Friday, July 26, 2013

Bedford Cheese

I remember a time when people ate a lot more cheese than they seem to do today, and everyone had their favorite cheese shop...there was one especially in the East Village people were crazy for and another one way downtown...

Anyway, I just settle for what is available at the supermarket these days and it has been sometime --since I don't drink--that I have been involved in planning any kind of wine and cheese selection for some party or something.

Well, let's see what Yelp says--OK, a few naysayers and also a warning that it is "pricey" (unsurprising in Manhattan, no?)


Bedford Cheese Shop

3.5 star rating
20 reviews Rating Details
Category: Cheese Shops  [Edit]
67 Irving Pl
(between 19th St & 18th St)
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhoods: Gramercy, Flatiron
(718) 599-7588
Nearest Transit Station:
14 St - Union Sq (N, Q, R)
14 St - Union Sq (4, 5, 6, 6X)
23 St (4, 6, 6X)
Price Range:
$$$
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes

Review Highlights   What's this?

  • "Stunning array of local and international cheeses." In 5 reviews
  • "Nice selection of breads from Amy's, Il Forno and Napoli of..." In 2 reviews
  • "Cheese Pepperonis Chocolate and lots of other delicacies." In 4 reviews
Rating Distribution | Trend
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20 reviews in English

  • Review from

    5/13/2013 2 photos 1 check-in here
    I wandered into this shop while waiting for a friend the other day and just loved the variety of products in the store. I'm a fan of most organic or specialty food stores so I enjoyed taking a look at the huge assortment of cheeses and other dairy products, meats, drinks (non alcoholic), and european chocolates, cookies, and other snacks.

    I saw the biggest Jar of Nutella I've ever seen in my life. The price tag a whopping $90.00. One of the employees told me he's begged his wife to let him buy it but she refuses. Totally on her side. What could you possibly do with all that Nutella unless you own a dessert shop. lol.  I also loved the various duck meat products, eggs, duck bacon, duck prosciutto, duck breast.(I'll include pics).

    What makes this store worth a visit: staff is friendly and helpful, great product assortment, price is reasonable depending on what you're looking for (some things are expensive) and there are two locations. So if you can't get to the Irving Pl loc, there is one in BK on Bedford Ave.

    Since I was on the go the other day and couldn't really browse like I wanted to, I'll definitely be returning to pick up a few items.
    • Duck bacon and eggs
    • Biggest Jar of Nutella ever
  • Review from

    4/13/2013 4 check-ins here
    I think in another life I was a fromagier. In fact, if I ever win the lottery, I'm quitting this sham plan of going to grad school and taking a job at a cheese shop so I can eat fancy delicious cheese all day long.

    Bedford Cheese Shop is a welcome addition to the neighborhood. The cheese selection is really nice and caters perfectly to my tastes. I'm all about the rich and pungent cheeses and could care less for the boring stuff (I'm looking at you parmigiano reggiano). The guy that's usually behind the cheese counter really knows his stuff and I have yet to try one of his "favorites" and not end up walking out with at least a quarter pound.

    I've recently started a new rule for myself - the fridge needs to be stocked weekly with a wide variety of fancy meats and cheeses. The prices are a little steep, but the quality of everything you buy is totally worth it.
  • Review from

    2/15/2013
    They seriously need to work on their ventilation.  We LOVE Cheese but something stinks to high heaven in this shop and it does not make you want to stay in there more than 30 seconds without a gas mask.

    Go to Murray's instead.
  • Review from

    5/14/2013
    My service dog and I went to buy a baguette and some cheese.  Immediately the guy told me dogs weren't allowed.  I said she's a medical alert dog.  So instead of saying oh sorry or anything like that he just glared at me the whole time.  On top of that the other workers also just gave me dirty looks.

