Fromagio’s Artisan Cheese

As a cheese lover, this place is a dream come true. Fromagio’s is located on the corner of Arctic and 36^th Ave in a shopping plaza next to an art gallery and across from Kobe Teppayaki House. The seating area is cozy with a few tables and chairs for the lunchtime crowd. The employees are very friendly and are happy to give you a free sample of the delicious assortment of cheeses on display at the counter. I was offered a sample of the Bayley Hazen Blue Cheese which was creamy melt-​in-​your-​mouth good. The guy behind the counter recommended this cheese for grilling burgers in the backyard. Sold! That cheese was so good I could’ve had that as a snack by itself.
I came in a couple of times since I heard that they serve lunch items like sandwiches, soups, and salads and I was eager to try some of these with the artisanal cheeses. I ordered their Cubano Melt sandwich which had sliced roast ham, gruyère cheese, pickles, lettuce, and mayo on toasted Ciabatta bread with a side of tomato soup sprinkled with their specialty blue cheese. This was one of the best sandwich and soup meals I’ve had recently along with the Chicken Alaska sandwich I had at Great Harvest. The bread was hot and fresh while the meat was juicy and the gruyère full of flavor. On a previous visit, I ordered their Italian Melt which had coppacuolo (Italian ham), salami, pepperoni, and provolone on Ciabatta and this was outstanding as well.
Some of the featured cheeses they had available are the Mt. Tam (smooth, creamy triple-​cream made with organic milk and a buttery, earthy flavor comparable to white mushrooms from California’s Cowgirl Creamery), the Seastack (a bloomy rind cow milk cheese aged two to three weeks with a buttery silky flavor made in Washington state), the Vermont Shepherd (a hard cheese with a sweet and salty flavor), the Flora Nelle (blue cheese with a salty intense flavor… perfect for making cheeseburgers or smothered on top of a juicy steak), and a creamy, tangy version of their Feta cheese.
Father’s Day promotional cheeses include the Garda Reserve, Pleasant Ridge, Blackstone, and the aforementioned Bayley Hazen Blue cheeses with a choice of two meats (a combination of all four artisanal cheeses ¼lb each for a total of 1lb. and two cured meats at a ¼lb. total). They also offer decorative cheese and charcuterie meat platters that also include a choice of house-​made fruit & nut crisps, marcona almonds, or dried cherries. In addition to selling cheeses, they also offer two-​hour cheese tasting classes where you will learn and understand the different styles of cheese making, milk type, flavors, and traditions as well as catering services for wedding receptions and parties. A fun place to visit for any cheese lover to enjoy the free samples as well as having lunch with top-​quality ingredients for their entire menu.

Everything looked delicious, unfortunately the guy behind the counter couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge my existence. To be fair he was with another customer but after a 10 minute wait without so much as a «just a moment» or «be right with you» I decided to leave since I had errands to run. There was literally only 2 other people in the shop. He was a little on the young side so maybe it was his first job and he didn’t have any customer service skills. I’ve heard great things from other people so I’ll give it the benefit of doubt and try again but so far I have a bad impression of the place. Two stars based on how good everything looked, if I actually get to try the food I’ll edit this review hopefully for the better.

These folks are fabulous, and they know their cheese and charcuterie! I remember hitting this place up back in 2012 when I had to leave Alaska to help my mom out after the death of my father, and I was so impressed with their selection. The Batali salumi were just out-​of-​this-​world! I just ordered a cheese and charcuterie plate, and I cannot wait to see what they’ll be serving. (I told them I’m adventurous as long as it isn’t too goaty so surprise me!) I hear they’ll be moving to a new location that will have a beer/​wine license and be able to provide a more full-​service menu! I cannot wait to see that!

By far the best cheese shop I know of in all the land. Fromagio’s always has a fantastic selection overall cheeses both in cows milk and in sheep’s milk. Nearly every time I come here I spend around $ 80.

Yum, Yum, Yum! Bite your thumb delicious sandwiches and salad!
I got sottocenere truffle cheese grilled sandwich with prosciutto. My partner got the coppa cubano.
The salad was a bed of clean greens in a sweet dressing and topped with buttery Spanish almonds alongside tart plump cherries (maybe cranberries?)
Loved all of the condiments and goodies available for purchase. I got a balsamic pear spread, the sales rep suggested it, saying it went with pretty much anything.
I will def. return here!

On a recent trip home to Anchorage, my sister brought me into the shop, WOW! Such a wonderful addition to Anchorage, the owner was the cheese pro working the counter when we arrived, and I must say, what a stellar experience, we tasted several different cheeses and left with 3, enjoyed them immensely over the following days. I would highly recommend a visit!

if you’re looking for great cheese and/​or great sandwiches, the place to go. friendly staff.

