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🧀 Where to Find the Best Artisan Cheese in America
Discover the top artisan cheese regions and creameries redefining American cheese culture—from Vermont to California and beyond.
Last Updated on August 23, 2025 by Daily News Staff
large full fat cheese slice
Not All Cheese Is Created Equal — Discover the U.S. Regions Making Cheese Worth Traveling For
When it comes to cheese, America often gets a bad rap—especially from international visitors used to shelves full of regional specialties and raw milk delicacies. Mass-produced slices and fluorescent shreds may dominate supermarket aisles, but beyond the plastic wrap lies a thriving world of artisan cheesemakers producing some of the finest cheese in the world.
Whether you’re a Euro expat feeling homesick for good camembert or a local foodie ready to explore beyond cheddar blocks, here’s your guide to America’s best cheese-producing regions and the creameries putting U.S. cheese on the global map.
Artisan Cheese Map of America
đźź© Northeast: Home of Heritage and Innovation
Vermont and New York are leading the charge in high-quality, farmstead cheeses. These producers emphasize small herds, raw milk, and European-inspired aging techniques.
Jasper Hill Farm (VT) – Aged in their own underground cellars, cheeses like Harbison and Bayley Hazen Blue have won international awards. Consider Bardwell Farm (VT/NY) – One of the oldest cheesemaking sites in the region, known for Dorset and Pawlet, both raw milk marvels. Nettle Meadow (NY) – Makers of Kunik, a decadent triple-cream goat and cow blend that’s pure bliss.
🟨 Midwest: America’s Original Cheese Country
Wisconsin earns its title as “America’s Dairyland,” but there’s much more than curds and cheddar here.
Uplands Cheese (WI) – Their Pleasant Ridge Reserve has been named the best cheese in America multiple times. Hook’s Cheese (WI) – Known for their sharp aged cheddars—some matured for over 15 years. Roth Cheese (WI) – Blending European tradition with American craftsmanship.
🟦 West Coast: Cheese with a Creative Spirit
From lush coasts to wine country, California and Oregon boast cheeses as fresh and bold as their surroundings.
Cowgirl Creamery (CA) – A pioneer in organic cheese, their Mt. Tam and Red Hawk are favorites in wine country. Point Reyes Farmstead (CA) – Their Original Blue is a creamy, complex blue cheese that pairs beautifully with fruit and wine. Rogue Creamery (OR) – Makers of Rogue River Blue, the first American cheese to win “Best Cheese in the World.”
🟧 The South: A New Frontier in Farmstead Cheese
You might not expect to find world-class cheese in Georgia or North Carolina, but Southern creameries are proving otherwise.
Sweet Grass Dairy (GA) – Farmstead cheeses from grass-fed cows. Green Hill is a Southern take on camembert. Boxcarr Handmade Cheese (NC) – Italian-style cheeses like Cottonbell and Rocket’s Robiola. Mozzarella Company (TX) – Fresh, handmade mozzarellas and seasonal specialties.
🟪 Southwest & Rockies: Earthy, Bold, and Unique
Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona offer high-desert cheeses shaped by elevation and heritage.
Beehive Cheese (UT) – Known for Barely Buzzed, a cheddar rubbed with espresso and lavender. Haystack Mountain (CO) – Small-batch goat cheese with personality. Mesa Top Farm (NM) – Sustainable, local, and full of character.
🧠How to Explore Artisan Cheese in the U.S.
Whether you’re traveling or staying local, here’s how to tap into this hidden world of American cheese:
✅ Visit Farmers’ Markets – Ask vendors about local dairy farms.
✅ Explore Regional Cheese Trails – Vermont, California, Wisconsin, and Oregon all have mapped-out routes.
✅ Buy Direct Online – Many artisan creameries ship nationwide.
✅ Look for “Farmstead” Labels – This means the cheese was made where the animals were raised.
✅ Use American Cheese Society’s Directory – A trusted source for discovering producers.
Final Bite: American Cheese, Reinvented
Forget what you know about “American cheese.” From the forests of Vermont to the valleys of California, a new generation of cheesemakers is redefining what domestic cheese can be: bold, complex, sustainable, and just as crave-worthy as anything from Europe.
The next time someone says, “The U.S. doesn’t do cheese,” just smile… and hand them a slice of Pleasant Ridge Reserve or Rogue River Blue.
For more on Artisan Cheese, check out Food and Drink!
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