Cheese Magic

I’ve long moved away from Toronto but I woke up this morning remember how crappy the service was here and vowed to write a review.
I didn’t really know anything about cheese but I wanted to get some for a nice picnic I was setting up for my boyfriend. Looked on Unilocal and it was between this place and global cheese. Honestly, I only chose this one because I was intrigued by the number of reviews that said that this shop was filled with good looking boys.
Service was just HORRIBLE. I stood in the shop being ignored despite the fact that there were two guys behind the counter and only one other customer. Knowing nothing about cheese, and overall just intimidated by their attitudes, I was afraid to step up and say anything. So I kind of just stood there until finally, the owner or manager comes by and offers me some help.
Walked out with a container of assorted cheese and a feeling of worthlessness.

I bought some wasabi cheddar (which was good) and a big chunk of German butter cheese last Sunday. The German cheese is covered in mold already!

Helpful staff who provided great recommendations for my upcoming wine and cheese! I’d give it a big thumb up!

Let’s put this out there, I AM NOT a fan of cheese. In fact, I hate cheese. I hate the smell of it. I hate the texture of it. I hate how they stick to your fingers. So naturally, when I first stepped into the shop, I was holding my breath. I wanted to be polite and didn’t want to make a face of disgust. So I kept a smile on my face while trying to look normal. The shop was very clean with lots and lots of variety of cheese and meat. I couldn’t help but noticed the neat décor around the shop! It was very unique! They have little notes plastered on the wall with funny pictures. Neil took us to the back of the shop to try out their cheese. He gave us a pretty good background on each of the cheese that was being sampled. I was very reluctant to try the cheese, so when the plate was passed to my face, I took the smallest piece of cheese I found on the plate. To my surprise, it was actually really good! My favourite was the Apple Smoked Cheese, believe it or not, I went back for seconds.

When you walk into a cheese shop and it smells like a million cheeses you know you have hit pay dirt!
Just take a deep breath and be prepared to be wowed by more cheeses then you ever thought was possible!
One of my fave cheeses — Comte — is sold here. A bit pricey but oh so worth every single bite!
The staff are all knowledgeable and friendly and you can taste to your heart’s desire. It’s a tiny space that can get packed, but be patient because it’s worth it!

Cheese is slightly expensive here, but you can be sure you’ll be getting good cheese. Staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. This is the place I go to for cheese in Kensington market.

I always find great Leicestershire cheese here. I love me this red cheese. But the service is a bit lacking. They don’t engage in any interaction with you and I don’t feel comfortable with them to ask questions.

I want to buy this entire store.
You can sample before you buy, so it’s an awesome way to check out new cheese. They have a great selection of cheddars as well as a lot more local stuff for you to sample and maybe buy! They also have a selection of olives and other dried/​preserved foods for a perfect cheese plate. It’s tiny, which is so sad because I’m going to get so fat eating all of their cheese that I won’t be able to fit into the store anymore.
I honestly don’t have much to say about this place except that I LOVE it and I am so happy it exists.

Sweet dreams are made of cheese.
Who am I to diss a brie?
I cheddar the world and the feta cheese.
Everybody’s looking for Stilton.

Cheese Magic has been open in the market for as long as I can remember. The space is tiny, and someone with a backpack will block the narrow aisle. Regardless, these people know their stuff. As you come in, check out the fantastic stuffed olives in the window. And the cheese selection is incredible with most of it easy to see and the staff eager to let you sample it. They are unpretentious and very efficient, unlike some larger stores where you can spend too much time browsing. In the back of the store they have a limited selection of cold cuts and some dairy products and eggs. The Bulgarian feta they sell works fantastic as a topper on barbecued burgers.

I was picking up some meats and cheeses for my client. Really nice selection and the prices are very reasonable.

Cheese heaven! I wish I could open up a store like this in Honolulu! I’d probably be 500lbs then since I would eat all the products. Anyways, great selection and helpful staff. They really help hone in on what you want and of course you can sample!

Yay Cheese Magic!!! They kick Global Cheese (the rival around the corner’s) ass, big time! No pressure, no upselling, no overcharging, no old cheese (all of which I’ve had at Global). Just great cheese, great prices, and friendly service from a bunch of cute guys. They’ll let you try whatever you want but won’t push anything on you. I LOVE how they clearly display the prices of all the cheeses so you don’t have to constantly ask (this is a particular bugbear of mine). Plus they’re small enough to be familiar with all their products. My kind of cheese shop. Long live Cheese Magic!!!

When I’ve got a hankering for some Dutch gouda or aged cheddar, this is the place I come to. The store has a pungent smell that can hit you like a brick wall, but it’s a cheese shop so get over it. The display cases are well organized and everything is clearly labeled. They’ll gladly slice up your order or give it to you in a big hunk.

