It's a little dark, and kinda crowded with too much stuff. I can't believe the staff can handle all of that stuff. They have as many products as a supermarket practically. But that's good too, because they have unusual items such as Sumac spice and Pistachio paste. The staff seem a bit stressed at times, but do a good job of faking happy. My biggest complaint might be that the regular customers are annoying and snobby. I'm sure the same goes for the Cambridge store. At times I've felt overwhelmed, under-attended to, cramped and I just wanted to get out of there. But sometimes, it's a very nice place to shop. read more

As a long-time South End resident, I love stopping into Formaggio on a weekly basis. Their prepared food selection is excellent and they always have amazing gift baskets during the holidays! Plus, the whole team there is very friendly and always has time to stop and say hello, or give recommendations... read more

Paradise. If you love cheese and meat and just want to indulge yourself or with friends, this is your spot. They always have wine or beer tastings, but most important is the cheese samples throughout the store. Staff is super friendly and helpful and the cheese and charcuterie here is the best in the south end. read more

For local provisions, appetizer ingredients to impress and gourmet sandwiches, the South End Formaggio is the best little market around. They have such a variety of cheeses I can just pick up along with some tasty crackers and organic wine I can serve if I'm having people over. But my favorite is to pick up one of their sandwiches and take it to the park. They're just so delicious and about $5 each (veg options, too for all you non-animal eaters, although if you want to try some, this stuff is pretty wholesome). The people that work there are also very helpful and friendly. read more

This is exactly the kind of place you'd expect to find in the South End. I love that they have local products like honey, breads, and chocolate from Mass. The burrata is amazing and priced well - about $9 for a well sized, fresh piece. Yum! read more

Great cheeses!! Wow! I love this place especially when it comes to hosting a party or getting my gourmet chef wannabe self on.

If you love cheese, this is the Promised Land. In addition to the amazing selection of high-quality, delicious and sometimes hard-to-find cheeses , they also have very fine pastas, sauces and other things you need to create a divine cheese plate or spectacular Italian supper. My husband and I are especially fond of the Giovanni Gelato and the marzipan. Moreover, this is a spectacular place to put together a nice housewarming present or a gift for anyone who loves cooking. read more

Buratta, Pasta, Vino... what more could a girl ask for! I'm definitely going to become a regular once it gets super nice out and I can walk or bike to this place to get good cheese and prepared foods because it's truly delicious. read more

We all love this place and it nice to have it nearby. Great cheeses (ask for tastes and expand your palate) and nice selection of wines - perfect place if you are having friends over last minute and need to pick up delicous high-end gourmet snackies. read more

I love cheese. I mean, I would die if i became lactose intolerate. I love all cheeses, I don't discriminate. But although I love everything cheese, I'm not the world's biggest cheese expert, so when I was asked to be the person responsible for bringing cheeses to a dinner party, i slightly freaked out. Enter the South End Fromaggio. As I walked in and headed back to the cheese counter, I was stopped by a really nice employee offering me wine. He then had a few cheeses and breads that paired well with that wine. It was great! with wine in hand, I went back to the cheese counter and a really nice girl came out and assisted me. I told her i needed to bring cheeses for a dinner party, and she got right to work. She recommended I bring a few soft cheeses and a few harder cheeses, and she grabbed about 12 different kinds and headed behind the counter. She cut me little samples of each, and described each cheese as I tried it. She knew EVERYTHING about cheese. She knew where it was from, how it was made, how it was aged, the history of the cheesemaker, i mean EVERYTHING (how i envy her). I settled on 5 cheeses, and this was after i sampled about 15. I'm sure i could have stayed there for an hour eating cheese samples and they wouldn't have minded. Their prices aren't bad either, I mean imported French and Belgian cheeses aren't cheap, but it was way better than i expected. On my way out, the wine guy stopped me again, and said he was just about to uncork a different wine, so i had some of that one as well (and of course more cheese). I left this store full, happy and with an impressive array of cheeses for the dinner party. I love this place and I will definitely go back soon. read more

