Wednesday, January 20th 2016 is National Cheese Lovers Day!
Whoever knows me, knows that I simply LOVE cheese. Cheddar, Cream, Cottage, Feta, Goat, Mozzarella, Colby, Monterey Jack, String, Swiss. Hard cheeses, soft cheeses, mild cheeses, sharp cheeses, well you get the drift. I love them all. So it’s only fitting that I highlight this fun, unique and (in my opinion) highly underrated national holiday.
Listed are cheese shops, restaurants and events in honor of National Cheese Lovers Day 2016.
National Cheese Lovers Day 2016 Denver
Cheese Shops
Location: 2432 W 44th Ave.,Denver 80211
Hours: Tuesday – Friday: 11am – 7pm
Cheese+Provisions is Denver’s newest destination for artisan cut-to-order cheeses, salumi and gourmet grocery goods, celebrating the farmers and producers who handcraft the highest-quality foods. Located in the burgeoning Sunnyside neighborhood, Cheese+Provisions helps every guest impress with custom-built platters of seasonal artisan cheeses, cured meats and various, delightful accompaniments.
Guests are welcomed into the shop where they can enjoy a bottle of wine or selection of beer with a cheese platter built just for them or have one custom-made for a celebration ( National Cheese Lovers Day counts as one!).
National Cheese Lovers Day Suggestion: Blue Cheeses – Stilton & West West Blue from Parish Hill Creamery. These Blue cheeses are creamier and milder. Cheese + Provisions is the only cheese shop in Colorado selling the West West Blue Cheese!
Location: 3350 Brighton Blvd Unit 115, Denver 80216
Hours: Monday – Friday: 8am – 11pm, Saturday – Sunday 8am – 11pm
Mondo Market is proud to bring “a taste of the world” to their store for you to experience. They feature a diverse selection of items that are sourced both internationally and domestically. Their storefront and website is your source for competitively priced specialty products that will add that secret ingredient and intrigue to your dishes.
National Cheese Lovers Day Suggestion: Sartori Merlot Bellavitano – Rich, creamy cheese to the berry and plum notes of Merlot wine.
Location: 3211 Lowell Blvd, Denver 80211
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 11am – 7pm, Sunday: 12pm – 5pm
St. Kilian’s Cheese Shop has been serving the Denver Highland’s since 2001, offering a wide variety of regional and local products including artisanal cheeses and high quality epicurean essentials. Owner’s Jon Marsh and Veronica Martinez took over in 2011 and are proud continue the long tradition of sharing a passion for food with the Denver community.
National Cheese Lovers Day Suggestion: Fleur Verte – Fresh goat’s milk cheese that is coated in dry thyme, tarragon & peppercorns.
Location: 5575 E 3rd Ave., Denver 80220
Hours: Monday – Friday: 10am – 6pm, Saturday: 10am – 5pm
The Cheese Company offers a full range of specialty foods in their retail store as well as soups, sandwiches, desserts, sliced deli meats & cheeses. All of their prepared food is made from scratch and they boast the best soup in town. As well as their menu options they always have on hand their home made hummus, dips, various spreads, brownies, lemon bars and more.
National Cheese Lovers Day Suggestion: “The Grilled” Panini – Cheddar & Havarti Cheese, Tomato, Dill Pickle Chips, Red Onion, Spinach on Sourdough Bread.
Location: 2906 E 6th Ave., Denver 80206
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10am – 6pm, Sunday: 12pm – 6pm
The Truffle Cheese Shop is one of Denver’s finest cut-to-order retail cheese shop. Their commitment to traditional foods, made by hand in small batches is evident with every item in their case and on their shelves.
National Cheese Lovers Day Suggestion: Burrata and Mozzarella Making Class – hands-on cheesemaking class at The Truffle Cheese Shop. They will instruct on basic Cheese 101, making curd from milk and stretching curd. You will bring home cheese, curd, recipes and the confidence you need to make your own cheese! Space is limited to 10 people per class. Price:$50. Next available class dates: Feb. 9th & 23rd 2016. Reserve at: bit.ly/1ULfkLm
Restaurants
Location: 1529 S Pearl Street, Denver 80210
Hours: Dinner: nightly from 5pm, Brunch: Fri – Mon: 10am – 2:30pm, Happy Hour: daily 3pm – 6pm
Described as contemporary American cuisine, Black Pearl’s menu is focused on using fresh, locally produced ingredients that deliver a fullness of flavor which can only come from foods produced and prepared in a conscientious way. For the diner, that means their changing menu will feature seasonal foods, grown locally, and picked fresh to ensure their fullest flavor.