Having a local cheese shop somehow makes me feel so much better about the world, and Anchorage is definitely better off for having Fromagio’s. I agree with the other five-​star reviews about this place.
The cheese selection is excellent, and I am always learning about new cheeses. I like that they have a fairly reliable stock, so I can always get my Mt. Tam Cowgirl Creamery (I love the soft cheese because they are like butter, but they’re cheese!), and the prices are totally comparable, considering that I usually only buy a little at a time. Their charcuterie is also excellent – nothing like a little cured meat for that cheese plate.
I also love the sandwiches and soups I’ve had here (and the mac and cheese from the now-​closed Spenard location was also amazing, though I don’t know if they will be adding that to their O’Malley menu, which is our loss). They are creative but simple, so delectable.
The staff is just as described, kooky, knowledgeable, and friendly. Sometimes, the staff at O’Mally can be very slow (something I never experienced at the Spenard)…I mean, slow enough that I have wondered if they are on ludes or something as I watched them oh-​so-​tenderly but lethargically prepare a sandwich or an order. But they are always cheery when doing so, and I find it more amusing than annoying, though I could see how it could get annoying if one is very hungry or in a rush.
Since they arrived, Freddy’s has stepped up their cheese game, which is a testament to how good this place is, and I am a devoted customer.

The first few times that I went into Fromagio’s, I could not have been more excited and pleased. My boyfriend got me a few months of the cheese of the month club for Christmas two years ago. The communication with fromagio was great, the monthly emails about what was available, we stopped by when we were able to pick it up and it was either ready or they got it ready in a heartbeat. Every experience in 2012 – 2013 was great.
Then my brother got us a gift certificate for a couple of months of the cheese of the month club last Christmas. The first we went in to get our cheese (mid-​January) we were told that they had been too busy during the holiday season and were not having a cheese of the month club that month.
The second time we went in (early-​March) was around 4PM. There were two customers being waited on by the two people working and no one else in the store. When we told the gentleman working that we would like to pick up our cheese of the month club he told us he could not help us because we had not called in advance. Really? We never called before and he was able to allow the other people to taste several cheeses, select several cheeses, cut blocks the size they wanted and pay. We had pre-​payed for a pound comprised of 3 — 4 cheese types and the two gentlemen working with the two other customers in the store were too busy to put together a pre-​set package for us after they finished with those customers? Not to mention, they have a cheese of the month club and haven’t organized any packages in advance for pick-​up.
The third time we called ahead (mid-​March) as we were told to do. We called about 45 minutes before we planned to pick up our cheese. The gentleman hemmed and hawed over whether he could get it ready in time and consulted with his co-​worker. Again, really? If you have five customers in line, place me as your sixth customer and get it done. It’s only a pound of cheese! When we did go in, he was not overly pleasant.
For $ 45/​mo. for a pound of cheese and some single accoutrement I would hope for much better customer service. I have not received an email with instructions for pick-​up since my brother got me this gift and don’t know what the cheeses of the month are (and therefore whether I’d like to redeem my last month). I do get regular emails about cheese classes and new cheeses that are available. Not that helpful. After these experiences, we haven’t even set foot in the door. Some day we’ll call ahead (at least several hours) for our last $ 45 pound of cheese.
Hopefully they can redeem themselves and we’ll start going back more often and I can repost a much better review. After all, a true Vermont girl loves her artisan cheese (they even have the cheddar from my town).

This place is crazy. The cheese is crazy good, the employees are crazy kooky. Kooky in a wonderfully obsessed & knowledgeable with cheese kind of kooky. I appreciate their enthusiasm for cheese, I can feel it — it’s palpable the moment you step inside. Every time I walk into Fromagios I tell myself, ok, you are not spending more than thirty bucks here. That is the downside with this quaint shop — the cheese is quite expensive. But like anything so delectable, it’s a savory treat to be had on occasion. Take your time in a place like this — don’t rush an order — take advantage of the free samples. It’s worth your time to get a little cheese kooky yourself.
Before Fromagios came along, the seemingly best place to get your less than run of the mill cheeses was at new sagaya. THANK YOU, Fromagios for giving them a major run for their money. I personally believe that new sagaya’s cheese’s stay in the display case far longer than it should as it seems every cheese I have gotten from there tastes like everything else it has lived with in that case.
Fromagios also has tasty meat treats! the prosciutto and sopressata are fantastic.