Plenty of cheese and lots of organic wine. I was dying to try All of the cheeses here~ although My friend ended up getting some cookies instead from their little bakery (which were rather tasty)! I would have loved to have sampled the cheese, but we were too full from lunch.... read more

I work at South End Formaggio and would like to clear up a couple of issues (I promise this isn't a shill!) A post on 11/18/2006 states that the sandwiches are not made in the shop. This is not true. They cannot be made to order but they're definitely made in the shop. (for the record, even a good deal of the meat that goes on the sandwiches is made in-house, e.g. the 100% grass fed new england beef.) A post on 10/12/2007 states that the bread and prepared food are sent in from other locations. This is only half true. The prepared food is in fact all made in-house. If you look over the wall of cheese you'll see a 6 burner and a convection oven in the corner. The rest of the kitchen (prep space, walk-ins etc.) is down in the basement along with a tiny office, storage areas and a dishwashing station. The bread does, in fact, come from other fine sources, currently mostly clear flour, iggy's and b&r. Made at South End Formaggio: -All the sandwiches and all the prepared food you see in the deli case (obvious exceptions being anchovies etc.) -cookies, muffins, scones, bars (eg. brownies, pecan, rice krispie), cupcakes etc.. These are up at the register, fairly easy to distinquish from the cookies etc. we bring in from other vendors. -all freezer items like soups, stocks, pot pies, enchiladas, meat loaf etc. (ice cream sandwiches etc. in warmer months.) -the small produce case also can feature some of our output, like jello and puddings, spreads (pimento cheese, liptauer, white bean etc.), dressing etc. -Charcuterie,sausages etc. Most of this comes from charcuterie master Tom Smith at Formaggio Kitchen or from outside vendors, but we occasionally do things like bresaola, saucisson sec, chicken liver mouse, pancetta etc. (We'd love to do more but we're only 2.5 people!) Anyway, hope this clears up any confusion. read more

Yum. Oh, this place is a cheese lover's heaven! It's a teeny spot but never fear, there is plenty of cheese inside. The staff is helpful and not at all condescending which is something that I often am troubled by in cheese shops. This place is totally unpretentious and has absolutely delicious fig jam, goat cheese and arugula sandwiches! read more

Best service I've ever had! I can't lie, I'm an absolute novice when it comes to cheese, but everyone here was so helpful and friendly that I was immediately whisked into a world of cheesy-goodness as soon as I walked through the door. After choosing the perfect Parmesan cheese for a date, the staff (Anthony) even showed me the best honey to accompany the cheese and it was amazing! read more

Great cheese shop right in the heart of the South End. Everyone is super helpful here and there are always cheese samples to taste to experience something new. They also sell single Oat cookies at the counter, which are my fav. read more

I recently moved to the neighborhood and wandered into this shop -- unbelievably good selection at reasonable prices. It's like they took a normally excellent wine/cheese/olive/euro import store and weeded out all the mediocrity, leaving you with only the best. They even had one of my favorite wines of all time from Germany: http://www.leitz-wein.de/index.php-id=45.html which is incredibly hard to find. Enamored and will be returning for their uncompromising good taste, selection and lack of stuffiness. You will want to eat everything in this shop. read more

cheese and meat heaven. They also have great sandwiches and beer/wine.

South End Formaggio is one of the best charcuterie and cheese shops I have found in Boston so far. They have an amazing assortment of meats, cheeses, chocolate, wine, imported sauces, tapenades, and beautiful pastas. The sandwiches are beautiful and delicious as well! I feel like I am back in France when I am here. I am forever a loyal customer and always impressed by the assault on the senses when you walk through the door. The Cambridge shop is amazing as well with a wider selection, definitely stop in for deliciousness! read more

The staff here is super friendly and helpful. I tried a couple of different cheeses and meat products before making my final choices. I loved how I didn't feel pressured to buy anything and the store has so many great things to try. read more

