This wine shop has an extensive array of wine from everywhere in the world. It's my go-to spot for gifts, preparing for company, charcuterie, or just to taste something new. They have tastings on Fridays and Saturdays and occasional events like seated tastings with winemakers. The cheese case has anything you could ask for and they also have jams, honeycomb, olives, chocolate, and potato chips! Staff are very knowledgeable and there is always something great in their refrigerated case. read more

Farmstead Cheeses & Wines - Cheese Shops Near Me - Oakland, California

I love this wine shop for a number of reasons. The staff is always friendly and knowledgeable, and they are just as enthusiastic about helping you find a great $18 bottle as they are $100 bottle. I love being in their email list because they do wine tastings every week with different themes (also with very accessibly priced wines always in the mix) -- my wife, 22year old kid, and I have been to ones on sparkling wines of Europe, Portuguese wines, vermouth (I had no idea there were so many different kinds!), Italian reds, and so on. They even get winemakers to show up sometimes. Definitely a great local shop! read more

Love this place! Everyone extremely knowledgeable and helpful. This is a neighborhood wine shop, so they remember you and will make suggestions based on your feedback. They often have guest vintners or distributors for a round table talk and taste which is fun. Fair prices, and their cheese selection is also top notch. Plenty of parking but a warning that it is on a steep hill if you are using a wheel chair. read more

This is a delightful wine and cheese shop we've had the pleasure of visiting for several years. Wine selection is excellent and they always keep track of the wines we've purchased before so they can curate our next adventure. Their cheeses are excellent and offer many international selections. Customer service is top notch. Highly recommended! read more

Farmstead is fun because they are always trying new things. Most recently I have been loving the Friday/Saturday wine tastings. They have featured non-alcohol tastings (for those dry days) and a saki tasting that included a Southern California brewer who gets his rice from Cali too; both were inspiring. I love the cheese selections and always look around because they sneak in fun spices, pates, duck confit, you just never know. read more

I could mimic the passionless "I'd rather be fishing" attitude of the guy doing the pouring... or the sweet but clueless register lady; and give this one star for pathetic service without a smile, more of a smirk. Especially when at an advertised wine and cheese event they had no cheese! and when Bae enquired and reluctantly wound up having to purchase the crackers n cheese herself, the looks on the staffs faces were bewildering; "why would anyone want wine and cheese?...we don't do that". The pours and the four wines selected were nice for a buck. That boosts this review up a star. We wound up getting "a nice Chianti'...slurp slurp slurp slurp!" No interlude, no palette cleanser, just "no I'd rather be fishing attitude from the sommelier who was tucked in the back of a narrow space between racks. You might have been treated better at a wIne sampling at the end cap of the wine section of Safeway. But they did have a fine selection of wines from outside of Cali; Italy, Spain, France, Portugal to name a few. That gets them up to 4 stars. But the fact I had to serve our party Baes purchased cheese n crackers on a desk alcove using plastic plate n knife, at wine and cheese establishment, under the suspicious watchful eye of the pourer who was pissed our friend dropped some cheese on the floor, I gotta grab a star back. And with deference, announce, we won't be back! Well a smart owner who checks his yelp reviews quickly corrected me on the cheese part of the review. Apparently the assumption on our part about cheese was a misrepresentation by the crew who invited us. They too thought it would be a cheesy event. Our bad! Sorry and thanks for the correction... read more

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I LOVE THIS PLACE SO MUCH!!! Came here a week ago for some wine and cheese with Jam definitely would give this place 10 stars if I could but the young lady who helped me was a sweetheart and very helpful with answering questions and also giving the best recommendations. read more

Since moving to Oakland, I've been meaning to check this place out. I know from visiting the Alameda store that Jeff is the "cheese whisperer" but I was really impressed at the wine. Service was also fantastic. We ended up walking out with four bottles and four cheeses as well as some fig spread, crackers and candy. Upon getting home, I Googled the wine we bought and Farmstead's prices were about the same as the best I could find. I'm willing to spend a few extra bucks to keep it local and @keep it Oakland" but it's great to get the service for a great price. We'll be regulars. read more

tucked away in the village. nice selection of cheeses at a reasonable price. they also have wine tasting (which I have not had a chance to try). read more

Love the Friday afternoon/evening wine tastings! Eagle is the best, we always learn something and there is a fun interesting crowd passing through. Whenever I have to bring something to a dinner party and the hosts have a lot of wine already, I shift to their cheese counter and pick out a few unusual and delicious options, always well received. They have a few shelves of other gourmet treats as well, the fancy soy sauces are a favorite splurge! read more

