We stopped by Sonoma Cheese Factory on the Sonoma Plaza hoping to recreate some great memories, but unfortunately it just isn't the place it used to be. Years ago, this was our go-to stop in Sonoma for wine and cheese tastings, incredible sandwiches, BBQ, and browsing a lively marketplace. It always felt busy and full of energy. This visit was a completely different experience. The store felt sparse, the cheese selection was much smaller than we remembered, there were no cheese samples, and we couldn't find their own branded cheeses that we used to love. We stopped in to grab lunch on our way home. The sandwich menu is now limited, and you can no longer build your own. We ordered two sandwiches, and while they were decent, they didn't justify the high price. There is still both indoor and outdoor seating, which is nice, but the overall experience felt like a shadow of what made this place so special. I really miss the vibrant marketplace where people gathered to sample cheeses, pick up lunch, and enjoy everything Sonoma had to offer. Sadly, we won't be returning. With so many outstanding places to eat around Sonoma, this no longer stands out and, in our opinion, has gone downhill. read more

Sonoma Cheese Factory - Cheese Shops Near Me - Sonoma, California

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There's not many places near the square that you can get a really good lunch without feeling like you're in a sit down tourist trap. In fact, the Cheese Factory might be the only place. This is an old fashion deli gussied up for Sonoma. It gets busy but everyone working here is attentive and even nice. There's a ton of interesting cheeses (duh) and pasties (yum) but I come here for the coffee and Butcherman sandwiches. You can't go wrong with any of the sandwiches which are large enough to split if you aren't a big eater. Cubano: not traditional but delicious. Ham AND pork sausage. Jack cheese and avocado. Mortadella: with pesto and burrata. Another delicious break with tradition. Even the Arnold palmer (ice tea and lemonade) is good. There are seats in the back and a few outside but I like the counter in the front window. Enjoy your food and watch the world walk by. read more

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I was wandering around the town square in Sonona, craving a good sandwich, and I remembered many years ago there was a really good deli nearby. Couldn't find it anymore...seems like there's been a lot of business turnover in that area - I'm sure at least in part due to high rent...but happened to see "Sandwiches" on the awning in front of Sonoma Cheese Factory. Didn't look it up, took a chance and went for it. From the moment you enter, such friendly folks greet you and point you to the menu and where to go when you're ready to order. So much to choose from, but I went the easy route and ordered the "Smoked Turkey". Expected a basic turkey sandwich with the usual trimmings, and wow did it ever exceed those expectations. The sliced turkey was melt-in-your mouth moist, tender, and delicious. The tomatoes, the greens, the mild spread added at just the right amount to make the flavors pop. Then with the bread - the way it was lightly grilled to make the cheese melt perfectly...made it warm with a slight crunch on the outside, through the melty cheese to the cooler turkey, tomatoes and other trimmings on the inside. Honestly, one of the best sandwiches I've ever had. It filled me up perfectly but I didn't want it to be done. Sat there thinking of my favorite uncle growing up in Texas, who, when he ate something really good, would say "well my belly's full but my taster is still hungry". :) It was that good. And again, the sandwich, accompanied by the awesome/friendly service, made the whole experience so good. Will make it a regular stop in my future trips to Sonoma. I'm a sucker for good BBQ and according to a neighboring business owner, you can't go wrong with the brisket sandwich. Yum. read more

It's been so long ago and far away in my memory from the first time that I visited history downtown Sonoma and encountered the Cheese Factory. I'm so glad that they survived the Pandemic and are thriving in the middle of the 2020's. My lifelong love of cheese is legendary in my own mind. It's been a struggle to get used to having to leave cow's milk dairy cheese out of my diet. While I have been sampling and finding some plant-based cheeses to love these last few years, I'm also grateful that I can tolerate and enjoy goat and sheep milk's cheeses. Despite some reviews for the Cheese Factory indicating that they would have plant-based / vegan cheeses (at least a few), that wasn't the case the day we recently visited. Dear Hubby and I were able to amass a small collection of goat and sheep cheeses, plus a few other accoutrements to go toward a charcuterie board. Mind you, these specialty cheeses do not come cheap! Many are priced at between $35 and $45/pound. They tend to be rich and full-bodied, so a smallish amount is satisfying, especially when complimented by crackers, cured meats, and fruits. Our niece made an amazing charcuterie board assortment for those of us who have to avoid standard dairy cheeses, and it was beautiful, delicious, and very satisfying. Back to the experience at the Factory. This is most certainly a historic building, and very long-standing business. It's also very popular. It's a little rough around the edges as far as cleanliness. The front sitting area, in particular, looks like it could use either a re-do, or a serious cleaning. Sometimes "rustic" works, and sometimes it can use a bit of freshening. We got good service, and helpful advice when it was time to pick cheese. The check stand area for paying for our cheese, crackers, and salami, plus ordering gelato and coffee drinks, was on the chaotic side. A lot of patrons were milling around to be called for their orders and the flow didn't work very well. I appreciated Dear Hubby dealing with that part while I saved us a spot in the seating area nearby and nursed my aching back. Not feeling great physically may have colored some of my appreciation of the "rustic charm" factor. We later moved to the long counter area by the front window, sitting and people watching folks passing by on the plaza. There's a lot to experience when visiting Sonoma Cheese Factory. read more

