had a bad experience and it is my favorite place in town, especially when it comes to wine and cheese tasting. It can be spendy, but you get what you pay for! Highly recommend. Not for kids.

What a lovely little wine bar! My husband and I stopped in last Saturday night and though there was a good energy there and they were busy, we were seated right away and brought waters. We both really liked the wines we ordered, and loved the cheeseboard we ordered, which was the Barcelona board (drunken goat cheese, Marcona almonds, a tasty quince-​onion marmalade and homemade crackers). We also added the Italian cheese, which was the fontina. Everything went together wonderfully and we enjoyed the atmosphere which included paintings from local artists and a cozy back room.

My only regret was not trying the soup of the day: carrot! I’m always down for some carrot soup but I had already stuffed myself at Pullman Bar so I wish the wine in the back room was sectioned in a way that made selecting the perfect bottle much more efficient. This is a great stop to spend a couple of hours nibbling on cheese and wine. Bottles are priced from the lows $ 20s and up to enjoy on-​site. Cheaper for carry out. There was a sale section in the front of the store when I visited.

Came here with a group of friends for the first time last week. I got a sandwich and soup and was able to sample some friends cheese boards and cocktails. I had the spicy grilled cheese and French onion soup. The sandwich was great and the soup was ok. I’ve definitely had better French onion soup and wasn’t too impressed. The cheese boards were good. My favorite cocktail was their whisky sour drink. Amazing. Would come back just for that! Service was ok but the place was cute and clean.

This place has awesome cheese… they have delicious wine… they have people who care about both things! (and that combination, is ahhhmazing!)
My favorite so far is the All-​Iowan Cheese Board. The salmon on the Duluth Board is darn close to amazing, but overall the board isn’t as well-​balanced as the All-​Iowan board. The staff can be hit-​or-​miss but generally, they’re very eager to engage in conversation about good cheese boards and the best wine to accompany each.
Dining outside on the street-​side patio is the perfect end to a long day!

Great experience in the upper-​level, private space. The wine, food, and service were all Wonderfull. The meat, cheese, olive, and pickle trays were elegantly presented. I highly recommend Brix for smaller (we had about 30 people) private functions. The first floor is a great place for wine, beer, and cheese.

What an awesome addition to Iowa City! Brix has an excellent selection of wine and cheese from around the world. The prices are decent and they even serve gluten-​free crackers with their meat and cheese platters. The staff makes great food and wine pairings. I especially enjoy their Spanish selections.

Brix is a fun place to eat a light lunch. It is comfortable, inviting, and something a little different than the norm. The corn chowder is a great choice, as it has a little kick, but a nice balance of flavors.

A gem in the middle of campus town… great place to get out of the brofest/​game day/​wait in line for a beer type places. Great cocktails, well picked wine selection, and cheeeeeeese. Would be a great low key date place.

What a lovely little restaurant!
My friend and I dined here for lunch recently and had a great time. The menu is simple, yet did a wonderful job highlighting local cheeses & meats.
We shared a cheese plate and got a few extra sides. I’m not a chick who eats lots of salads, but I must say – it was really kickass. Super fresh and served with a light vinaigrette. I loved the pickled carrots & potato salad.
We didn’t drink any booze, unfortunately, due to having to get back on the road, but I am looking forward to coming back soon!

Iowa City and Cedar Rapids both would do well to have about 30 more spots like this. After moving back from Seattle after many years it has kind of been sad (though not surprising) that the 4 lb meal featuring primarily fried food is still the norm. Still, to see a place like Brix, with a modest 6 or so beers on draft and a simple panini based menu gives me hope. I’m more of a beer guy so I tend to go that route, but have tried the wine as well (they are, after all, a wine bar). Mellow atmosphere, not incredibly crowded and just a handful of tables… just a nice spot to unwind — as a 37 year old this is so much more appealing than the typical IC bar geared toward 20-​somethings. I know, I’m old.

Such an amazing concept. I have visited twice now with girlfriends and it is a perfect spot to relax and take a break during an afternoon of shopping.
The staff is eager to share their knowledge and make it a great experience to try different items I might not buy in bulk to try at home.
If you go, I highly recommend the French 75 from the bar. I have tried without success to recreate it at home. I guess I will have to keep going back to Brix!!! :-)

Tasty cheese and nice atmosphere. We got some cheese to take home too. Olive and feta tapenade was amazing. Would go back to try more! Fun to try different things and this is the place! Get a cheese tray!

I LOVE this place! It’s just so classy and low key. I’ve been here three times in about a month or two, so far. First time I split the biggest board, the one with like two meats and cheeses and other things, with a friend and it filled us up and was so good.
The second time I got the blue board and my boyfriend got a grilled cheese and he said it was THE BEST GRILLED CHEESE HE HAS EVER had. The third time he got another grilled cheese with prosciutto and I again, got the blue board, and I tried his grilled cheese, and I do agree; best grilled cheese ever.
I feel the wine is reasonably priced, and I feel the food is reasonably priced too for what you are getting.
If you like wine and cheese, and/​or meat and beer, this is the place!