My first trip to the South End location. Very friendly staff but pretentiously small, no doubt to comfort wayward NYCers. This aside I salute the Gurdals as national treasures for scouring the globe to bring me back food treasures at eye popping prices and worth every penny. On this occasion some more of those French macaroons that can't be beat, a tasty Langres and a quarter of a wheel of Fougerou, also a domestic prosciutto from Iowa that reminded me of Emilia-Romagna's elusive Culatello, plus a local fresh Mozzarella that was at least local. Some basil, a tomato, baguettes from two bakers, some Florentine cookies and a larcenously priced but perfect toffee. All this and change back from a c-note but that and a bottle of wine or three and that my friends is a perfect rainy afternoon. Cheers! read more

Formaggio is the place we went for lunch during work when the weather was nice. It is basically the ultimate "stuff white people like" store. The $8 sandwich, "good" beer, European food, wine and cheese, natural food. I could keep going... It's a tiny place that is not for the claustrophobic, unless you're also a foodie, in which case, this may cure you. It's jam-packed and there's so much to absorb, sensually. Floor to ceiling, they've got displays and it all looks good. The people at the register are very friendly in a way you didn't think cashiers could be. I usually order the salami, one of the turkey sandwiches or the buttered ham rolls. I always get them on the grill, even in the summertime. It gives me time to peruse a part of the store I hadn't yet seen or look more deeply at a product I wanted to get last time, but couldn't get because of the spending cap. Oh, you should go in there with a spending cap and stick to it. Otherwise, you may be in trouble. When you find yourself wanting more than you can fit into your budget, just promise yourself you will come back soon. That usually is a good consolation for me. I don't know many places that sell the Arrogant Bastard 12oz bottles in six-packs, so that's a good reason to go. If it's a nice day out, and you're there for lunch, take it to go (there's nowhere to sit inside, only a bench outside...so there's really no choice here) and walk a block toward downtown to the dog park. It's better than people-watching, and usually you get to pet one or two and make a buddy for life (not usually the case with people-watching). If you don't live nearby, it's worth the trip down to the South End to this place. You may find yourself looking for excuses to "just happen to pass by." read more

Amazing selection! Service was top notch- very knowledgeable. We will be coming back often!

i really enjoy a trip to any formaggio...but im particularly fond of the south end formaggio. the staff is always so friendly here and they are very knowledgeable. in the area, i think they have one of the most extensive cheese selections. and i think they have a pretty good wine and food selection also. they have great recommendations for cheeses based on other things that you know you enjoy, and they can recommend specific beers or wines to accompany nearly any of their cheeses. i havent ever eaten any of their sandwiches, so i cant comment on them, but im always tempted to try. definitely worth a stop if youre in the area and need a little treat to get you through the afternoon. read more

Robert G is not lying when he says he goes here for everything. We go here to pick out a bottle of wine instead of dealing with the overpriced Brix. They have Israeli wines! So good! The people who work here are really nice and helpful as well. I wish I lived in the South End so I could make this place "my" shop. read more

Along with Formaggio Kitchen, the gold standard for food in Boston. Though this location doesn't offer as much as the Cambridge location, the compactness tempts you with all sorts of delights you may have missed in Cambridge. read more

Cute little store with a fantastic range of cheeses and meats!! Also don't forget to try their chicken salad sandwich! Super delish. I love this spot. read more