    HORRIBLE HORRIBLE PEOPLE!!!!  DON'T GO THERE, YOU CAN GET BETTER STUFF AT EATILY!!!!
  • Review from

    5/6/2013
    Great shop for cheeses and condiments, cookies and yummy surprises!  A lot of local products too.
  • Review from

    5/4/2013
    Great selection of cheese, cold cuts, jams, chocolates and etc; staff was very knowledgeable.
  • Review from

    10/25/2012 1 check-in here
    Seeing so many cheese shops in Paris just two months ago makes me want to go inside a cheese shop and just inhale and exhale. This cheese stop has more than cheese. It has a lot of European jam, cookies, Italian cold cuts, and chocolates.

    Since I am not a real cheese expert, I went with what everyone has been raving about online - the Australian goat cheese (feta) or aka, the Crack Cheese. It is $30/lb so it is a bit pricey but it is very very good. You just need a little bit for the rich and creamy flavor.

    I also got some of their chocolate cardinals in a jar and it is dark chocolate covered with liquor inside! I wish I got more.

    I can't wait to return to try more cheese and their salami next time!
  • Review from

    8/26/2012 1 photo
    With their only other location in Brooklyn, I was delighted to see such a cute little place open recently. It really caters perfectly to this area (Irving Place) and once the locals realize that that "always closed storefront" is finally open, I'm sure business will be booming.

    As many may know, I'm not a fan of cheese but I still ventured in out of curiosity. & I, too, wanted to know why my elevator smelled like cheese all the time. But besides cheese, they have a wide selection of fresh breads and European goods. From jams to pastas to European nutella (which is apparently different from American nutella, according to the staff), I was more fascinated by their huge collection of chocolates -- typical. I ended up settling on a chocolate from Madagascar with sea salt and nibs, which concluded an exhausting long day of work quite well.

    They also have a ton of classes e.g. Wine & Cheese pairings, Chocolate & Cheese, which sound like great fun!
  • Review from

    12/6/2012
    OK, I love the look of this shop, it's nice to see all the cheese spread out and the staff seems fairly nice, some more knowledgable that others, they are happy to have you taste things, although often the staff seems distracted by multi-tasking and talking  amongst themselves, leaving you on stand by, I just don't get the customer comes first feeling that I think would be more appropriate for a gourmet shop.

    So, why the low rating you might ask? Well the answer is in spite of how Bedford Cheese would like to promote themselves, this is not a shop for Cheese Lovers, or neighborhood folks, whom enjoy cheese often.

    Want some Swiss Cheese for your sandwhich, not here, not at $33 a lb! They only have one selection of Emmentaler, a good one at that, but not for daily consumption, and forget getting it sliced, they look at you cross-eyed if you ask.

    Want to make a Fondu, it will cost you well over $100, by the time you are through, with cheeses that avarage about $35 and up a pound.

    Want to make a lovely grilled Chedder Cheese sandwich for lunch, not here, same reason, there is no reasonable range of prices within each of the cheese catagories to satisfy a variety of end uses.

    Want to make a nice well rounded Cheese Plate for some casual guests, not here, it would be less expensive to serve them a full course dinner.

    You just can't keep from feeling that "they got me" by the time you get to the cash register, the talk amongst the locals is that they like the shop, but soon the converstation turns to "sticker shock".

    Ok, this isn't the Third Ave Cheese Store, with a great selection of cheese at bargain prices, but the same items at Bedford should not cost as much as $10 lb more than Murrays Cheese Shop at Grand Central either, which by the way not only slices a good quality Swiss, Chedder, and Provolone, for cheese lovers, but also has a range of prices and tastes for each type of cheese.