Such a neighborhood gem. A wine for every occasion and price point. The wine clubs (I'm in the classic) is like a private global tour. I learn a lot. Of course, superb cheeses. And lots of other goodies--pates, crackers, olive oil, life changing cocktail syrups and bitters. A testament to the value of the local shop. read more

I've shopped here for years but since the start of this year I've repeatedly experienced service that's best described as apathetic. Back in February, I went in to buy some cheese. Despite being the only person in the store, it took some effort to get their attention - talking in the back. The lady I spoke to gave me the impression that customers weren't a priority. And, the cheese I got was a precut piece that was significantly smaller than what I ordered. I emailed the store - heard nothing back. The other day I tried to order over the phone in order to minimize contact - they don't have a contactless credit card machine. The lady who answered gave the distinct impression that she didn't want to take my order. Told me repeatedly that the store was open. I gave up. I contacted the store - heard nothing back. I contacted the store earlier today - heard nothing back. Sadly, it's time to shop elsewhere. read more

Gotta love your local neighborhood joint. We love poppin in on Friday or Saturday for the $1 wine tasting. We always end up buying one or two of the bottles for the evening. They also have great cheese selections and other speciality foods. The staff is friendly and will also recommend a cheese paring with your wine. read more

Farmstead Cheeses & Wines - Rose tasting from Greece, Italy, Spain and Napa - Cheese Shops Near Me - Oakland, California

You really can't go wrong. Great selection of wine from the nice high-end CA pinots to really well priced less known European wine and the staff is lovely- leave you alone to wonder but are also very informative AND cheese. Really worth seeking out even if you don't live right here. read more

Jeff knows his stuff - if you are looking for something special, and especially if you have a general idea of what your palate desires and in what price bracket you are looking, you will not be steered wrong! I have sought guidence many times over the past year and a half and have yet to suffer a misfire - just an awesome local wine and cheese shop that is firing on all cylanders! Did I mention the $1 tastings on the weekend? And now you know... read more

Nice variety & selection of wine, and very helpful & knowledgeable staff! I'm very happy with my (gift) selections!

An opening bid of 4 Stars, with an ongoing relationship likely. And since I live in Albany where Solano Cellars and Kermit Lynch are close by, Farmstead is still worth some return trips to explore and sample a pretty nice and well-considered selection of wine and cheese. I would also posit that this place would probably meet my friend Lisa's high standards. She specializes in wine property financing at First Republic and knows wine more than anyone I know. As for me, I'm still trying to put my Midwest background and previous love of Velveeta and MD 20-20 into proper perspective. I wandered in this afternoon after getting my hair (or what's left of it) cut at the Montclair Barbershop and doing some catch-up shopping at Safeway. I was also killing some time until my son's nearby after school activity was over. I had already heard of Farmstead here and in Alameda through ongoing Yelp and related conversations. The last one involved an unrelated situation that had literally "gone to the dogs" The store is somewhat hard to find, but when you do, presents a welcoming exterior and nice interior wood shelves of wine that kind of invite you in. Of course there's the cheese counter too, which will have to wait for a future trip. My goal today was to find a decent $10 bottle of chilled white or rose. I didn't try to play "stump the Cheese-monger" by asking for one of my rare retail favourites such as Navarro Gewurztraminer or an Audelssa Red. Instead, I headed straight for the chilled wines in back. A very nice selection awaited me and I ended up with a very nice Cotes du Rhone Rose at less than my price point. The guys at the counter were friendly and knowledgeable and signed me up on their distribution list for future tastings. I look forward to trying out some different wines on the shelf and maybe even bringing Gayle along for that and the cheese. read more

We had a little bit of time to kill before our dinner reservation on Friday evening and happened to see a sign for $1 wine tasting at Farmstead. I'll take wine for $1 any day. On a warm summer evening, they featured 5 roses. They were refreshing and crisp. When we walked in, we were the only customers in the store but within 15 minutes, the entire back tasting area was filled with people. We like to think that we are trendsetters. read more

In my opinion customer service is equally as important as the product or food that I'm purchasing and at Farmstead Cheeses and Wines, they were on their game when the owner contacted me about my less than stellar experience here, and helped to make it right. Since Miss Bad Idea Bear LOVES wine and cheese, I told her about it as well and of course friends tell friends who eat wine and cheese and everyone was impressed by the owner wanting to turn my negative experience into a positive one. And he did. He followed through with a gift certificate to make up for the cheeses I tried before, but didn't like, and then some. Let me be the first to say that I know we will be frequenting this store in the future and buying more cheese than even the state of Wisconsin could imagine. Oh, and wine too...we'll be back to purchase libations for parties, birthday's, and any occasion that we can think of. read more

