Fromagerie Sophie

Give it a minute or two after you first walk in, for your nose to acclimate. Stinky cheese abounds. But isn’t that what we’re here for?
Whatever type of cheese you crave, this place has got you covered. My favorites? For a blue (or a bleu if you want to be a snob) Fourme d’Ambert is amazing, but my all time favorite blue that’s a little sweet and fruity is Fourme au Moelleux which is basically Fourme d’Ambert injected with white wine. Try it, and prepare to have your socks knocked off. My favorite in the creamy, buttery-​flavored category is Challerhocker. But don’t take my word for it. The staff will let you sample almost anything you’d like, as long as it’s not wrapped for individual sale, so you can taste and make an informed decision.
If you’re traveling from the Bay or LA, as so many who end up in SLO are, and you want to pick up some cheese to pack home with you, bring a cooler. Stinky cheese and a hot, 3-​hour car ride home makes for some pretty interesting reentry into the car, after taking a potty break. Ask me how I know.
Also, I’m pretty pleased to finally get to use the word ‘injected’ in a Unilocal review.

I love this place. Great cheese, very knowledgable. What a great addition to SLO!

I’ve been here twice now and both times have been a great experience. The staff is knowledgeable, friendly, and very patient. We were able to try a variety of cheeses before finally choosing four. They even stayed open after closing to assist us.
The selection of cheeses are fantastic… from all around the country and from all over the world.
I can’t wait until I’m in SLO so I can go again.

Well informed staff. Beautiful selection of the most delicious cheeses. Join the monthly club for wine and cheese tastings that are fun.

I had the opportunity to try Fromagerie Sophie’s offerings at the most recent Chardonnay Symposium in SLO. Let’s just put it this way. I was so impressed that I had to make a stop at their shop to pick up a few items to take home.
The duck pâté was the best I’ve had. Apparently, the story behind the pâté was because of the ban that was briefly initiated for foie gras. The pâté was smooth. silky, and so delicious on the palate. This is a must have if you do come anywhere near this shop.
Ok. The cheese. We ended up buying 3 types to take home with us. I love stinky cheese and this place does not fall short at all.
Service was fantastic and friendly. What a find and I hope to come back again!

Would have loved to have had the opportunity to purchase the few cheeses and olives that i was planning to pick up but between the family of giants that were posted up spread legged and leaning against the length of the display case and a group of about 5 young adults getting enough samples to make a meal with allowing for any room or opportunity for those of us that have intention to purchase I had ran out of patience. I don’t know why the staff wouldn’t ask excessive family members and visitors that are just resting/​lingering to kindly step back so paying customers can order? When I had finally had enough and went to leave, I was finally asked if I had to been served… To late.

If I could give more stars I would! This place is my favorite luxury in SLO. The stink from the street tells you that you are about to enjoy some seriously great stuff! The latest indulgence was a hard balsamic soaked rind that was to die for! I have never seen or tasted anything like it. Sophie is a wealth of cheese knowledge and always incredibly sweet to my kids.

This was a great stop, and so glad we did! Their cheeses are pretty expensive, and we shop at the Bev Hills Cheese shop often so aren’t easily taken to sticker shock! But they are well worth the cost. We came at the end of the day on the 27^th and had this very informative man helping us. We asked him to choose his favorite and he did not disappoint. Cheeses that were complex. Always providing bites with the rinds! So you really got the best flavor of the cheese. We had some the day we got it, but weren’t able to get back to it for 3 days — and I thought about it quite a lot until then! Definitely the place to stop for cheese in SLO!

Yes, the cheeses are a bit on the expensive side of things. However, this place still gets 5 stars. They were super helpful with ideas for veggie rennet cheeses. This place is VERY vegetarian friendly. When me and my other half were going to stop in last time we were in the area, I emailed the shop to ensure they would have cheese that fit the veggie bill. Unfortunately, we did not get an email back until after we left. However, the email we got was so informative and was not a template. It was obvious that someone had taken a lot of personalized time and care to write back to us. This is what brought us in this time, and let me say it was a stellar choice on our part. Great olive selection too!

Great selection, knowledgeable staff and the prices are fair given the less than urban location. We’ve only tried the cheese, next visit I plan to purchase some of their lovely pâtés.

I love coming here when I’m in the mood for some fancy cheese. They have all kinds of different varieties for every occasion and wine pairing. It’s nice that when you come in to the store you can sample different kinds of cheeses– hard cheeses, soft ones, you name it.
Tip: If you tell the staff what type of wine you are planning on opening, they can help you to find a cheese that would pair nicely with it. That’s been very helpful for me because I don’t know what goes with what.
Great for picnics, wine tasting adventures, or just a nice dinner. With this cheese you are definitely going to impress (and look fancy in the meantime).
For gluten free people: They do sell rainforest crisps there that you can purchase to eat with your cheese. You have to read the labels carefully because only the rosemary one (green package) and the cranberry one (red package) have a version that is gluten free.