What a cool little space for cheese fiends.
Recently discovered this place and I was very impressed. Probably the most exciting thing about the restaurant is the ability to build your own cheese plate from the variety of cheeses on special and display. In my experience, cheese plates often are pre-​prepared at the whims of the restaurant’s chef – which, granted, may be a good thing if the chef knows her stuff – but it’s nice to have some choice here. Plus, the cheese tray garnishes are also select-​your-​own, and include hummus, olives, and more. I built a plate including drunken goat, some kind of hazelnut-​layered cheese, and a manchego. I was tempted by a habanero cheddar but passed in case it would bust my palate. The plate came with crostinis and dried apricots and cranberries, and could easily feed 2 people. I haven’t tried their non-​cheese plate food yet… but given how much I love cheese, and their cheese selections, that may be all I ever eat here…
I was pleased with the wines that I tried – a Cotes du Rhone and a vinho verde. I’ll need a larger sample of visits reliably assess their selections. They also appear to have an interesting beer selection; I appreciate that they appreciate how beer and cheese can often pair really well.
Also, the service was great. Relaxed but attentive, and clearly appreciative of our business. We will be returning regularly!

I really like this place a lot, Iowa City needed something like this. Nice chill spot to get some cheese at a great price.
The cheese plates has a good amount of choices and should easily feed 3 – 4 people. They usually have a good lineup as far as cheeses go as well having nice sides to go with your plate.
Great place overall, should continue to get better as time goes on.

Brix — A measure of the sugar content of an aqueous solution… Brix wine and cheese shop — A seriously legit little cheese and wine shop in Iowa City!
I was so glad to hear this spot had opened that a group of us had to come and check it out. Across from Oasis in an area that’s become prime territory for seriously good local eats, lives this little gem.
Upon entering, you’re greeted by an array of cheeses that’s quite impressive. No less than 30 varieties are at your disposal for purchase with a good variety of flavors and textures available. Two large rooms with rustic-​esk tables that seat between 2 and 10 are at your leisure and the music was some great acoustic folk and bluegrass.
There were half a dozen sandwich options for lunch that came with blackstone chips and all included accompaniments from local spots.
The cheese tray options were plentiful and included 5 cheese options that ran $ 3 each for a good size chunk. The additional cheese tray sundry items included pickles in different brines, pickled onions, hummus, crackers and number of other options, most of which were from local establishments. A very good tray fed 4 of us for about $ 15.
Solid beer selection that included plenty of Belgians and a large variety that plays to almost any taste. Wine selection was excellent as well.
Overall a great new establishment that will only continue to improve. Worth checking out for a quick lunch, an evening out or a chance to impress that special someone with a classy out of the ordinary night out.

I have to admit that I’ve been talking to my friends for years about what a great idea it would be to open a wine and cheese shop in Iowa City. Well, now I don’t have to stress about opening one myself. Thank you, Brix!
At first glance, their menu seems a bit confusing. But, it’s really simple: create your own badass cheese plate! My and my wife’s first visit was last night; so, we decided to pick the five cheeses of the day and some prosciutto. They also serve great complimentary crackers with each plate. The choices are pretty stellar and are locally or regionally made — pickles, olives, nuts, and other accompaniments. I really like how they have incorporated accompaniments from their friends, literally from across the street.
Each cheese was amazing, ranging from a French Brie to an aged Wisconsin Cheddar. There was also a fabulous gouda and a couple others I should have taken notes on from Vermont and Wisconsin. I know I ‘m going to have to start taking notes on the cheeses that I try, because they have a great selection and they will continue to grow and change.
I’m sure there are some cheese and wine snobs out there that will point out the things that are missing, but if you can’t find something you like — well, you’re probably just an asshole. There is a slight retail feel, but the visitor gets to pick a wine or beer and enjoy it while your there — can’t go wrong with that. I’m sure as they stick around they could build some wood shelving that would only add to the warmth of the atmosphere. I’ve been to plenty of wine and cheese places that are so «retail» that it feels like I’m drinking in a liquor store. I’ve also been to some that are so hipster, modern, and sterile that they could care less if you have an excellent dairy and grape experience. Brix really finds a nice middle ground and makes one feel right at home — not too stuffy, not too casual.
They don’t have a kitchen but they do make a selection of sandwiches and I’m sure will have some grilled cheese sandwiches that will be absolute rock stars — I’m imagining a grilled cheese at the end of the day made from remnants of chunks that weren’t pretty enough for the plates (hint hint nudge nudge).
As far as the wine goes, my wife loved her Spanish Tempranillo and I’m sure everything else that is offered will more than impress. I had a good buzz from the Green Flash, as usual.
Prices are very reasonable and the service was very friendly and attentive. Great work, Brix!
(I probably would have given 4 ½ stars just because they are new and there is always room for improvement. That being said, I didn’t feel any of growing pains; so, there you go.)