This was a great little shop and winery. The staff was amazing. I had trouble with my Apple Pay on my phone and they worked through with me and we're very patient. I got some white cheddar and bacon cheese as well as white cheddar with chives and horseradish. They let me taste the cheese before I bought it and cut it to desired weight. We were visiting from out of town didn't have time for a wine tasting, but I can't wait to go back and do that. Great little spot definitely check it out if you go on a day trip to Galena. read more

Galena River Wine & Cheese - Cheese Shops Near Me - Galena, Illinois

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Been coming here for more than 30 years when in town. This shop was responsible for my awakening to artisanal cheese. Much of the region has caught up to this shop and it's appreciation of finer food, but Galena River wine and cheese still provides a great spot yo grab picnic supplies, a unique bottle of wine, or just some really good cheese for home. read more

Good-sized place with 2 rooms - one primarily dedicated to cheese and the other primarily dedicated to alcoholic beverages. There's a wide variety of cheeses ranging from the common to the quite unusual. As an example, we took home a green gouda cheese and tequila lime cheddar cheese. The second room offers a wide variety of wine, beer, and spirits - with tastings available for selected offerings. We tried a few wines that were compatible with the cheese we had based on recommendations. We were given all the time we needed. read more

We came back for the grilled cheese. We unexpectedly had a free day to kick around town and popped in here for lunch. We were excited by the pick your own cheese grilled cheese. For a cheese lovers, it's like being a kid in a candy store with lots of choices. Fortunately, the weather was mild, so we enjoyed our sandwiches at the table out in front. The only tweak I'd make is the addition of a table or two to eat onsite. This is a lovely little shop with great wine choices and a lot of locally sourced items. read more

TL:DR - Tons of variety here. They have a huge variety of products (meats, jams, sauces, pasta, and soups) as well as a large selection wine/cheese. Staff was super nice, helpful, and knowledgeable. They helped us put together a perfect cheese plate to do at home. Really enjoyed our experience here. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I will admit upfront, that this place is a bit expensive for what you're getting, but tbh, so is the entire rest of the street. This town thrives on tourism and because of that they need to make a little more off their products than Amazon would. That being said, we absolutely loved this place. They have so many different types of cheeses and wines, and the workers here are so knowledgeable and helpful. We were spending a few nights in town and decided we'd shop on main st. to get ingredients for our dinner. What I loved about this store is that it had a lot of variety. They had plenty of jams, jellies, soups, crackers, cheese, beers, wines, bread mixes, and a ton more. We thought we'd be fancy and make our own cheese plate, but have little idea of how the different types of cheeses taste. The worker there (which I got her name), was so helpful. She said the best cheese plate comprises of a good funky cheese, a soft cheese, a pallet cleanser (a relatively mild but creamy cheese), and a good wild card. She helped point us to a few cheeses that fit each category, and we were able to take it from there. She also recommended a great meat (a saucisson sec from Wisconsin). Once we got home, we loved each of her suggestions, they all tasted better as a whole rather than each individually (switching between the cheese was a more enjoyable experience than just eating one in its entirety at a time). We were able to get 3 good "cheese plates" for about $30 total. The entirety of the experience was phenomenal and friendly. I would have been more anxious asking anyone else, but everyone was super friendly and this is definitely a place to visit again in the future. read more

Galena River Wine & Cheese - A cheese plate that Galena Wine and Cheese helped us pick out. - Cheese Shops Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Adorable must-visit shop located at the south end of Main St. in one of Galena's historic & oldest commercial buildings. It looks small from the outside but it's very spacious inside with so much to offer. You'll have no problem finding something you need and a few things you didn't. Besides gourmet cheese & wine they offer Olive Mill (out of Geneva) infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Normally you could sample these and fill your own bottle, but due to the pandemic this wasn't allowed. I grabbed two prefilled bottles; Basil infused and Lemon balsamic (can't wait to taste). Wine, beer and spirit selection is impressive with many unique to the area & beyond. Gourmet items galore such as coffee, herbs, teas, seasonings, jams, honey and a variety of specialty offerings, many locally sourced & from WI. We stopped here on Memorial Day and were happy to find them open during the pandemic. Interesting selection of domestic & European cheese many from WI. If you like Pecorino romano, you've got to try the Pecora Nocciola from Landmark Creamery. This is one you don't want to miss and trust me it's perfect on its own. Since they don't offer tastings now, just purchase a small piece and try it. They also had a few bottles of Blaum Bros whiskey & hellfyre; a local distillery that happened to be closed during our visit...wish they would've had their gin, but instead found a new small batch I had not seen before; Thomas Dakin Eleven botanicals..can't wait to try. Totally happy with our purchase of unique finds. We were here close to closing time and even though the store was empty the girl who helped us could not have been more friendly, helpful and happy we stopped in to support them. She even gave us info on various cheese and where to buy. Nothing quite like this store in town, so stop in and treat yourself. read more