This is a great place to buy wines that you would not normally find in super markets or liquor stores. The wines come from vineyards that are quite special and the tastes reflect that. These wines are not popular outside of the wine community but they are well worth trying. We generally go for the $1 wine tasting first and then purchase what we like. Jeff is even willing to order wine that may not be in stock. He has some great suggestions and often chooses fun wines for the tastings. I recommend checking this place out if you are just getting into wine now or are a long term wine enthusiast. read more

Great selection and super helpful. They really take their time walking you through their various cheeses. You never feel like you are being sold to. The wines are amazing too. read more

Hubby: Where'd ya get the cheese? Me: A great cheese shop in Montclair. Hubby: Don't tell me how much. I'll just assume you billed your client today. Me: Uh huh. Later.... Hubby: These cheeses are really good. Me: Uh huh. And still later.... Hubby: I really like those cheeses you got. Me: *smiles and thinks someday...maybe on our side of the tunnel* read more

Saw a sign on the sidewalk that said "wine tasting 2-5", so my girlfriend and I strolled in on a Saturday with hoping to taste several wines and buy a few bottles for our collection. Little did we know we would be treated like second class citizens. When we walked in we weren't greeted at all. A lady then walked in after us to go look at wine. I approached the guy working there and asked where we could do the wine tasting. He barely acknowledged me and started to walk up the stairs with me. He then proceeded to leave us without saying anything and go ask the lady who walked in after us if she needed help, helping her pick out something, and then taking it to the front counter. Another employee walked out from the back and my girlfriend said hello to him, but he didn't respond and never even asked if we needed any help. Just walked away. All this happened as my girlfriend and I watched confused. I don't want to think its because we are an interracial couple in this particular part of Oakland, but we definitely didn't feel welcome. Safe to say we will never be coming here again. read more

I agree with some of the reviewers that things are pricey here. But the quality and the variety of their cheese offerings here blow away any grocery store and most specialty shops. The wine selection is thoughtful and the advice that is included in your purchase makes the wines purchased here a good value. Comparing this place to Bevmo or Trader Joe is like comparing a fine boutique to an outlet store. I think it's fitting that they keep a database of my purchases since all the booze I have consumed in life has done some serious damage to my memory and all the wine I plan to purchase here and drink will only further that damage. Anyway, what was I saying? Oh, yeah, and the service is impeccable. The store is so tastefully designed and beautifully kept that just being inside it makes me happy and relaxed. And it's only a 2 minute walk from my house (not that that means anything to any of you but it supports my personal 5 star argument so shut up). My ass and liver are in serious trouble... For a wine-guzzling cheesehead like me, FC&W represents retail therapy in its highest form. read more

Do you know what I love about Farmstead Cheeses & Wines? Okay, pretend for a moment that you're a cute little mouse.--a cute one, not an ugly nasty one that eats nasty things. Think Ratatouille or Cinderella. I imagine myself much like Gus Gus from Cinderella. One day, Gus Gus, you finally decide to get out of your little mouse hole to see what other greater cheeses might be out there. And then you run into Farmstead. The people at Farmstead are as kind and as welcoming as, well, let's just say Cinderella! The owner (Jeff), greets you with a smile. Although you feel embarrassed or unsure because of your naivete, Jeff is simply kind because he knows that you've had only a limited taste of the world, but also knows that it is your nature to enjoy all the other fine things that you have yet to experience. So he gets to know you and asks you what sort of cheese you like. And even if you don't know, he just starts cutting away at an unknown glory, offers it to you, and waits, with a cheerful curiosity, to see how you like it and what you think. Not satisfied? Is that the right texture you want? Something stronger? Are you having wine? If so, what sort? If not, would you like to find some? These are the questions Jeff asks you--no matter how long it takes--, because Jeff really does care about his craft and wants you to be a part of it. So when you finally pick out the cheese that you desire--and here's the best part!--you run back into your little mouse hole, with what seems more like a gift than it is a purchase, and enjoy that cheese in the intimacy of your own home or with true companions, without strange bystanders or snobbish people as you might sometimes find at wine bars. And you feel so excited to have come out of your little mouse hole to explore the world, and even more excited to have found Farmstead Cheeses and Wines. Jeff invites you back on Friday's for wine tasting events. And he adds you to his mailing list so that you'll be notified of special deals or activities. Hooray for being a happy little mouse! --Yes, that's what I love about Farmstead Cheeses and Wines. You feel like a frickin' mouse from Cinderella: getting the best sort of cheese and wine that your heart desires from the best possible cheese monger around! read more