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Late post. I've been obsessing over wheels of cheese for a while now. A recent trip to Sonoma in January of this year led me to visit the Sonoma Cheese Factory. They have a good variety of cheeses--hard, semi-hard, soft, and creamy--and a few great finds as well. At that time of year, what caught my eye was the seasonal Rogue River Blue, which I'm sure is gone by now. For semi-hard cheeses, they had Challerhocker and the classic cheddar-like Mimolette, both of which I had been looking for. Overall, this is a nice stop for cheese lovers. You never know what great finds you might come across. read more

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Love this place! Cutest ambiance. Great selection of cheeses, meats, snacks and delicious sandwiches - would recommend the mortadella! Cute wine tasting options! Right across from Sonoma plaza. read more

I would ignore the not so great reviews here. Maybe something was not working out in the past but right now, as of October 2025, this place is rocking. A small cafe/deli/bakery/cheese factory that serves coffee and wine. What do they not offer? Service was on point too. The bakery section alone is drool-worthy, carrying baked items from a local seeming bakery. The cheese selection looked awesome, saw some people enjoying the beautiful weather with cheeseboards and wine. The sandwich shop is pretty solid too. We were there on a Friday afternoon, not wanting a full meal because we were headed wine tasting but at the same time, we wanted something nice. Ended up getting a sandwich and a pre-made salad. The salad dressing was bomb and the greens were very perky and fresh. Also had to get a s'mores sandwich. Very impressed with the food we got. We'll be back again for more. read more

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A must when visiting Sonoma. It is located in the cutest little plaza with other shops, tasting rooms and restaurants. We stopped by to get some cheese to pair with the wine bottles we just got. The staff were super knowledgeable on pairings and helped me pick out some yummy cheese. It was quite busy so had to wait to be attended which wasn't bad. read more

Sonoma Cheese Factory - Can't recall what we selected but all of it was yummy. - Cheese Shops Near Me - Sonoma, California

Mortadella and pesto sando! Recommend doing splitsies with double meat. If you're a mortadella fan, it does not disappoint read more

Sonoma Cheese Factory - Mortadella pesto sando, we got it with double meat Do it! You're welcome. - Cheese Shops Near Me - Sonoma, California

First thing I noticed when I walked in was the amount of flies on the display pastries. Come to find out those pastries aren't only for display and we're being served. I believe a line queue is necessary. Something I like most people were lining up near the menu while others went directly up to the register cutting people in line. The food that I did try (mac & cheese, and loaf of bread were decent for the price. this place is basically a café, selling overpriced cheese and wine. Also their bathrooms were disgusting out of soap and reeked urine. What a "great" tourist spot. Won't be returning anytime soon read more

Sonoma Cheese Factory - Open Display case - Cheese Shops Near Me - Sonoma, California

It's way too expensive. Our sandwiches were delicious but 2 sandwiches, 1 bag of chips & 2 bottles of water $49! We won't be returning. A couple days ago we spent $19 on ice cream. Eating out is becoming unsustainable in California. It's luxury for a special occasion! The staff was friendly though, I will say that was pleasant to find. read more

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I came in for a hot chocolate and specifically ordered it with 2% milk. I watched the drink being made with whole milk and assumed it wasn't mine. When my name was called, I asked to confirm the milk used, and the employee told me--straight to my face--that it was made with 2% and that she had "thrown the carton away." I literally watched her use whole milk. The mistake wasn't the issue; lying about it was. If they had just remade the drink or acknowledged the mix-up, this wouldn't be a review. Instead, I walked away knowing they'll lie rather than fix a simple order. Completely avoidable and honestly disappointing. read more

Sonoma Cheese Factory - Cheese Shops Near Me - Sonoma, California

Nice shop on Sonoma square with a large selection of cheese, of course, plus drinks and snacks. A good place if you're not interested in the more expensive sit down restaurants nearby. read more