    In closing, I am hoping that the owners see this review, because we like the shop and it's a great addition to the neighborhood, and we all get it, the owner is stocking the expensive stuff that he as an owner would like and can afford to eat every day, but for the rest of us Cheese Lovers, getting creative with cheese at this place is just too expensive, same thing goes for the cold cuts.
  • Review from

    8/1/2012
    I need to live near here. I need to work here. I need to just live HERE. The wonderful stink of cheese basically knocks you over when you enter. Cheese is my favorite thing in the whole world and this place delivers immensely. i worry because it's SO empty right now as opposed to Murray's; it's better for MOI of course. The individual attention and love and patience  of the mongers is unlike that of any other cheese shop in nyc! (and I have been to 'em all)

    they have a wonderful variery, lots of softies...lots of locals...I want to try everything including the classes they offer (however the classes are pricey....guess they have to pay rent somehow with their prime UnSq locale)

    Prices are fair. They are fine with smaller cuts. Hey, it's good cheese, not generic plastic wrapped monterey jack.

    Everyone working here is pleasant and knowledgeable- not like Steve Jenkins or Anne Saxelby (my favorites), but in a I'm a hipster who likes cheese and people are cool too! kind of way.

    If I lived within walking distance, i'd be a regular.
  • Review from

    8/18/2012
    stumbled in here one day with a friend who lives right across the street and has been meaning to try this place. i love cheese but wouldn't consider myself a cheese connoisseur by any means (as in I'm a cheapo who buys cheese from Trader Joe's).

    as my friend and i stared and stood awkwardly in front of the gorgeous displays of cheese, the friendly cheese monger/counter person seemed to pick up on our hesitant oh-my-god-what-cheese-is-good vibe and asked us if we wanted to sample any cheeses.

    my friend asked if he had any recommendations and he had us try a hard cheese from switzerland (can't remember the type), but it was delicious. my friend immediately ordered a quarter pound. they had lots of local and domestic cheeses from Jersey, upstate New York, Oregon...as well as lots of international ones, including a cheese with lambic ale that i regret not trying.

    we sampled a Gouda that was really tasty. i'm used to mild Goudas without very complex flavors, but this wasn't your typical $5-6 hunk of bland Gouda. this Gouda was so tasty that i ordered about half a pound for $13. yes, my cheap ass spent over $10 on less than half a pound of cheese, which says a lot.  prices for cheese are on the steep side, averaging around $25-$40 per pound. they have a back room where they host events semi-regularly, like wine and cheese classes. even saw a chocolate and cheese event on the calendar. these were also expensive, ranging from $35 for a film screening with cheese, to a food and cheese event that was a whopping $85/per person. wish the price point was more affordable.

    if you come here, don't be afraid to ask the counter staff for recs and to sample cheeses. they are more than happy to tell you which ones they like and let you sample as many as you'd like!
  • Review from

    8/31/2012 6 check-ins here
    This might be one of my new favorite places. I normally buy cheese at Whole Foods or the Union Square Farmers Market, not anymore. This place is awesome. They have such a large selection of cheeses and the staff are very knowledgable about everything. I was having a hard time deciding what to get and the man working was very helpful and patient asking me questions about what I was looking for, making suggestions, and even offering tastes of various cheeses to be sure I liked what I was buying. I will definitely be back!
  • Review from

    • 26 friends
    • 9 reviews
    10/15/2012
    This is obviously a great place to buy cheese and meats but, it also has all of the random Euro goods like drinks and candy that you miss being in the US.  There are also tons and tons of things to buy for gifts at every price point that show you care but do not blow your budget.  Definitely worth stopping in.
  • Review from

    • 0 friends
    • 6 reviews
    12/5/2012
    Fantastic cheese, as properly kept as it can be on this side of the Atlantic.
    It made me nostalgic for my native France. A little pricey, but absolutely worthwhile.
  • Review from

    9/16/2012 3 check-ins here
    Randomly came in here recently and OH MY GAHD am I happy I did.  I bought 3 cheeses all were excellent but the one that I cannot stop thinking about is the Australian Goat Cheese!  The people who work here call it crack cheese and I can see why.  It comes mixed with olive oil and instantly melts in your mouth.  I don't even know how to describe the flavor it is simply divine.  This place is pricey but it is in Gramercy afterall.  If you love cheese or even just like it come check this place out!

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