National Cheese Lovers Day Suggestion: Artisan Cheese Plate – cheese options: La Carpetta Tenerina, (goat,Italy), Dutch Girl (goat, Holland), Anton’s Bavarian Red, (cow,Germany), Cacio Di Roma (sheep, Italy), Gruyere 1655 (cow, Switzerland).
Location: 1201 Broadway, Denver 80203
Hours: Breakfast 6:30am – 10:30am
Lunch 11:00am – 3:00pm
Dinner 5:30pm – 11:00pm
Social Hour 3:00pm – 6:00pm
Saturday Brunch 10:00am – 3:00pm
Sunday Brunch 10:00am – 3:00pm
Stemming from the desire to be authentic to the artistic mindset, a restaurant called FIRE introduces a fresh take on New American Cuisine. Like any piece of art, their cuisine is a melting pot of flavors, a fusion of farm-to-table flair that captures the American experience.
National Cheese Lovers Day Suggestion: Chef’s Cheese Board – Featuring two cheeses from local Colorado producer Haystack Mountain Goat, the cheese board is unique to FIRE and makes for the perfect way to celebrate the best day of the year.
Location: 1453 Larimer St, Denver 80202
Hours: Monday – Thursday: 11am – 10pm
Friday & Saturday: 11am – 11pm
Sunday: 11am – 10pm
Happy Hour: Mon-Fri: 3pm – 6pm
Osteria Marco is a very social, artisan-style pizzeria in the heart of Larimer Square. The exposed brick dining room is lined with bottles from their exclusively Italian wine list, which features nearly one hundred labels priced under fifty dollars per bottle. They roast the lamb, pork, and beef for their paninis right in the dining room, and craft the cheeses and charcuterie from their salumi bar in house. Osteria Marco has all the amenities of a fine-dining establishment–excellent service, beautiful food, fabulous surroundings, but priced for the more casual, social diner.
National Cheese Lovers Day Suggestion: House made & Imported Formaggi Bar (Fromage means cheese in French and Formaggio in Italian) – cheese options: Mozzarella, Burrata, Ricotta, Capra Ricotta, Montegrappa, Robiola & Gorgonzola Piccante.
Location: 2556 15th St., Denver 80211
Hours: Tuesday – Thursday: 4pm – 10pm
Friday & Saturday: 4pm – 11pm
Sunday: 4pm – 11pm (closed on the Sundays that the Denver Broncos are playing). Happy Hour: nightly 4pm – 6pm.
The Truffle Table is Denver’s only restaurant for the best cheeses, cured meats and fine foods. The sister business for The Truffle Cheese Shop (mentioned in the cheese shop section above). The Truffle Table hopes to share their passion and love of cheese with Denver and the rest of the world.
National Cheese Lovers Day Suggestion: Wednesday night is Raclette Night. (Which also falls on National Cheese Lovers Day this year!) Raclette is a Swiss, Alpine, unpasteurized, cow’s milk cheese generously melt over bread, vegetables and salami. Served with cornichon.
Events
Beer & Cheese at Ratio Beerworks
Location: Ratio Beerworks, 2920 Larimer St, Denver 80205
Time: 7pm – 9pm
Ratio Beerworks is hosting a 4 course cheese and beer pairing on January 20th 2016. Amy Combs/ A Cheese Peddler, will walk attendees through the featured cheeses and why she chose to pair them with each beer. Ratio Beerworks will also describe why each beer pairs so well with each cheese selection.
Tickets are available in the taproom at the bar and they will be accepting walk-ins throughout the evening so no need to worry about getting there right on time.
Girls Night Out at Lala’s Wine Bar + Pizzeria
Location: Lala’s Wine Bar + Pizzeria, 410 E. 7th Ave Denver 80203
Time: 3pm – 11pm
Lala’s Wine Bar + Pizzeria (that was featured in our National Spaghetti Day 2016 article earlier this month), hosts a special Girls Night Out event every Wednesday and how appropriate that National Cheese Lovers Day 2016 falls on a Wednesday this year! Ladies get a special offer of two cheeses, two meats and two wine glasses for $22. $4 on glasses of bubbly, Pinot Grigio & Pinot Noir and $5 on glasses of Sangria and special Girls Night Out cocktails. Also, five or more ladies enjoy a free bottle of bubbly with a $25 purchase.
Happy National Cheese Lovers Day 2016 Denver!