Sonoma Cheese Factory - Cheese Shops Near Me - Sonoma, California

Cheese, meats, wine, beer, crackers, tinned fish, jams, pickles...what doesn't this shop have?!?! Aside from everything you need to craft the perfect charcuterie board, they also have sandwiches, salads, and wine by the glass. The cheese selection isn't quite as grand as some other cheese shops I've been to in the Bay Area, and they weren't slinging cheese samples the way the others do, but they still have a great variety of products. If you have a food lover in your life, this is a great place to stop in for gifts! I wish I was crafting a charcuterie when we came here because I would've left with a lot of the store! read more

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Very nice place to visit. The area is beautiful. I sat at the park and enjoyed my lunch. read more

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It's been on my bucket list to do a cheese tasting and this place fulfilled the dream to perfection. There's a wide variety of cheese to select from and the cheese hat man (sorry i forgot your name!) was so helpful! He advised me on trying 4 cheeses and 2 meats based all on my preferences in taste. Then, he instructed to go find any table inside or out and he will bring over the cheese and meat charcuterie for 2 people to share. The portions were perfect and the board was beautifully displayed with our custom choices! Also, very reasonable prices. I believe our cheese and meat board was around $30-$35. My husband also got a glass of wine and he had a pleasant experience with the guy at the wine bar. All staff were VERY helpful, kind, patient & knowledgeable with their craft! Seating outside was also dog-friendly and staff let us know we could sit inside with our dog if we wanted. An overall pleasant and enjoyable experience. Highly recommend for all cheese-lovers!! read more

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As of February, now spotting Sweetie Pie and a few Model Bakery viennoiserie, and cookies. Also selling things like jams, kombucha, microbrews, a few bottles of wine, salads, and prepared baguette sandwiches.... I'm spoiled; Berkeley Bowl's cheese section is my benchmark. Need I say more? Still--- very glad to come to the park as the sun starts to peek its head! PS got small wedge of buttery Brillat-asacaron and a wedge of pt Reyes Toma truffle read more

Stumbled on this cute place for brunch. They have a lot of seating, on the sidewalk, indoor and outdoor. You order your food and drinks at the cashier, wait for your drinks and they will give you a number for food. Fresh and Delicious food. read more

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Angelina the counter person was very personable and helpful. We took her suggestion and ordered two brisket sandos, cole slaw, and the mango lemonade. Oh yeah, and two double peanut butter cookies! It was spot on. A perfect Sunday picnic lunch to enjoy on the Sqhare with live latin music! Thanks Angie! read more

Came in to look for cheese and I wanted to talk to workers but I swear they were avoiding me. I seriously don't know what happened. I tried to get their attention but they just seemed to walk away when I looked at them. Super strange. Sadly I didn't purchase anything because I didn't know what would match what I was looking for. Employees need to be a bit more attentive. read more

What an amazing selection of cheeses and th Smoke Turkey and BLT were some of the best sandwiches I've had in my life. Not sure why the low rating. Also had a wonderful cheese danish, brownie, and oatmeal raisin cookie. These sandwiches really impressed. I'd want to try them all if I could. read more

Such a good selection of cheeses! The staff were super friendly and helpful with recommendations. read more

Sonoma Cheese Factory - Cheese Shops Near Me - Sonoma, California

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This is one of our favorite places in the plaza square. The selection of wines and cheeses was unreal, and the back seating area was great for our large party of 8. We had the wine and charcuterie pairings, brisket Mac n cheese, a sandwich (forgot the meat cut), and more. Great experience with our friends and family. read more

Their brisket was amazing and the staff behind the counter were knowledgeable and really helpful (especially Isaac). read more

Sonoma Cheese Factory - Brisket sandwich and Mac n cheese - Cheese Shops Near Me - Sonoma, California

This restaurant does not give prices of the food items on the menu. ,It clearly shows how bad they're doing . Several customers are complaining about the food being cold and overpriced. Its Illegal not to put prices on the menu/It's the law. The dining room very dirty. The cheese was so old, and the display was not working properly. I rate this place a minus -1. It used to be a great place. There emplyees don't speak English. There also not groomed. They should close down. And the benches are so dangerous to sit on. . It shows how down hill there going. The health dept needs to go there and check how dirty the place is, and other people, and I said they will never go back. read more