Cheezus, this place has quite a selection from so many countries around the world.
Be prepared to spend some cheddar, but the knowledgeable staffwill let you try samples for brie. The quality is not just gouda — it’s grate!!!
Definitely stop in if you have a serious queso cheese fever: D

The cutest cheese shop on the central coast. Knowledgeable & friendly staff with a passion for cheese.

OMG! I love this little shop! I have family in town so visit SLO frequently. Stopping into Fromagerie Sophie is now part of our routine. The staff is very well informed about their products. Tell them what you like and ask for suggestions. I told the lady who helped me that my go to cheese was Jarlsberg and that I like salty cheese– she hooked me up with Challer… something. It is so good! I’m also very happy with the Saucisson Sec (salami type meat) they helped me pick out.
Don’t let the prices scare you. Good cheese is worth the money! If you are preparing a cheese plate for a party, I recommend you let them know and ask for suggestions.

Perfect place to start if you are planning a day of wine tasting. To our delight, the Fromagerie staff have worked with several wineries in the area and were able to suggest a cheese pairing for all of the wineries we were planning to visit in the Edna Valley. And the pairings were spot on.
Just tell the staff which wineries you like and there is a good chance the could suggest a pairing or two.
We are now cheese club members and have been loving the monthly selection of cheeses and the fun pick-​up parties at the Fromagerie.
The quality of cheeses and selection are unmatched in this area.

I went wine tasting recently and they offered cheese pairing. The place did a wonderful job pairing the cheese with each wine. The cheese was delightful and made the wine tasting marvelous. I definitely plan to come by and visit this spot soon!

Delightful! I went into Fromagerie looking for a variety of cheese for a wine and cheese pairing event I was preparing for work. Not sure of where to start, the staff kindly and creatively helped me put together a delicious menu of cheese. I learned so much about cheese and even learned some Italian!
My event turned out to be a great success, thanks to Fromagerie. Everyone loved the cheese and all look forward to walking into Fromagerie on their own soon to taste some more! I recommend you do too!

On a stroll through downtown San Luis Obispo, I happened upon a quiet side street that struck me as unique. From the top I could see a very hip coffee shop, what appeared to be a trendy restaurant, some fashion shops, and… A Fromagerie! It takes guts to open a store dedicated to cheese. The US doesn’t celebrate as much as others, but with the push to eat more local foods, artisan cheese makers are becoming more prevalent, which makes me really happy.
I love the variety of smells, textures, and flavors of cheeses from all over, and much like wine, I wish I knew more about the nuances of the different varieties and how they’re made. And if I had the time to learn, this would be the place to do it! The selection is incredible, with cheeses from the US, France, Spain, Italy, and beyond, from producers large and small, some that we would all be familiar with and many that seasoned connoisseurs may find new, in other words something for everyone. Equally impressive was the staff and the signage, who are both there to guide you through the process of picking a cheese to suit your preferences and personality. You can ask to try just about anything in the store, so don’t be afraid! They want you to find «the one», the one you’ll remember and seek out in cheese shops everywhere, the one you’ll tell friends about, and the one who will be on your mind between bites.
For me, that one was called «Up In Smoke» an award winning American made cheese that, if memory serves, was wrapped in bourbon soaked smoked tea leaves for extra interesting flavors. I only wish I had more space in my stomach for all of the absolutely delicious food that crosses my path, and more time in San Luis Obispo, because I’d have been back here in a heartbeat to enjoy this, along with the beautiful selection of charcuterie and accoutrements available. If you’re in the area, pay them a visit!

Amazing, friendly and knowledgeable… only issue was so hard not to make a joke about the cat eating the Camembert!
«Ah! We do have some Camembert, sir… It’s a bit runny, sir… Well, as a matter of fact it’s very runny, sir… I think it’s runnier than you like it, sir… Yes, sir.» (bends below counter and reappears) «Oh… the cat’s eaten it.»

Other than the pretentious people in front of us in line, this place is awesome! When we came in, we were overwhelmed with the cheese selection. Luckily, the staff here is very friendly and accommodating. The tags show what kind of cheese each are, where they come from, type of animal, and wine pairing suggestions.
We tried several types, and left with two delicious cheeses, some prosciutto, and crackers. Overall 5 stars!