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A store with wide variety of wine and cheese... but I felt like the service is a bit snobby...not sure if it's because our visit coincided with a busy holiday weekend...hardly anyone assisted me in making the selection... I came in to pick up some snacks and drinks while my husband and my toddler daughter waited in the car outside. Didn't check the non-alcoholic drinks expiration date and then realized it was 2 months past the expiration when we got back to the hotel...one time I forgot to check... so check the expiration date before you make your purchase... read more

I love Galena , and this shop at the entrance to Main Street is great Always have samples of wine, scotch, and whiskey , all great . Cheese is always delicious, can't leave Galena without some cheese and a nice bottle of wine Staff are friendly and helpful and the place is always neat Might visit again real soon read more

5 stars from me, a must-drop by stop with a long history and friendly service. It's right at the beginning of the Main St digs in Galena so I'd recommend parking near there and tailing back for lunch! Their create your own grilled cheese I could not pass up. I think it was around $6 and you could combine cheeses - naturally I wanted garlic/herb cheddar and beer cheddar because that sounds like a stunning combo to me. And did it deliver! Also got a craft beer to go and a dip mix. Will be back if ever in the area. read more

Galena River Wine & Cheese - Create your own grilled cheese! I got 2 - Cheese Shops Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Fantastic shop, gave me all the taste to browse, taste test all the balsamic oil, they even have a sampling of a selection of wines and liquors . The cheese selection went from Wisconsin Cheddars to French, even Irish and Italian selections. The help was so helpful, gave us samples of the cheeses. My wife purchased a couple bottles of wine which were exceptional. The prices were reasonable and it was just a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Purchased the wine, a couple 1/4 lb. Pieces of wines, even got some peanut brittle. read more

I like this place. I always make it a point to stop here at some point in my trip. There are two rooms, one being the wine and olive oil station (which is new and pretty cool, you can taste and bottle your own olive oil and there are like 20 different kinds). The other is the gourmet food and cheese section. This is where they always get me. I can pass up wine and dry soup mixes, but when a giant case of cheese is presented to me I am about as helpless as a newborn kitten. Double Gloucester, Camembert, Manchego, Cotswold and goat cheddar? yes, yes and some of that too please! There was a triple creme French Explorateur that almost made me cry it was so good. Prices are on the steep side, but hey, look where you are. read more

Galena River Wine & Cheese - Cheese Shops Near Me - Galena, Illinois

You're walking down the street in Galena; you've spent the day digging through piles of antiques. You come across yet another Winery in Galena... Why not, we can at least sample what they have to see if they are any better than the others, right? As soon as you walk in you know this is anything but your standard winery. They have a counter with a nice selection of cheeses and I'm not talking your standard cheese shop cheeses. They have some hard to find stuff, they also have some of the best Bleu Cheese I've ever had! They have a selection of jarred and pickled items, various crackers and snacks. Then in the other room they have wine, beer and olive oils. There is a variety of things you can sample. While we were there we tried some sauces, jams, cheese dip, oils, wine, cheese and Rumchata. We found some items we wanted but because we were there on Saturday, we didn't want to buy the cheese to hold in our room until we left on Sunday. (MMMmmmm day old room temperature Bleu Cheese, that'll smell nice.) We told the owners we would be back and they asked what we were going to get. When we said a specific bottle of wine and the cheese dip we tried, the offered to hold them for us because they were popular and selling fast. Sure enough when we returned on Sunday they had the items we asked them to hold. It's been a while since I found a place that would do that. Awesome selection and service, you just can't go wrong. Plus the owner was even assisted in teasing one of our friends over her not letting her husband buy a pickle. The personal touch just put the cap on a great experience read more

