Venissimo Cheese

This shop is so cute and has the best cheese. I was very excited to find it. The staff are very friendly and helpful when looking for selections. Be prepared to spend a lot and go home happy. You won’t regret it!

Venissimo Cheese has the best variety of cheeses from all around the world. You can try any samples and they have the nicest staff in all locations in San Diego. They will help put together a lovely cheese and salami platter for your dinner party!

What can I say I LOVE cheese! I work very close by so I stop in at least once a week for a wonderful melted cheese sandwich. I’ve also tried their fondue in a bread bowl, amazing! The staff is always very pleasant and knowledgeable about everything they have to offer. Very large selection of cheese’s and some really cute gifts for cheese lovers. I’m a customer as long as I live in SD. Try the meaty pretzel grilled, it will knock your sock off!

It’s CHEESE. How can you go wrong… right?
Love that you can taste any cheese in the place and can literally fill up on samples, but don’t do that… I’m just saying.
Brought home a wonderful cheese from the Netherlands. I love aged cheese, because it has those crunchy little crystals running throughout the piece. Sooooo good. Half pound was $ 11 and worth every penny.
Kids behind the counter are quite knowledgeable. Ask them and they know their stuff.
Love this place and will keep returning.

Went here with Mercy after an event we attended in HQ2. I just wanted to say that the people here are really informative with their keen knowledge of cheese! Everytime I come in here, people are asking questions about the taste, crystalization, aging process, the weight, the coutries which the cheese orginated from. The cheesemongers (people who sell cheese) really know their stuff.

Oh Venissimo, how I love you so for feeding my cheese addiction, at least I get to be classy about it.
This place is straight up awesome, they give great recommendations and pairings. They always have a sample of a different cheese every day and it’s usually good.
My personal favorite cheese is the Ewephoria… So… GOOOOOD with everything I have had it with.
Unfortuantely, the sandwich that I did get wasn’t my favorite, it was The Sweet, this was just me personally because I don’t dig sweetness in grilled cheeses, so that was my bad for ordering it. Can’t wait to go back and try their other sammies though.
Awesome job Venissimo, keep it up!

So many yummy cheeses at this place! And they are most generous with their samples. They are very knowledgable with the cheeses and are very friendly. The prices are high, but well worth it for a nice dinner party or gift!

Really great store at the headquarters.
I think I have eaten so much cheese since discovering this shop, it has given me migraines.
haha, fact — aged cheeses is in that migraine trigger category.
Ok enough with my health affliction, I love this place!
You can ask for a sample and the employees are always super friendly.
tell them what you like or don’t like and they will guide you to the right cheese!

This place was quite an experience! Never been to a cheese shop before and we will definitely be back for more. You can request to taste everything. Ms. Kate was super informative and excellent in choosing several cheeses she thought we would enjoy. Very clean and professional environment.

Venissimo has made me an official lover of artisan cheeses. Their customer service is great, but Kaydinn is a stand out. He makes the best sandwiches hands down!
If your hungry, you must try one of their delicious panini’s. My favorite is «The Sweet» on the pretzel. My fiancée loves «The Pizza» on ciabatta (and it really does taste like pizza). Not only do you get the sandwich, but you also get a piece of fruit or a small piece of chocolate.
If your in the mood for cheese, try the Bellaventano Balsamic, Saint Angel, and Boschetto. These are my top three and all different from each other.
Also, don’t forgot you can sample anything you see in the store!!!

A great experience!
I shopped here the night of the Unilocal elite event. Though the shop was a little busy, staff was very patient with all the customers, giving their personal attention and not rushing anyone.
Elizabeth eagerly prompted to sample anything in the store I want… which I then took to heart.
I sampled a couple of cheeses, and ultimately bought the 10 y.o. cheddar. I also sampled and bought the fig chocolate cake… more like a dense tart.
Lastly, a fresh ciabatta roll, which was supremely enjoyed, toasted, the next morning!
I’ll be back!

The staff here is amazing. They are super nice and helpful. They let me try a bunch of samples of the things I was curious about and I pretty much ended up walking out with almost all the things I tried. I mean I probably would have gotten more but my friend made me put some things back… I will have to come back for more once I’m out. Super excited to dig into my Ghost Pepper Salami!
Also if you give them your email they can track your purchases for you. So next time you come in if you don’t remember what type of cheese or meat you got last time, they can just pull it up for you! This place is like heaven! Cheese and meats!

This review is way late but still very relevant. :-)
One day I had stopped in and asked for curds but they didn’t have any. An order was expected and the lady took my name and number to call me when they come in. I never got a call so after lunch at Cheesecake I decided to stop back in. Turns out they had just come in the night before and my call was coming up so my trip in was very fortuitous. :-)
They were so friendly and helpful, I could tell they loved their cheesy jobs — pun sooo intended.
The next time I stopped in to get more curds after eating at Puesto, they had them in stock and the young guy that was working even offered to grill me up a little cheese on the panini maker! I forgot what kind it was but it was delish! We chatted a little about cheese and other deliciousness and then I grabbed my curds and left out of there a happy camper. I almost bought one of the tiny little raclette pan thingies but maybe next time.
I’m probably due for another trip in soon.