Such a great place to buy wine or cheese. Super knowledgeable staff. Best of all they have tastings Friday evening and Saturday afternoons for a $1 donation. They will validate parking in the garage across the street. read more

Came by today after reading about this shop in the local paper. Its tucked away uphill from Godiva, so, except for that article, I wouldn't have known it was here. We were in a hurry to meet some friends, but managed to taste two cheeses and buy three along with a great bottle of French wine ($12) that the wine manager found for us. They are still getting stocked, but we found what we needed. Friends and I consumed the full pound of cheese we bought. The Humboldt Fog with Truffles was my favorite. We happened in just at 2:30 and they had started serving free Champagne at 2. The space is sized as a shop and tasting area, so I think they'll be doing more events like this in future. All in all, a great addition to Montclair. If I had to pick a downside, I'd say that staff may be too attentive for some folks. read more

Jeff, Carol and the entire crew at Farmstead ... Welcome to Montclair! We are thrilled to have you in the neighborhood. I am so happy to be part of your Italian wine club ... and now I can pick up my allotment here instead of fighting traffic to the Alameda store. And thank you for keeping track of all of our favorite wine and cheese choices ... your database information really comes in handy for repeat purchases! Please don't forget to let me know when you have truffles ... and you will continue to be my favorite wine and cheese shop forever! read more

pleasantly surprised when i dropped in recently to discover farmstead has extended it's expertise to european and latin wines, not just california wines. wasn't able to wait and try their tastings, but will definitely do so in the future!. read more

I love this store. I love the smell of it and the huge variety of cheese they stock. I'm not sure where they procure their mozzarella from, but it is incredible. We were there once a week (minimum) this past summer to get some cheese to go along with our tomatoes and basil from the garden. Delicious! Sometimes my hon of hons wants to go to AG Ferrari, or buy cheese from Lucky (THE HORROR), but I just steer him up the hill to Farmstead, and then all's right with the world. Prices are excellent as well! read more

I, for the most part, live in San Francisco. I drive to San Jose but that's because I get paid to work down there. So fat chance you'll ever see me crossing the Bay Bridge. But I did last weekend when the icy winds and heavy downpour of rain would've deterred other folk. I had a party of 40+ confirmed and 20+ maybes and got the idea in my head that I would do a cheese platter. And I could only think of one store I could go to for such an undertaking. So across I drove and into a quaint area of Oakland. It felt more like downtown Saratoga than the east bay. As the second location (first one being Alameda), this one was actually a store vs. a petitioned-off section of a supermarket. Their cheese selection seemed smaller but everything we tasted was absolutely delicious. We must have spent a good 45 minutes in the store. We were not rushed and I was not dinged for my lack of knowledge on different types of cheese. I must have tried over 10 in my search for the right ones and even got a little adventurous. One cheese tasted of cumin, another had flecks of whole grain mustard. (Cowgirl Creamery would have probably kicked me out by now. That's if the huge lines behind me didn't riot first.) The staff are excellent at recommendations, remembering past party favorites, putting together a well-rounded tray of soft to hard cheeses, as well as estimating the amount of cheese needed by number of guests. Their wine selection is also affordable and goes by a broad price range. The owner has tried every single one and he remembers enough about each that you can't go wrong with something he picks for you. Best of all, they can keep track of your prior purchases in their computer system, and the tape labels they print out include their store and name of the cheese. We were able to stick those labels right next to each cheese on the tray so everyone could tell what they were eating and where it came from. So what were the results? The party was last night, the cheeses a huge hit, with hardly any leftovers. 5 stars! read more

My parents were frequent patrons at the Farmstead shop in Alameda and my Mother was thrilled when they opened the new shop here in the Montclair district. Since my Father passed away she has become quite the social butterfly, hosting get togethers with her artsy friends and choir-mates. She is always assured of getting a great pairing and a nice arrangement of appetizers when she visits this shop. Great selection of vintages here at prices comparable to other stores in the area. My Mom really likes being able to discuss a bit what the best choices are for what she may be serving and why. Jeff is very accommodating and knowledgeable and thankfully so because admittedly she isn't. Great selection and great customer service make this shop a must for people in the area. read more

As I am completely into wine, I was excited to have a FC&W closer to my home now. Upon my first visit, being a savvy wine shopper, I noticed the prices far exceed other local wine shops. You can easily find the same wines FC&W carries at much lower prices. I can only imagine his mark-up on the cheeses is equally outrageous. Sadly, my first visit will be my last. Stretch your dollar and shop elsewhere. read more