Cute place, yes. Pricey, yes. Why you should consider stopping in? They have an area where you can create and bottle your own virgin olive oils and balsamics, mix flavors if you like. A wide selection of craft beers, fresh and frozen cheeses, sausages and wines. Items are pricey, I got this fried cheese thing which was imported from Europe and cost a bit too much, its taste was interesting. Service is interesting, at some point they will get around to helping you, it wasn't busy when we visited perhaps its their shtick. read more

So, my husband and I stumbled upon this place as we visited Galena for the first time recently. What a gem! We are basically wine snobs and I don't like cheese but my husband is something of a connasieur. We were not disappointed on either front! We worried that this would be a tourist trap but honestly, the selection is amazing. They also have olive oil, coffee and little kitchen trinkets. We got a lovely Gascoigne wine as well as a a Wisconsin cheese my husband bought more of the next day. We also tried this ciabatta-like baguette that is of mysterious origins but was delicious! One of the owners rung us up the first visit (we actually returned the next day!) And we found him very knowledgeable and informative. My only complaint was that it was very crowded on a Saturday which made me nervous because of COVID. read more

A good idea: Park at this end of Main Street. Walk and shop allll the way up and back. Stop at Galena River Wine and Cheese so you're hungry and ready to take your goodies home nice and fresh. There's a broad range of cheeses here (including local stuff from IL and WI) and the guys behind the counter will give you info if you ask. The selection of wine is broad, but it's not particularly inexpensive, so you might do to shop around since there are a handful of wineries in the area. I heard them pushing something called ChocoVine (really a liqueur) as I passed through. Other gourmet goodies include a variety of oils, and a spotlight on locally made items (honey, pickles, syrup etc.) Overall, if you're a foodie, drop in. You're bound to find something you like. I can't say that I found anything that really set this place apart for me, but I'm always happy to take a taste of gourmet. read more

It is pricey but considering you can't find products like these anywhere within a 100 mile radius, they can charge whatever they like! I like that I don't have to haul coolers full of Whole Foods goodies with me to our ER house anymore! Love the selection of cheeses and beers and the fabulous sample of ChocoVine which I promptly purchased. Wish I had read the other reviews prior to my visit b/c I really wanted that triple cream Explorateur and can't wait to return for some! read more

I tend to find all kinds of items in here that I don't really need, but am strongly compelled to purchase. :) They have a great selection of gourmet food items, coffee, tea, beer, wine, cheese, dips and more. You can mix and match a 6-pack here, too. My husband always takes advantage of the 6-pack. Friendly staff and the store is well organized and easy to shop. There really isn't another shop like it in Galena, so it's definitely worth stopping in to check-out. read more

When I was a kid, I loved the Wallace & Gromit short films. Every time I got to visit Galena, I'd go to this cheese shop and ask to try a kind of cheese Wallace had talked about. Now I'm old enough to actually appreciate the different kinds of cheese so I love this shop even more! It's also perfect for gift shopping - they have something for everyone!! read more

While the store has a great selection of wines, cheeses, and other products, the very in-attentive service keeps me away. Each time I go back, thinking about something I need that I know they carry, I'm once again reminded of their bad service: Nobody greets me, even if there's nobody else in the store; I could stand at the cheese counter while someone is behind the counter building a cheese plate and they won't greet me or let me know they'll be with me shortly; a walk into the wine room gets a suspicious look from the staff like I'm a potential shoplifter. If I ask a question I usually get a highly knowledgeable answer, so know that they know what they're talking about. I'm surprised they're still in business with the poor way they treat customers Why can't they be more customer service oriented? read more

This is a cute little shop. There is one section for wine and another section for Cheese, crackers and gift baskets. We picked up a tasty hunk of Bleu Cheese along with a few other goodies. Compared to other places that I shop, Galena Wine and Cheese seemed a bit on the pricey side, but that is usually the case in tourist areas. The bottom line is that Galena Wine & Cheese is a cute little store. I'm sure that we will stop by the next time we vacation in Galena. If you are looking to stock up on wine, I'm sure that there are less expensive places in the area, but for a emergency booze run, this place will do the trick. read more

Now we have time to post the reviews we always meant to get around to. We have been customers here for a VERY long time and my wife always looks forward to dropping in when we stay at the nearby Galena Territory. She enjoys the variety of cheeses and the opportunity to sample cheeses that she might not otherwise see, and the owners can give you a history of each one. In the high season, assuming we have one this year, you may have to wait but that is true of any good place in Galena. read more

