Toronto’s best cheese shops are human mouse traps. They’re earthy, enchanting vaults stocked with curated selections of rare, international, artisanal wedges and wheels. These are the best cheese shops in Toronto, by neighbourhood.

THE JUNCTION

In the Junction, husband and wife team Jeff Brown and Jennifer Rashleigh’s Junction Fromagerie builds on the success of their Delight Chocolates and expands their vision to include more quality fermented goods, while International Cheese is the place to go for ricotta, tuma, bocconcini, and fior di latte made fresh from 100% Canadian milk.

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RONCESVALLES

Meanwhile, Polish grocer Benna’s keeps the neighbourhood happy with a selection of Polish cheeses.

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DUNDAS WEST

On Dundas West, Grain, Curd & Bean holds down the fort with a cheese fridge curated around locally produced curds and international award winners.

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LITTLE PORTUGAL

Little Portugal hits La Fromagerie for its cheese. Their store of gourmet European and Canadian goods puts an emphasis on French products, assembling a variety of artisanal raw-milk and pasteurized offerings from France, Quebec, and beyond.

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LIBERTY VILLAGE

In Liberty Village, Monforte on Jefferson brings in original favourites (all made with GMO-free milk sourced from Mennonite farmers, note) straight from their dairy in Stratford, and though a butcher by name, Bespoke Butcher matches the craft meats it prides itself on with artisanal offerings as far flung as Australia.

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LITTLE ITALY

When hankering for cheese in Little Italy, look no further than Chef Laurent Brion’s Chabichou, where more than 60 flavours are available alongside a menu of homemade soups and pies.

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THE ANNEX

At her Annex fromagerie Nancy’s Cheese, Nancy Peppler is performing the work of gods providing an accessible local resource for wine and food pairings, sending all her shoppers home with wedges wrapped in tasting notes. For those looking to sit down and enjoy some fromage more immediately, get to the original location of Chef Laurent Brion’s cheese shop/café hybrid Chabichou.

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KENSINGTON MARKET

In Kensington Market, Global Cheese Shoppe offers a busy tour of countless Canadian and international flavours. Over on Baldwin, Cheese Magic is a more select experience, but you’ll still find about 200 varieties of Canadian and imported cheeses on offer.

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FINANCIAL DISTRICT

Deep downtown, the city has a dazzling new grocer for cheese lovers to get swept away by in the fromagerie at the Financial District’s Saks Food Hall by Pusateri’s, complete with a giant wall of Parmigiano-Regianno wheels and staff trained to help you make selections for your party’s cheeseboard. [49]

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ST. LAWRENCE MARKET

Between the gourmet delights on offer at Chris’ Cheesemongers, Olympic Cheese Mart, Alex Farm Products, and Scheffler’s Delicatessen, St. Lawrence Market’s halls of artisanal splendour have something for every cheese lover.

Gotta visit my cheese guys on a Saturday morning.

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DANFORTH VILLAGE

For gourmet goods in Danforth Village, Alex Farm Products often has delicacies like truffles, pure foie gras, and pates amongst some 400 domestic and imported cheese varieties, and Cheese Emporium stocks fresh breads, oils, and olives next to its cheeses.

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LESLIEVILLE

In Leslieville, Leslieville Cheese Market is the place to go. On top of their wide variety of local and international cheeses, they also offer walk-ins fresh grilled cheeses and host regular cheese and wine (or beer) classes. On the other hand, Sandy Aleksander has more of a deli vibe, stocking and slicing cheese and charcuterie fresh alongside chocolate and prepared meals.

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LITTLE INDIA

Also a trained sommelier, pro fromager Jeremy Lago is a resource waiting to be tapped for tasting and pairing notes, and The Pantry Cheese weds those passions with regular tasting events. Favouring the extraordinary, it’s packed with artisanal cheeses from small batch producers around the world.

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THE BEACHES

Out in the Beaches, locals hit Art of Cheese, where each of their carefully selected, (mostly Canadian) artisanal offerings are displayed alongside detailed descriptions. For a more expansive selection, hit Alex Farm Products’ Queen Street East location.

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Feature photo courtesy Grain, Curd & Bean via Facebook.