Okay, okay—we know choosing a “Top Ten Cheeses” isn’t easy when every cheese feels like the best cheese. And this year? We couldn’t stick to just ten—we went way overboard! After looking at what flew off our shelves, we’ve pulled together a list that highlights your favorites, featuring the Top Ten Domestic Cheeses, Top Ten International Cheeses, and plenty of Honorable Mentions that were too good not to include.
What makes these cheeses special isn’t just their flavor or texture—it’s the people behind them. The cheesemakers who pour their passion into every batch. The stories and traditions each wheel carries. And of course, you—the cheese-loving community who brings these cheeses home, pairing them with everything from crackers to cider to pizza night.
These picks reflect just a slice of the incredible variety in our case. Some are year-round staples, while others come and go depending on the season or the whims of availability. That’s part of the fun, right? Our case is always evolving, which means there’s always something new to discover.
To celebrate the cheeses that made 2024 unforgettable, we’ve gone a step further and created two exclusive ways to savor the year’s best. John & Kendall’s Favorites Bundle features a curated selection of standout cheeses, including Robiola Bosina, Ossau Iraty, Pleasant Ridge Reserve, Brabander Gouda, and Bayley Hazen Blue. For those looking to take their tasting experience to the next level, we’ve also created John & Kendall’s Favorites Bundle + Pairings, which includes perfect accompaniments like Drunk Cherry Jelly from Round Rock Jelly Co., Dark Masala Chai Chocolate from Madhu Chocolate, and buttery Marcona Almonds. Both options are available exclusively at our Hyde Park shop for a limited time—perfect for treating yourself or gifting to a fellow cheese lover.
So here’s to the cheesemakers, the tasters, and the tradition of celebrating good cheese. Let’s dig into the cheeses that made 2024 such a delicious year!
Top Domestic Cheeses
Flory's Truckle (Homestead Creamery, MO)
10 Year Cheddar (Widmer's Cheese Cellars, WI)
June's Joy & Plain Chevre (Pure Luck Dairy, TX)
Cave Aged Marisa (Carr Valley Cheese Co., WI)
Tomarashi (Pt. Reyes Creamery, CA)
Caveman (Rogue Creamery, OR)
Peach Chipotle Chevre (CKC Farms, TX)
Eldo (Haro Cheese, TX)
Moses Sleeper (Jasper Hill Farm, VT)
Pleasant Ridge Reserve (Uplands Cheese Co., WI)
Reading Raclette (Spring Brook Farm, VT)
Oma (Von Trapp Farmstead, VT)
Bayley Hazen Blue (Jasper Hill Farm, VT)
Caldera España (River Whey Creamery, TX)
Red Rock (Roelli Cheese Haus, WI)
Domestic Honorable Mentions
Jalapeno Cheddar (Veldhuizen Cheese, TX)
Menage (Carr Valley Cheese Co., WI)
Big John's Cajun (Beehive Cheese, UT)
Humboldt Fog (Cypress Grove, CA)
Mt. Tam (Cowgirl Creamery, CA)
Top International Cheeses
L’Amuse Gouda (Fromagerie L’Amuse, NL)
Brabander Gouda & Brabander Reserve (Fromagerie L’Amuse, NL)
Challerhocker (Chas & Co., CH)
Rougette (Kaserei Champignon, DE)
1605 Manchego (Essex St. Cheese, ES)
1655 Gruyere (Le Cret, CH)
Ossau-Iraty (Onetik, FR)
Sottocenere (Mitica, IT)
Fourme d’Ambert (Herve Mons, FR)
Comte by Marcel Petite (Essex St., FR)
Robiola Bosina (Alta Langa, IT)
Stilton (Colston-Basset, UK)
La Tur (Alta Langa, IT)
Quadrello di Bufala (Quattro Portini, IT)
Brillat Savarin (Rouzaire, FR)
International Honorable Mentions
Ewephoria (Cheeseland, NL)
Parmigiano-Reggiano (Mitica, IT)
Brie Nangis (Rouzaire, FR)
Roquefort, A.O.C. (Gabriel Coulet, FR)
Wrangeback (SE)