How can I resist a gourmet cheese shop? I can’t! This little shop offers up all sorts of samples and since I love my soft creamy cheeses I couldn’t resist the green chili goat cheese! Wow! Yes, imagine a bite of this! Perfection.
Another favorite that’s hard to find? Purple Haze! Reminds me of Provence. Beautiful lavender goat cheese. Aromatic and fabulous.
I also grabbed a ready-​made panino. This skinny loaf of french bread was filled with some artisan cheese and Italian salami. Although tasty, wish it was fresher. Still, lots of little nuts and treats to fill a picnic basket on your way to the beach.
Try the samples and take home your favorite. We did.

Cheese is easily one of my favorite things and Venissimo sells many delicious renditions of this wonderful substance. So, as you might imagine it’s somewhat of a magical place for me.
I’ve been frequenting other locations for years now and have always received stellar service. This was my first time at this location, and I’m happy to say that the staff here is completely up to par. They are happy to help and offer recommendations based on what you like or may be looking for.
One of the best parts of Venissimo is that they will literally let you try any of their cheeses. They will also let you sample cheeses that other customers are trying. This is particularly wonderful because sometimes you stumble upon a cheese you absolutely love and may have never thought to try. So, if you love cheese go yourself a favor and check this place out. I promise you’ll be glad you did!
My suggestions to everyone in the shop are the Drunken Goat and Petite Basque. They’re both full of flavor but not too strong, generally they’re a huge hit with everyone.

The cheese life definitely chose me. I love cheese! I have never been to a place that sells only cheese, not only was I in cheese heaven but we were greeted as we walked in. We told the worker that we never been to a cheese store and she gave us a few samples to try out. Each cheese has its little explanation on it for where it came from and how old it is. We ended up getting the ¼ cut of the Isabella cheese. I would come back!

This store is ahhhmazing. If you love cheese, you must visit. They have detailed descriptions for each cheese, and there are plenty of varieties. They have a gob of delicious crackers, olives, oils, & such. And, best part of all, they sell samplers of various cheeses for $ 1 each! Not sure if you want a cheese, try the sampler. They also offer free samples, but sometimes you need more than a nibble to decide. And the best best part? Your receipt for cheese comes with all kinds of information about the cheese you bought (not the samplers, but legit purchases), what to pair it with, etc.
Oh yeah, and the lady working behind the counter was both knowledgeable and friendly. Win/​win.

OH MY CHEEZUSSSSS!
This place is the best selection of cheese with the most knowledgeable associates and located in such a beautiful area! I wish I could remember my associates name because she was so helpful. I sampled and purchased the Kokos cheese that has a hint of coconut and the Saint Angel which is perfect for brie lovers like myself. The Kokos is absolutely delicious! The hint of coconut adds a magnificent fragrance and taste and was perfect for me because I love cheese and coconut. The Saint Angel was so creamy and delicious; it melts right in your mouth and goes perfect with those little toast croûton cracker things. I wish I had purchased more of them!
You never think about keeping receipts but this one is super important, it has all the different beers, wines, and other things you can pair your cheese with.
I am absolutely a fan and I cannot wait to come back to try all their cheeses!

I’m not very knowledgeable about cheeses… but I do know what tastes good and what doesn’t. This little shop was super cute and the lady helping us was very patient and let us try different cheeses to see what we wanted in our sandwich.
We had a train ride to catch, so something quick like a cheese sandwich would be perfect.
After picking what we wanted, she prepared our hot sandwiches and we went next door to buy some chocolates. When we came back to pick up our sandwiches, I noticed there was a table in the middle of the shop being set up and people trickling in… I guess they offer some cheese and wine tastings or classes. I thought this was such a fun idea. Definitely if i“m in the area again and time allowed, I would definitely take a class and educate myself in the world of cheese!
Once on my train ride back to LA… I devoured that sandwich pretty fast. It was very tasty.

***This review is for the Academy of Cheese Course — Cheese 101***
Unite, cheese enthusiasts!
This was a surprisingly popular class, put on at the new Seaport Headquarters location. It was also the most inexpensive class they offer, at $ 50 per person («Get to Know Cheese»). Check out the other options here:
Our teacher was very nice and very knowledgeable. We sat at long, wooden picnic tables in the small shop, which remained open for business during the class.
What I walked away with (a little slowly and stumbly due to the wine) was a three-​page handout covered in notes. I have a much better understanding of how cheese is made, the different kinds available, and the unique qualities that some possess.
Fun facts we learned: there are four main types of cheese: cow’s milk, sheep’s milk, goat milk, and buffalo milk (this is the rarest). Cheesemakers use 8 – 10 gallons of milk to produce ONE pound of hard cheese. ANY cheese made in the Netherlands, aged and wrapped in wax can be called Gouda. And sooo much more (see my copious notes page).
Each participant tried 12 types of cheese total, six of which were presented on a beautiful, individual board with fruit and nuts. We also got a nice parting gift — a cheese knife!
As an added bonus, after your participation in any class, you receive 10% off of your cheese purchase in the store — though it has to be made that day. I bought two kinds of goat cheese and one gouda… here’s one of the coolest parts — on your receipt, they automatically provide you with suggested wine pairings for each cheese! In the photo, I highlighted the actual cheese purchased, and the suggestions are below!
Also, if you like, Venissimo will save your purchase to your profile, to make it easy to purchase the same item in the future, even if you forget the name.
I would definitely recommend attending one of these classes with a friend who would enjoy learning and experiencing new — and different — things.