Seattle:
America's Cheese & Charcuterie Capital

Where to Find Artisanal Cheese and Charcuterie in Seattle

Seattle stands out as an ideal destination for charcuterie in the Pacific Northwest, where artisan cheesemakers, specialty shops, and locally made accompaniments come together to create an exceptional tasting experience. Lush pastureland across Washington supports thriving dairy farms and succulent, locally produced fruits like Honeycrisp and Cosmic Crisp apples, buttery Anjou and Bartlett pears, and juicy Rainier cherries, which are all staples of the state’s agricultural identity. Paired with wines from more than 1,000 Washington wineries—making Washington the second largest wine-producing state in the U.S.—Seattle offers impressive, locally sourced ingredients for charcuterie boards.

Washington’s delectable bounty is within easy reach at Pike Place Market, where many of the city’s famed cheese and charcuterie purveyors are clustered. Here are some of the top places in Seattle and the surrounding region for cheese and charcuterie:

A spacious, well-lit deli with wooden floors, a long counter displaying food items, refrigerated shelves on the right, and a chalkboard menu on the back wall. A few staff members work behind the counter. courtesy Connor Jones
A cheese production area with large metal tanks, equipment, and racks of cheese visible through windows. Signs for Beecher’s Handmade Cheese are displayed above and beside the windows. courtesy Connor Jones
A gourmet cheese shop interior with wooden floors, a refrigerated display filled with cheeses, shelves with products, a counter on the left, and hanging racks of clothing in the back. Large pipes and bright lighting are visible above. courtesy Connor Jones

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese is a renowned Seattle cheesemaker crafting creamy, sharp cow’s milk cheeses without harmful additives and preservatives. At their cheesemaking kitchens in Pike Place Market, visitors can witness firsthand cheesemongers carefully separating curds as they prepare the cheese.

Founded in 2003 by Kurt Beecher Dammeier, Beecher’s has become one of Seattle’s most renowned artisan cheesemakers, known for producing high-quality, handcrafted cheeses ideal for locally sourced charcuterie boards. Beecher’s “World’s Best” mac & cheese is also available at retailers nationwide and at airport locations.

Location:

Beecher’s Handmade Cheese
1600 Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101

 

Two women wearing blue aprons stand inside a cheese shop, smiling and holding large blocks of cheese. Behind them are shelves with packaged goods and a refrigerated display case filled with cheese. courtesy Theodora Teodosiadis

Street Cheese

In the fall of 2025, cheesemongers Tailor Kowis and Courtney Johnson opened Street Cheese in Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood after operating a successful mobile cheese shop.

Dr. Courtney Johnson, an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional and Certified Cheese Sensory Evaluator, brings nearly 20 years of cheese education experience to Street Cheese. Johnson has taught cheese appreciation, tasting, and pairing classes throughout the Seattle metropolitan area. In 2025, she placed second at the Cheesemonger Invitational: Masters competition in New York and third at the 2025 Mondial du Fromage (also known as the Cheese Olympics) in Tours, France, making her the first American woman to place in the prestigious competition.

When not prepping for a big competition, Johnson and Kowis are putting their cheese knowledge to work by stocking Street Cheese with specialty products sourced from local producers across the Pacific Northwest as well as from around the world. Street Cheese carries local Washington cheese varieties by small artisan producers like Acme Farms Cheese, Cherry Valley Dairy, and Familial Del Norte.

The shop was awarded a Slow Food Snail of Approval in 2025 for supporting traditional and rare specialties.

Location:

Street Cheese
3007 Beacon Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144

The Cheese Box

This independent cheese shop is tucked away in the Corner Market Building of Pike Place Market. Mara McGowan and Ari Sturtevant, longtime Pike Place Market workers, own and curate The Cheese Box. Together, they tap their restaurant and service industry experience to make sure customers are well cared for. The staff can assist with cheese pairings and offer ingredients like seasonal fruits, honey, nuts, and chocolates to build a delicious platter.

Location:

The Cheese Box
1508 Pike Pl Unit B, Seattle, WA 98101

A wooden table with an assortment of crackers, sliced cured meats, three types of cheese, marinated olives in a bowl with a spoon, spicy sausage slices, and a small plate of toasted almonds. courtesy DeLaurenti Food & Wine
A charcuterie platter with bread, cheese, prosciutto, salami, marinated artichokes, grilled vegetables, stuffed peppers, green olives, almonds, and a bottle and glass of rosé wine on a wooden table. courtesy DeLaurenti Food & Wine

DeLaurenti Food & Wine

Specialty grocery DeLaurenti Food & Wine has operated in Pike Place Market since 1946 and remains a longtime favorite for both visitors and locals, offering foods from the Pacific Northwest and around the world. DeLaurenti carries more than 200 cheeses, a wide selection of cured meats, and an extensive wine selection all backed by a continued commitment to exceptional service and quality.

Location:

DeLaurenti Food & Wine
1435 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

Paris-Madrid Grocery

Located just below Pike Place Market on Western Avenue is Paris-Madrid Grocery, a specialty grocery store featuring products from Spain, France, and Portugal. The shop offers everything from artisanal cheeses and tinned fish to Spanish-style chorizos and pantry staples.

