Say Cheese! Best Places to Buy Cheese in Beijing

With all the stinky foods available in China, it was only a matter of time before the citizens of the Middle Kingdom fell in love with what is arguably the best invention before sliced bread. Whether you like it hard, soft, fresh or fragrant, Beijing’s cheesy options are sure to make you smile.

Le Fromager de Pekin Homegrown fromager Liu Yang uses organic Wondermilk to make a variety of artisanal chesses, such as Petit Gris (RMB 25), Faisselle (RMB 35), Gris aux herbes de Provence (RMB 55), and pyramid (RMB 45). Delivery is available twice a week, or you can purchase cheese at the Embassy House Market or Boucherie Francaise. Daily 9am-12pm, 2pm-6pm. 5A-6 Xindi Market South Gate, Huilongguan Peng Jie, Changping District (135 2001 6860, lefromagerdepekin@gmail.com) 昌平区回龙观龙腾街鑫地市场南门5A-6号
www.lefromagerdepekin.com

Cheese and Wine Made In Heaven This little spot by Chaoyang Park West Gate has a simple way of working: You sit down. You order a bottle of wine, and owner Chris is happy to recommend something cheesy to go with it. You can order cheese from the chilled cheese room, either by weight or one of the fixed-price platters. The cheese is mostly French, though there are bits and pieces from the UK, Switzerland and elsewhere. Sun-Wed 12pm-midnight, Thu-Sat 12pm-130am. 1-15 Chaoyang Gongyuan Xilu (next to Jenny Lou’s), Chaoyang District (6501 2901) 朝阳区朝阳公园西路1-15号

Boucherie Michel 米歇尔肉店 This artisanal French butchery serves up quality cuts of beef, veal, lamb and pork, as well as sausages, imported cheeses, quiche and freshly roasted chickens. Daily 9am-8pm. 1/F, Jiezuo Dasha, Xingfucun Zhonglu, Chaoyang District (6417 0489) 朝阳区幸福村中路杰座大厦底层

Chez Gérard Tucked away on Jianchang Hutong by the Confucius Temple, this tiny deli opened by Christophe (of Cafe de la Poste) sells a range of cheese and Western staples like dried pasta, cereals, and a good meat selection and offers fresh daily baguettes (usually arriving at mid-day). Daily 10am-10pm. 40 Jianchang Hutong (east of the Yonghe Villas, just south of the Yongkang Hutong intersection), Dongcheng District (6415 0118) 东城区箭厂胡同40号

Delicatessen 熟食店 This shop offers a variety of homemade cakes, freshly made sandwiches, and a wide selection of cheeses, sausages, gourmet coffee and wines. Items can be consumed on the spot, or taken to go. Daily 7am-9pm. 1/F, Lido Place, 6 Jiangtai Lu, Chaoyang District (6437 6688) 朝阳区将台路6号北京丽都假日饭店1层

Epicerie 小巴黎 This Sanlitun bakery has a wide selection of freshly baked breads and croissants, as well as a good selection of meat and cheeses. It is located next door to Petit Paris. Daily 930am-11pm. 29 Sanlitun Lu (opposite the French School), Chaoyang District (6416 9381) 朝阳区三里屯路29号(北酒吧街)

Sanyuanli Market 三源里市场 If you’re tired of overpriced groceries at other supermarkets, then you need to head on over to Sanyuanli Market. This market sees a steady stream of chefs, restaurateurs and expats who flock here to find many hard to find, imported items. Daily 5am-7pm. Shunyuan Jie (opposite Jingkelong Supermarket, west of Sanyuan Dongqiao), Chaoyang District 朝阳区顺源街(三元东桥往西京客隆超市对面)

Schindler’s German Food Center In addition to sausages and other tantalizing raw and cooked meats, Schindler’s stocks a wide selection of imported cheeses, including Emmental, Gruyère, cheddar and several Goudas. This is the perfect place to stock up for a barbecue or holiday feast. Daily 10am-7pm. 105 Binduyuan Mansion, 15 Zaoying Beili, Maizidian (800m east of Nongzhanguan Beilu), Chaoyang District (6591 9370) 德国食品中心, 朝阳区麦子店枣营北里15号

Compiled by Marla Fong

Article from Agenda, issue 71, Jan13-Jan 27. To read more from the most recent issue of Agenda, download the PDF here. To find a copy, contact our distribution department at distribution@agendabeijing.com with an idea of where you work, live or play and we'll tell you where you can find one near you.