I gotta say I’m pretty happy with Cheese Magic. They have a great selection of goat and sheep cheeses (which I’m told also have lactose but for some reason don’t affect me nearly as much as cow milk).
The staff is super friendly, the owner incredibly gracious. I believe she also owns The Market Bakery next door. Cheese and Bread… can you really go wrong here?
Also a hit are the various European spreads and pickles etc along the back of the store.
Whatcha waitin’ for? Go hungry :)

The absolutely fantastic cheese in this Kensington Market gem is only matched by the exceptional service. On my first visit to try the «must have» Applewood Smoked Cheddar I was offered up multiple slices of heaven by the generously endearing cheese-​boys.
Besides the Applewood the complexity of their Whisky cheese won me over. Cheese Magic even has the courage to stand on the merits of a simple 6 year-​old aged Cheddar and come out victorious.

If you like cute boys behind the counter who’ll give you a taste of some creamy white stuff, then come here. (Ugh, I think I just threw up a little in my mouth with that opening line.)
Ask for a recommendation and the cheese guys are happy to oblige. On a recent trip I bought a delicious, nutty aged gouda and a ridiculously creamy cow’s milk cheese called La Sauvagine (Voted Grand Champion at the 2006 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix) that practically runs out the door when it hits room temperature. Thanks to Kat F. for the tip on La Sauvagine but I almost couldn’t ask for it by name because it sounds like «Wild Vagina» in French.
The shelves are crammed with packages of dried pasta (including my fave brand Barilla), jars of pickley nibbles and random edibles packed in olive oil.
My one gripe with the shop is that it’s narrower than a TTC streetcar. You will always be in someone’s way when they enter through the doors.
Be prepared to shell out; good cheese is pricy.

Everyone knows about the hunk** factor at Cheese Magic. Dudes that work there are super cute. However, there was a dry spell of hotness between July 2008 and April 2009, when I didn’t fancy a single Cheese Magic employee. It was a rough era of my life, buying cheese minus the eye candy. My ex’s best friend used to work there, and when he left, he took most of the gorgeosity with him.***
I’m happy to say that the cute boys are back. In addition to providing great distraction, the Cheese Magic boys are actually nice. They’ll patiently wait as you decide which of the ten types of goat cheese you want, and as you struggle to figure out the quantity in grams. Who knows a thing about grams, anyway? Not this girl. Luckily, I learned today that they actually prefer talking cheese in inches. So, an inch of havarti, two inches of brie, eight slices of gouda.
I got a slab of Woolwich goat cheese from Orangeville, ON (the one I raved about in my Bier Markt omelette review:
), some Danish blue cheese, Finnish Muenster and La Sauvagine.
I asked for that last cheese by description only. This week I had some amazing cheese at Tara A’s house but she didn’t know the name of it. She said she goes to Cheese Magic and asks for «the cheese that’s a cross between Brie and Camembert» and they know which one to give her, so I did the same, and they let me sample it (as all cheese shops should!) before buying it. It was indeed the one! Now I know.
I had to subtract a star for the lack of labels. Looking back at the cheese I bought, I can’t remember which is which, or what some of them are called for future reference. I guess we can’t all be smokin’ hot AND practical.
**Yes, I’m bringing back the term «hunk», along with «no guff», «radical» and «bogus».
***Yeah, it almost broke us up. What can I say — he was a megahottie!

Have you ever walked into a place and its been bitter sweet. Well for Cheese Magic, that would be the best way for me to describe it.
Bitter — you walk in and the smell overwhelms you. It gets in your nose and you just can’t shake it no matter how hard you try! Also its a bitter mood because the males that work there are so extremely good looking and yet you know you never have a chance with any of them! They’re not interested… don’t even try!
Sweet– Because to try a new cheese that will change your life and you will never have a dinner party with out it, is so sweet. Not to mention that garlic stuffed olives as you walk in the door. (must have!). They have unlimited cheese options and will let you try every kind in the store if you want.
This is another place in Kensington Market that is a part of my weekly routine. Dare I say, I’m a regular?

I only really buy two types of cheese (feta and mozzarella) but in the spring time, I can’t help but make feta and watermelon salad all the time, so I frequented Cheese Magic a bit and discovered two things:
1. There is a cult of people who worship the Cheese Magic boys.
2. Hummus.
Going back to the first point, I am too short to really see who is on the other side of the counter, but sure, the guys are nice. I don’t understand how this appreciation came to be, but whatever. One time I saw a really funny missed connection that was comprised of cheese puns and thought it was brilliant.
Anyway, the hummus is a special thing. The owner makes it herself but it is not sold every day, and in fact, she apparently only makes it on Tuesdays (I think). I was quite devastated to find this out because I had an out-​of-​town friend in tow for an impromptu picnic on the Island and the hummus was the secret ingredient to the most perfect afternoon.
I’m also a fan of their sundried tomatoes, yum!