We love this place! The staff is friendly and so knowledgable. You can go in with a specific budget in mind or how many people you want to feed or just say you’re up for anything. They let you sample anything you’d like, and they make excellent suggestions. Definitely worth a visit! You’ll be back again and again and again…

A few weeks ago I was in Fromagios and two delightful young men helped me select a few cheeses to try. i decided to go back for some more fun things and to buy a gift. the store was busy, so I grabbed a gift and read the descriptions while I waited. in short, i had a bad experience with an extremely rude young woman in the Spenard store. I had things in hand to buy and in no way look disreputable. With a premium product such as those sold at Fromagios, I do expect good customer service. Suffice to say I will not be back in spite of my good first experience.

Stopped by this afternoon for some cheese to accompany my baguette. It’s a small shop, clean, and pleasant. There were two gentlemen working behind the counter, owners perhaps, that were very knowledgable about the cheeses they carried and offered samples of everything! Heard they carry a few fresh Fire Island Rustic Bakery baguettes each day, but run out quickly… Excellent customer service and high-​quality products – highly recommend!

We love this place. Truly. We make up silly reasons or errands to be on the south-​side of town necessitating a trip to Fromagio’s. I had always said that I loved cheese, but apparently did not *know* cheese until we have had a chance to sample such a wide variety of specialty vintages. And sample you must, it is expected. Though I’m sure it goes without saying, that it would be rude to stuff yourself on freebies and not make a purchase or two (but believe me — you’ll want something).
Each time we go, we choose 1 or 2 new cheeses to try for the week, and every few Sundays we have a «date» day and grab a grilled cheese (with crispy prosciutto grilled inside). It is exceptional, though I suggest asking for the mustard on the side — while delicious, it is a bit more directly on the sandwich. Be prepared to spend $ 10, but it’s well worth it.
Now all we need is to convince them to open another store in mid-​town…

I went to Yogurt Lounge, and noticed that the infamous cheese shop was across the parking lot. Having heard about it on Unilocal,I thought I’d wander in and see what they had.
Tiny store, but inviting and cute. The employee there was very helpful and friendly. He was quite educated about his cheeses, and let me know that I could sample whatever I wanted. Noting the price tags, I did not want to indulge much, but I couldn’t resist the Stichelton — which was AMAZING!
I absolutely love cheese, but on a graduate student’s budget, I can’t always afford $ 22−54/lb for artisan cheese, but I truly appreciate a remarkable store in Anchorage; plus the great service was a nice perk.
I ended up buying $ 5 worth of «mystery cheese» (which are random bits and ends cut from bigger loaves), and I think I’m about to die from the deliciousness overload. I don’t care what ends I get; slapping them on a chunk of bread with a glass of wine on the side is absolutely divine. The cheese is just so much better than what you’d get at a traditional supermarket — even Sagaya’s offerings of cheese isn’t as eclectic and varied as Fromagio’s.
I haven’t tried the sandwiches yet, but I think I’ll make a special treat trip here one of these days. I know I’ll be back for mystery cheeses, for sure!

The quality of my parma proscuitto was excellent. I even sampled a pecorino that immediately took me back to the food tour I took of the San Lorenzo market in Florence a couple years ago. Service was helpful; the products are pricey, and the ambiance is sort of lacking, but all in all, a good place to stock up for a picnic.

Fantastic customer service and a lovely selection of cheeses. They not only allow you to sample them all but they encourage it. Pricey, but you absolutely get what you pay for.

My husband and I have been meaning to stop in for quite a while now, but the whole holiday season was terribly busy for the both of us. So, imagine how thrilled we were to get a gift card for Christmas to this wonderful little gourmet cheese shop.
We went and spent it and then some. We picked out three different cheeses: One a fantastically flavored cheddar — anything but plain. Another, a nutty, gouda-​like cheese and the last a creamy soft-​cheese (not brie) that was tangy and a little sweet.
The staff was exceptionally helpful and we tasted at least a dozen different cheeses (always sample — they expect it!).
My husband and I had a wonderful, European-​style meal of cheese, meat, bread and wine (it’s convenient Wine Styles in nearby).
We’ll definately be stopping in again — SOON!

Super nice and knowledgeable staff. I really enjoyed my time here and the cheese is amazing. The inventory was a little light but they just opened so I cannot wait to go back. They also had my favorite chocolate — Blanxart (no more driving downtown for it!)

Great new shop on the southside of anchorage. Great selection of artisan cheese, salumi, and chocolates. Very friendly staff. Worth the stop if you are looking for just the right cheese to go with that expensive bottle of wine you have waiting at home.