Location:

Paris-Madrid Grocery
1418 Western Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

Le Caviste

At wine bar Le Caviste in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood, owner David Butler focuses on both French cheeses and wines, often seeking out underpromoted regions and producers in France.

Location:

Le Caviste
1919 7th Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

Several wheels of cheese are stacked closely together. Some have a smooth yellow surface, while others have specks of herbs distributed throughout, indicating flavored varieties. The cheeses are arranged on a white surface. courtesy Samish Bay Cheese

Samish Bay Cheese

Cheese producer Samish Bay Cheese operates in Skagit Valley, about 90 minutes north of Seattle. Cows on the farm produce organic milk, cheese, yogurt, and labneh. Samish Bay Cheese has a storefront in Bow, but its products can also be found at Puget Sound-area retail stores, farmers’ markets, and co-ops.

Location:

Samish Bay Cheese
15115 Bow Hill Rd, Bow, WA 98232

A wooden board with saltine crackers, two opened tins of smoked oysters, lemon wedges, and hot sauce. Some crackers are topped with oysters and sauce. Nearby are beer cans, a glass of beer, and a blue napkin.
A picnic scene on a white blanket features plates of food, pink drinks, a hand holding a box of smoked mussels, potato chips, and fresh fruits. The focus is on a yellow plate with mussels in a creamy sauce. courtesy Feed ItCreative
Overhead view of a picnic spread on a white blanket with various plates of food, bread, cheese, olives, fruit, and drinks. Several people are reaching in to serve themselves. courtesy Feed ItCreative

Ekone

Tinned fish brand Ekone sustainably harvests and hand-packs its tinned seafood and is among the few independent canneries in the U.S., located in Willapa Bay on the Washington coast. Ekone operates under the Taylor Shellfish Family, a local shellfish farming company with locations in Seattle’s Queen Anne, Capitol Hill, and Pioneer Square neighborhoods.

Ekone is available in stores across Seattle and beyond and online.

A large wooden tray filled with an assorted charcuterie spread, including meats, cheeses, crackers, fruits, nuts, and garnished with flowers. Green leaves and colorful blossoms surround the tray on a dark table. courtesy Charcuterie by Annalise
A smiling woman behind a counter hands food to a customer in a store with a modern design. A wine bottle, a pink hat, and small treats are on the counter. A menu is displayed on a screen above them. courtesy Holli with an I Photography
A woman stands behind a counter labeled "Charcuterie by Annalise," smiling as she arranges food in a box. The counter is decorated with flowers, disco balls, and cutting boards on the wall. A payment terminal is on the counter. courtesy Holli with an I Photography
Two brown cups labeled "thank you for supporting my small business" are filled with charcuterie items, including salami, cheese, pickles, raspberries, an orange slice, and pink flowers, arranged artfully. courtesy Charcuterie by Annalise

Charcuterie by Annalise

West Seattle shop Charcuterie by Annalise sells curated charcuterie spreads for every occasion, from boxes to whole tables, using seasonal, organic products. For those looking to sharpen their charcuterie board assembling skills, Annalise teaches hands-on workshops paired with wine from fellow Seattle business, Wine for That.

Location:

Charcuterie by Annalise
6032 B California Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98136

A sandwich filled with cold cuts, lettuce, and greens is cut in half and served on brown paper, with a pile of crispy potato chips in front. Yellow chairs are visible in the blurred background. courtesy Salumi
An assortment of Coro brand cured meats in plastic packaging is arranged on a black marble table, surrounded by cheese, grapes, tomatoes, honey, crackers, and charcuterie on colorful plates. A green tiled wall is in the background. courtesy Leesa Renae

Coro/Salumi

Down in Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square neighborhood, Salumi has been crafting cured meats for over 20 years.

Coro is Salumi’s cured meat product line. The meats are made in-house with inventive, all-natural ingredients. Coro products can be found at Salumi, in stores across Seattle, or online, offering options for charcuterie boards such as chipotle and cocoa salami.

Location:

Salumi
404 Occidental Ave S, Seattle, WA 98104

A light blue table set outdoors with bowls of yellow apples and peaches, a vase of flowers, cheese, crackers, and a stack of white plates, bathed in warm sunlight. courtesy Amber Fouts
Four women sit on a picnic blanket in an orchard, surrounded by trees. They are smiling and raising drinks in a toast, with snacks and food spread out on the blanket around them. The atmosphere is relaxed and cheerful. courtesy Amber Fouts

Girl Meets Dirt

Jams and preserves sweeten the charcuterie board experience. Audra Lawlor launched jam company Girl Meets Dirt on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands in 2013. The company produces preserves, jams, bitters, and shrubs (cocktail mixers) from local island orchards. Each order includes a pairing card highlighting which cheeses and meats pair best with its products.

Girl Meets Dirt products can be found at retailers across Seattle and online.

Location:

Girl Meets Dirt
208 Enchanted Forest Rd, Suite A, Eastsound, WA 98245

From Pike Place Market to the surrounding Pacific Northwest, Seattle offers a rich landscape for cheese and charcuterie. Visitors can explore artisanal cheesemakers, specialty shops, and locally crafted accompaniments, making Seattle a standout destination for cheese and charcuterie.

Subscribe to the Seattle Localist

Seattle’s best every month in your inbox

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Book Your Trip

Advertisements