SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – Cheese lovers have a new reason to visit the Ferry Building.
Ferry Plaza Cheese Merchant has opened inside the waterfront marketplace, bringing a dedicated cheese counter back to the San Francisco landmark. And as devout cheese snobs, we’re quite impressed.
The shop, located next to Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, held its soft opening on September 12. It features a rotating selection of local, American and international cheeses, along with accompaniments for building a cheese board.
The Bay Area Telegraph stopped by in October and found a case filled with everything from familiar Northern California favorites to imported cheeses.
It’s small. But if you had to choose the absolute best cheeses to populate a California cheese counter, you’d basically choose exactly what’s here.
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A Cheese Counter Returns to the Ferry Building
The new shop fills a gap left when Cowgirl Creamery closed its Ferry Building store in 2021. Cowgirl was one of the marketplace’s original tenants and now focuses on cheese production, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Cheese fans will still recognize Cowgirl Creamery in the new shop’s case. During our visit, wheels of its Mt Tam and Red Hawk cheeses were on display, alongside selections from other California producers.
The shop comes from the team behind Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant, the longtime wine store and bar next door. Wine Merchant owners Debbie Zachareas and Peter Granoff have been part of the Ferry Building since the marketplace reopened in 2003.
According to the shop’s website, head cheesemonger Evan McLean leads the new cheese counter.
What You’ll Find
Again, this is a fantastically curated selection.
On our visit, we spotted cheeses from Andante Dairy in Petaluma, including its small Picolo rounds and herb-covered Pastoral. There was also Cypress Grove’s Humboldt Fog, Point Reyes Toma and Midnight Moon goat cheese.
The selection extended beyond California, too. A sign identified Jasper Hill Harbison from Vermont, while another section of the case held cheeses from Europe, including Manchego from Spain and Taleggio from Italy.
The cards in the case make browsing especially fun. They identify many of the cheeses and offer tasting notes and pairing suggestions, giving shoppers a starting point if they’re facing a case full of unfamiliar options.
Of course, the selection rotates, so you might find something different when you visit.
Complete the Board
The shop also stocks the extras that make a cheese board feel complete. We spotted nuts, preserves and chocolate-covered fruit on shelves beside the case.
The business says its selection includes charcuterie and condiments, and it takes special orders for larger cheese boards. Its website also announced plans to add panini and takeaway boxes later in October, so check with the shop for its current prepared-food offerings.
Planning a Visit
Ferry Plaza Cheese Merchant is inside the Ferry Building at 1 Ferry Building, San Francisco, next to Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant.
The shop lists its initial hours as 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Hours and offerings can change, so check the shop’s website before making a special trip.