I am ashamed to say that in spite of having many members of my family in the wine and food business, I keep buying bad wine at safeway because I'm lazy. But if I was smart, I'd come up to Jeff's shop and buy good wine at decent prices and stop drinking crap. Plus if I had good wine at home more often, I may (just may) stop hoarding the occasional good bottle of wine I do get cause it would stop being such a treat. Speaking of treat - if you have a chance to one of Jeff's wine dinners, go. I just got home from one at BayWolf. Everything was amazing. I think I'm now totally spoiled and only want meals that start with pate and champagne and end with fabu cheese (and more champagne) now. read more

Wine is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin. As one reviewer put it, the holy trilogy of man's survival kit is 1) Wine 2) Cheese and 3) Bread I discovered this little shop while exploring the Montclaire area of Oakland. It was cute and the store is excellent. They have a good array of wines from different regions and countries ranging from prices. Having a cheese shop inside helps when you want to pair because you can have a conversation where you ask what pairs well with your latest malbec purchase from S. America and they can point you directly to some manchego behind the glass. The staff is decently friendly and you can tell they have some "regular" customers but are willing to talk to some new faces about wine and help out, which is a definate plus to any wine shop. I think you should check them out. To bad they don't triple as a bakery. read more

This place lacked the friendly, neighborhoody vibe that I was expecting. Despite being the only customer, I found that I had to ask for help, and actually had to work at drawing suggestions out of the man behind the cheese counter. Wine selection is nice, but presentation is a bit cold and formal. An uninspiring shopping trip was made worse when I returned home only to learn that my Cowgirl Creamery cheese was shrouded in mold when I unwrapped it. Fortunately I had purchased two other nice selections for my guests. I think it is telling that I didn't even feel like bothering to return to take back a spoiled $18 cheese. read more

I had a really delicious and heartwarming interaction here just now. We are big cheese and vermouth fans and I brought my daughter to help pick out cheeses for our risotto tonight. Danny was knowledgeable and offered us some great cheeses to sample. Upon learning that we'd had a pretty bad start to the day he also showed great kindness. I was so impressed by how personable he was and plan to start doing all my cheese shopping here from now on. I love the cheese section at Market Hall and felt like this was very equivalent. Thank you again, we are looking forward to coming back in soon! read more

The top 3 staples I would surly die without: wine, cheese and bread. Farmstead has the first two covered in a way that makes me shed virtual tears of gratitude. Since moving to the new hood, I've been slowly getting out to unearth all that is "The Village" and Farmstead is one discovery that adds to all the reasons I'm happy I live in Montclair. They offer $3. flights on Friday nights from 6-8 PM, but the charge is waived if you purchase a bottle. They also have several great wine club options to cater to many different tastes and budgets. The cheese selection is worthy of a monument, or at the very least, some serious over indulgence for many years to come. read more

Cute little shop with a awesome selection of cheese and wines. The two men working behind the counter were extremely helpful, offering my sister, daughter and I endless samples of tasty and not so tasty cheeses! haha I took a walk around the store and noticed how clean and nice this place was... every wine label was facing out, everything in its place like it was meant to be. We ended up leaving with about $30 worth of cheeses and couldn't have been happier with the service and selections. read more

I am a huge fan of Farmstead. I've never been to the Alameda location, but had my avid eye on its sister shop when it was opening in Montclair some months ago. It has brought my hill country enclave much grace and beauty since its opening. Not only is Farmstead an aesthetically beautiful space, but it is also run ship-shape by people who know and love wine and cheese like nobody else I've encountered. The shop is on a somewhat steep hill in Montclair (hilly neighborhood in Oakland) and perhaps because of this seems to be set apart from the rest of the world. When I'm there, I feel like I'm floating, and it's not just the wine-tasting that has this effect on me! The crew there have arranged the wine bottles like an art installation in terms of shape and color; I'm often struck by the beauty of all those bottles together in like shades from stone to ruby and all the fun labels to boot. Every Friday night, Farmstead hosts a wine tasting (almost hate to give this away...) which I attend whenever possible and look forward to. While the tasting has a nominal fee, the staff will waive it if you purchase a bottle of wine at the end of the night. I find it a great deal. I get a $12 bottle of good wine and a healthy tasting of yummy wines with an assortment of good, interesting people. I find Farmstead to be quite friendly and accessible. Jeff, the owner, writes a valuable newsletter full of fun foodie tidbits, and he hosts a monthly (?) or so wine dinner at a local restaurant whereby a wine maker will come and discuss the wines and pair them with the courses. I think the next one is at the venerable Bay Wolf, another Oakland institution that I've been patronizing since I was, ahem, 10 (yes, that's 30 years). Farmstead brings real, and rare, grace and presence to this corner of Oakland, and it is much appreciated. read more