Great shop. Edited assortment of decent amount of well priced wine, plus some munchies. Julie and Bryan are really great. Cheese case is ok, while wine prices are higher than family liquor in east dubuque, way cheaper than the rip off jamie s in town. read more

What a great place! Friendly service, lovely country store atmosphere and tasty wine and cheeses! We bought a bottle of every one we tasted and even picked up a bottle of caramel turtle whiskey. Next time we are in town this will be our first stop to order a wine and cheese tray to enjoy during our stay. read more

Thank you for keeping us safe during this difficult time. I know for small businesses it is not easy. You went above and beyond what many places would do for an unmasked patron! Sorry they did not see it that way. I was very pleased with the way you all conducted your business!!! read more

Hungry? Thirsty? Give them a visit. The most friendly staff, welcoming and knowledgeable about all their products. Grilled cheese to go is the absolute BEST. Choose your cheese and a meat? The sandwiches are satisfying and amazingly delicious. Every time I have come, the staff is amazing and the cheese selection never ceases to amaze me. If I could give this place 100 stars I would. read more

This is the only place in the Galena area you will be able to find a legit cheese case and some decent bread. We just went there over the weekend and the staff was wonderful and the cheese even better. They had a pretty big selection I thought for the area. And its attached to the wine and olive oil shop. So do yourself a favor next time you are in Galena, get some cheese, La Brea Bread and a bottle of wine and you won't regret it. read more

This is a great little gourmet wine and cheese shop. They don't make their own wine but they had lots of different kinds. Plus, their wine tasting was free! Automatic five stars! I tried a chocolate cherry wine that was delicious and bought a bottle because it was one sale. They also have olive oil tasting which seems kind of weird to me but maybe that's just me. read more

Cute little shop with lots of options! The person behind the counter was friendly, offering taste tests and recommendations of the wine selections. My friend was excited to find caffeinated lollipops and I was excited to find chocolate wine! We both went home with great finds. read more

Amazing selection of everything! All high quality items and super friendly staff. They even have free wine tastings some days.

I purchased a tasty Trappist Ale here, however I felt extremely unwelcome by the owners who stared me down the entire time. I'll attribute that to my tattoos (sleeves) and their lack of class. read more

This is a great gourmet shop. I don't shop here often because almost everything is just too pricey. Since they insist on selling beer by the single bottle, and at least two dollars each, you end up paying around $14-15.00 for a six-pack. I do not buy beer here. And as for wine, I was hoping this would be my place to stop in, tell them what I like, and get a good recommendation for a new wine for myself or to bring to friends. I have tried that three times and been consistently disappointed. I do not have much confidence in their wine knowledge. Generally, I have found the customer service vibe to be like many in Galena, where the people helping you think you are here for them instead of vice-versa. Seemingly annoyed or inconvenienced to be helping you. So, on a customer service scale, I would rate them a "2." That's just been my experience. Good place, though, for affordable frozen gourmet sausage, frozen artisan bread and maybe a little chunk of good French cheese. If you have money to burn though, this is a good place to do it. read more

A very nice stop. Lots of really great cheeses and other nibbles to choose from plus some great wines to pick from. Two very friendly people at the counter, one was the owner. read more

My husband and I recently spent a long weekend in Galena and spent a good amount of time walking around the shopping area. We wandered into Galena River Wine & Cheese, really just to browse though we definitely love some good meats, cheeses and wine! We were just poking through the wine section and noticed they had a really nice and varied selection. My husband asked the gentleman working if he had any recommendations for a good white and were greeted with an excellent source of knowledge about the wines he carried in his shop. He made some great recommendations and we ended up buying a more expensive bottle of wine than we had intended, and it turned out to be very good wine! We returned the next day on our way out of town to grab some salami and cheese for the road. Again, the same gentleman (who I assume is the owner) gave us an excellent recommendation on a great salami and we couldn't have been happier. I don't think we've ever received such friendly and attentive service before and we will definitely make this a necessary stop on all of our future trips to Galena! read more

This is a lovely shop. There was quite a lot of traffic when we came in, but we still received excellent, attentive service. It is also a comfortable place to browse...my husband and I spent several minutes poring over the cheese options and never felt rushed or pressured. We look forward to coming back soon! read more

Decent, not huge, selection of beer and wine. They have really good chocolate covered dried cherries, and some really good soup mixes. This is the place to go if you're looking for more "foodie" items, like specialty crackers, cheeses, etc. I would have given this a higher rating if they had a larger wine selection. read more