This really is as good as it gets. The staff here is wonderful. I've never been into a store that knows their merchandise better than they do here. And when we're talking hundreds of cheese varieties, just as many wine varietals, and don't let me forget their chocolate collection! I love walking up to the cheese counter, having a quick little "hey how have you been?" chat, and then moving onto a new and exciting cheese that I have yet to discover. And since I'm kind of a frequent shopper, they're really good at remembering what I'm a big fan of (oh, how I love neighborhood shops). The staff is really so helpful, and excited to tell you their favorites and possibly find your new favorites. The best part is when they try the cheese with you, that way you can talk about all of the amazing flavors unfolding in your mouth, mmmm. For Thanksgiving, I wanted to get everyone at work a bottle of wine and they have a great under $16 collection. Luckily, I know the 10 people in my office well enough to pick their perfect wines. However, I walked up to this counter with little recognition to the majority of the labels. I didn't want to cut any bottle short, so I asked for help. The girl behind the counter was so excited to help me buy presents, of course. We talked about the unusual varietals, and how the differed from one region to another (which is so amazing to have a real conversation about wine...it really doesn't happen enough). Anyway, EVERYONE loved their bottle and were dying to know where I got it. Oh, and you get a little discount when you buy 6 bottles! No one can say no to that! And don't forget to buy a salted caramel, or two. They're right next to the register...and I promise, these alone will make you come back to visit very soon. read more

So many treasures to be had here -- Carles roquefort, Piri Piri sauce, Cabot clothbound cheddar . It's amazing how much great stuff they've packed into a tiny space. read more

their fig vinegar is amazing. best. ever. friendly staff, too, and if you have issue with any purchase they generally are very understanding and help you return it for something better that you will use/love. read more

I absolutely love this place, but I must say that I am a total wine and cheese rookie. The experts at Formaggio help to educate and pick the best components for a delicious afternoon snack, making me always look super cool. secret fav is the selection of sweets! read more

The staff are genius and the products are impeccible. Shopping here is a treat.

Where else can you get "house made vinaigrette" in Boston? Or quality meats, cheese, and chocolate selection and SO much more! There are just so many little surprises hidden in this gem of a store. Stop by the Formaggio for a trip into foodie paradise! read more

Lovely specialty market in the South End. Gets double points for having Stumptown cold brew! My favorite and definitely hard to find elsewhere in Boston. Other than that, they offer a huge variety of meats, cheeses, spreads, breads etc. Definitely a great place to pick up some goods for a party or fancy night in! read more

Simply amazing. I needed a specific cheese for my raclette dinner party--- they not only had it but suggested other amazing ones and some wine pairings if I was interested--- dinner went off without a hitch! All cheese and raclette needs are sent to them now! read more

I picked up some bread, cheese, and jam here this morning. Smaller shop than in Cambridge but well stocked and beautiful location. Cheese and jam were quite good though of course not cheap - wouldn't exactly grocery shop here but folks probably get that; it's not a Shaw's and it's also not the market in Lyon where you'll find declassed cheese that's cheap but also quality... Side note: The door is unlocked before they're technically open - I recommend checking the sign or your watch before charging in here if you don't want to look like the asshole who can't wait four minutes to basket his fourteen dollar tapenade. read more

the thing about the formaggio is that the service is great, and there is a table at the back of the store with wines all under fifteen bucks. If you go you should get the hot dog, its really good and the bun is toasted! Great selection of cheeses obviously. read more

I love this place...great deli meat, great grocery, great sandwiches, great bread, great everything.....great place...done

You can go here expecting to learn. They always have samples & are eager to help you plan a delectable menu. A wide variety of artisan foods from honey & jams, to bitters & wine, and cheeses & meat slices. Most recently I was pleasantly surprised to find the chocolates of a French chocolatier, Joel Durrand in their desert case. If you love great food & cooking, this is a stop you must make! read more

Formaggio would be my ideal version of heaven. I've never been disappointed by a trip here, and I always leave with a ton of goodies. The staff is so knowledgeable and helpful- they'll listen to the meat and cheese flavor profiles you like and give you taste after taste until you find the perfect one (or 4 or 5 if you're like my husband and me) that you're looking for. It's a good thing this is about a 30 minute walk from where we live, otherwise we'd probably stop in daily. Definitely worth a trip if you haven't been! read more

Not the cheapest place in town and not the corner market but an amazing gastronomic pleasure! This place is way cool with amazing stuff that is simply a treat every time I go. A true learning experience, the employees are really friendly and way knowledgeable. I got an amazing cheese lesson last time I was there and a bigger chocolate one the time before. Its just good business, I always walk out of there with more than I planned...but happily so! read more