Cheese Shop Near Me in Santa Monica: Andrew's Cheese Shop

Typing cheese shop near me near the Santa Monica coast brings you straight to 728 Montana Avenue between 7th and Lincoln, where Andrew's Cheese Shop has anchored the tree-lined Montana Avenue shopping corridor since 2008. While Downtown Los Angeles lost its DTLA Cheese stall inside Grand Central Market in April 2026, founder and former culinary instructor Andrew Steiner's coastal shop continues to thrive as a neighborhood hub for over one hundred small-production cheeses, craft beers, and boutique wines. Walking in off the breezy sidewalk, you are welcomed by chalkboard tasting notes and mongers who treat every wedge like a story worth sharing.

Andrew Steiner built the shop around an educational, farm-to-counter ethos that prioritizes small family dairies practicing sustainable animal husbandry. Every cheese in the case is cut fresh to order and wrapped in breathable two-ply formaticum paper rather than suffocating plastic cling wrap. If you are unsure where to start, tell the monger three flavors you enjoy and they will curate a personalized progression from delicate goat curds to nutty alpine wheels and bold blues.

Inside the case, look for domestic farmstead gems like Uplands Cheese Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Wisconsin at roughly $32 per pound, an extra-aged pasture-fed cow's milk cheese modeled on Beaufort, alongside Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue from Oregon at $29 per pound. European staples include aged French Comté, creamy Delice de Bourgogne, Spanish sheep's milk Manchego, and clothbound English cheddar ranging from $24 to $34 per pound. Add a box of rustic crisps for $8 or a jar of small-batch fruit mostarda for $12 from the wooden racks.

Small-batch goat, sheep, and water-buffalo cheeses occupy another corner of the display for shoppers craving bright, tangy flavors. Ask for Cypress Grove Midnight Moon or Lamb Chopper at $28 to $31 per pound, French Bucheron or Valençay goat pyramids at $16 to $20 per piece, and Italian Robiola tre latti blending cow, sheep, and goat milk. Along the opposite wall, Andrew's curates a tight selection of Belgian saisons, California sour ales, and low-intervention European wines priced from $16 to $45 that are chosen specifically to elevate washed and bloomy rinds.

Locals know to arrive early for the famous Grab and Go sandwiches, which are assembled fresh each morning using artisan breads and cheeses from the counter and placed in the cold case until they sell out around 3:00 PM. Priced around $15 to $18 each, varieties include the Italian stacked with mortadella, Black Forest ham, dry salami, and aged cheddar, as well as the Prosciutto and Burrata Caprese, Smoked Turkey, Smoked Salmon, and a hearty Portobello vegetarian option. Calling ahead in the morning to reserve your sandwich is the best insider move.

For beach picnics, office lunches, and backyard dinners, Andrew's Cheese Shop also builds custom catering boards and sandwich platters. A half-dozen sandwich platter cut into eighteen party thirds costs $94, while a full dozen runs $178. Custom cheese and charcuterie boards scaled for four to twenty guests pair hand-cut wedges with dry-cured salumi, Marcona almonds, dried figs, and seasonal accompaniments.

One of the shop's most beloved community traditions is its ticketed evening tasting events, including Friday Night Flights and cheese-and-beer or cheese-and-wine pairing classes held right inside the store. During daytime hours, the counter opens Sunday through Friday from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Weekday mornings between 11:00 AM and noon guarantee first pick of the daily sandwich case and unhurried tasting time with the mongers.

No reservations are needed for daytime shopping or sandwich pickups, though ticketed evening tasting events sell out weeks ahead on their website and Eventbrite page. Because the shop's interior is dedicated to its cheese counter, wine racks, and tasting table, daytime visitors take their sandwiches and cheese flights to go.

The storefront at 728 Montana Avenue exudes relaxed coastal California warmth. Exposed wood shelving, wine barrels, and chalkboard provenance signs surround the glass display case, while ocean breezes drift in whenever the front door swings open under the eucalyptus trees.

Before opening Andrew's Cheese Shop in 2008, Andrew Steiner spent years working in professional kitchens and teaching culinary arts, which explains why the staff can effortlessly explain lactic fermentation or suggest a Belgian farmhouse ale to match a pungent washed rind. For nearly two decades, the shop has been the culinary anchor of Montana Avenue.

Once your paper-wrapped wedges and grab-and-go sandwiches are packed, walk seven blocks west down Montana Avenue to Palisades Park along Ocean Avenue. Perched atop the sandstone bluffs overlooking Santa Monica Beach and the Pacific Ocean, the park's palm-lined paths and wooden benches offer one of the finest picnic views in Southern California. Along Montana Avenue itself, you can stop into Primo Passo Coffee Co. at 702 Montana Avenue for an espresso before your walk.

Keep these practical notes handy for your visit. Andrew's Cheese Shop at 728 Montana Avenue in Santa Monica is open Sunday through Friday from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Saturday from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Credit cards, debit cards, and Apple Pay are accepted, and the sidewalk entrance is level and step-free. Open Karpo APP to pair your Santa Monica cheese run with sunset walks at Palisades Park or nearby Westside wine bars.

Andrew's Cheese Shop is ideal for Palisades Park picnickers, craft beer and wine enthusiasts seeking guided pairings, and Montana Avenue strollers hunting for a top-tier midday sandwich before 3:00 PM.