14 Great Cheese Boards in Philadelphia
From small-batch local wheels to international icons, here are the best places to order cheese in Philly.
Tria | Facebook
A great cheese board is a beautiful thing. Think of a well-composed board as a gallery featuring delicious works of lactic art, highlighted with pairings like local honey or savory Marcona almonds. And Philly’s proximity to dairy-producing regions like Chester County means that great restaurants can get their hands on unique local wheels in addition to worldwide hits. Here are some of the best cheese boards our city has to offer.
Martha | Facebook
Martha, Kensington
Philly’s fermentation destination always keeps an array of local cheeses on its electronic menu board. Order them one by one or get them all, accompanied by breads and Martha’s house-made pickles.
High Street on Market, Old City
True to its New American, farm-to-table ethos, High Street’s cheese board highlights a rotating selection sourced from local makers not far outside Philly.
Tria Cafe and Tria Taproom, Washington Square West and Rittenhouse
There’s no cheese board on Tria’s menu — it’s basically one big cheese board, with choose-your-own cheeses sourced locally, domestically, and internationally and categorized by character, plus an accompanying slate of panini, salads, and sweets.
Talula’s Garden | Facebook
Talula’s Garden, Washington Square West
The city sibling to Aimee Olexy’s iconic Talula’s Table is similarly cheese-obsessed, with an entire section of the menu devoted to cheese boards, each featuring six to eight selections and framed around seasonality, international favorites or domestic innovators — or you can arrange your own lineup with the help of a dedicated cheesemonger.
Bar Hygge, Fairmount
Chef Julie Klein’s menu at the locally-focused Bary Hygge is board-centric — choose from inventive protein and veggie dishes and local cheeses sourced from makers across Pennsylvania to build your own.
The Dandelion, Rittenhouse
Stephen Starr’s upscale homage to the English pub features English cheeses, of course — a trio accompanied by treats like quince paste, savory biscuits, and grape chutney.
Royal Boucherie, Old City
Nick Elmi’s cozy yet refined bar-restaurant hybrid is big on bites and small plates — which, in addition to their excellent raw bar and house-made charcuterie program, means cheese. Get a trio served up with apricot jam, Marcona almonds, and toast to go along with your rabbit terrine.
The Love | Photo by Alex Jones
The Love, Rittenhouse
The menu Aimee Olexy and Stephen Starr’s latest collaboration includes an epic, mostly-local cheese board — eight cheeses plus pitch-perfect accompaniments, of course — including a dollop of Shellbark Hollow Farm’s Sharp 2 chevre in the shape of an adorable mouse.
Urban Farmer, Logan Square
When Urban Farmer took over the Fountain at the Four Seasons space a few years ago, one relic remained: the longtime fine dining spot’s historic cheese cart, which is now used to proffer locally-sourced wheels to diners. Let their cheesemonger walk you through the selections and pick your favorites.
Le Virtù, East Passyunk
Before you dive into the primi and secondi, order up a meat and cheese board from Le Virtù’s antipasti menu for a taste of Abruzzo’s dairy culture.
White Dog, University City
The OG of farm-to-table in Philly still features a trio of cheeses by local local producers on its menu, accented with accoutrements like seasonal preserves, bread, and honey.
Root | Facebook
Root, Fishtown
With the bar’s focus on wine, it’s natural that Greg Root’s Frankford Avenue namesake features an excellent slate of cheeses. Choose one, two, three, or more from a list of local favorites from Valley Milkhouse, Calkins Creamery and Doe Run Farm in addition to heavy hitters from Holland and Spain.
Amada, Old City
Jose Garces’s flagship restaurant is still a destination for great Spanish cheeses and charcuterie. Order the Manchego paired with truffled lavender honey, or get the mixto board to try several selections.
Kraftwork, Fishtown
This neighborhood gastropub features a stellar craft beer selection — with an ever-changing selection of stellar cheeses to go along with them. Check the specials board to see what they’re slicing this week.
Philly’s Greatest Cheese Boards, Mapped