One of my favorite things is to keep track of what places have the Gold Standard of a given dish. I have never been at a place that has TWO Gold Standards: The Brisket and the Cubano sandwiches. First of all, ignore the current rating. It has had a pretty checkered past, but the new owner has figured it out. It now has the best cheese selection in the Sonoma area. But if you are feeling in a meaty mood, you are not going to get a better sandwich anywhere. The Brisket is very big and splitable. The tenderness is divine and with the perfect bark. I don't know where there is brisket that even comes close. ( I know, I've just stepped on your toes.) The Gold Standard of the Cubano used to be at R&D Kitchen in Yountville, nevertheless, a great restaurant. It has been eclipsed by the Sonoma Cheese Factory. They have one that is so jammed packed with meat and so juicy, you need to wear something that you were going to wash anyway as soon as you got home. It too is very very splitable. So if you are in company that is so polite that you can't get your shirt dirty, yes the R&D Kitchen version is your Gold Standard. GLUTEN FREE alert. They have the best GF buns I have ever had. If they toasted them first, they would be totally off-the-charts. Start with a cocktail at the Town Square bar and then head over to the Sonoma Cheese factory for flavor fun. But be careful not to eat too much. And check out the patio that has an interesting view of the back wall of the adobe Barracks. read more

Not sure if this place has evolved into something else, but I just didn't see/get what other reviewers got. I also thought that this was going to be more of a 'factory' visit, where you'll get a glimpse of actual production and/or be able to sample some of that down home ground zero goodness. But nope saw none of that. What I did see was a bougie market serving mostly cheeses from all over (think Whole Foods level), some cured meats and lots of shelves for bougie imported foods like tinned sandines from Spain, tomato sauce from Italy, grain mustard from Germany...you catch the drift. And when you see specialty foods like these, ya just know you're gonna have to drop some coin for these things. I also didn't see a place to order gourmet sandwiches, cuz like I said it was more retail store lookin' than sandwich counter. Unless you order through the cash register person up front, but that didn't seem that obvious to me. The few workers just seemed more geared for food retail versus food service. I did come home with some dry salami, a small wedge of some German bleu cheese which I had never heard of before and thought might as well be a learning lesson. The salami was nothing better than you could snag at Trader Joe's or even Grocery Outlet but this was also double the price as well. But I was at Downtown Sonoma, so just gotta accept/know that. The cheese was a big learning experience as I usually love most bleu cheeses out there from Stilton to Gorgonzola to Cambozola. But I think this one had some kind of greyish/blueish ash imbedded into it, and it just had this sharp almost numbing sensation once put into the mouth. The flavor was just fine, I just didn't care for the extra sensation. So lesson indeed learned. So, seems to be a decent outlet if you want to grab supplies for a picnic to bring to a winery or park in the area. But if you're the type who likes to pack things before travel, there's really not much here that you can't get in your hometown, for probably a bit less expensive to boot. You-do-you. read more

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Stale pastries and bread. We ordered the Boston cream croissant, focaccia, and a chocolate chip cookie. Each of them were very stale, at least 1-2 days old. So disappointing and a waste of money. read more

Nice cheese selection. We had breakfast and everything was delicious. Local breads, meats and cheeses. It's a little cheese grocery with little take out cafe. Kind of cute read more

I gave the cheese expert the textures and flavors I typically like and he curated this wonderful board. 11/10!!! read more

Sonoma Cheese Factory - I am not sure how this place doesn't have five stars at this time. The service was excellent. The seating was excellent. - Cheese Shops Near Me - Sonoma, California

Good food but the hours online do not match the actual hours. Drove about an hour to get there and they were closed. Very disappointing

Phenomenal! This place has been here for a zillion years. It's now re-vamped and the quality is thru the roof; including the service. They use Della Fattoria bread which should tell you immediately abt the care and quality. I couldn't believe I was able to find a legit mortadella sandwich. Now let's get to the wine. I happened to get lucky and meet Jason the wine maker from Stereophonic - gorgeous vino. This is now my go to on the square for a casual, high quality amazing bite. read more

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I came here a couple times recently with my BFF to buy cheeses. Once just to buy for us to try at home and then my mom liked it so much she asked if I could pick more and do a plate for Thanksgiving, which I did. The cheese shop is located on the square and the staff we talked to were very knowledgeable about cheese, maybe save for the one young man who didn't seem familiar with the word "pungent" when I wanted to find a particularly stinky cheese without using the word "stinky" in a fine establishment such as this. The main downside is the price - a lot of the things here are too expensive. For the cheese... I mean, this is what you came here for, so I'd say go for it. But if you want the other things for your charcuterie board, it's probably best to get the nuts, dried fruits, jams or honey from another shop. I did buy some crisp breads here because they had a large selection including some gluten free. Second downside, there were flies in the shop, buzzing around the cheeses. I get that it's hard to control, but it's also a turn-off for me. I do appreciate that they had different cheese samples available on different days. And the baked lemon ricotta that tasted like eating a cheesecake was amazing. read more

Sonoma Cheese Factory - Five cheese tray, four from Sonoma Cheese Factory. - Cheese Shops Near Me - Sonoma, California

Such a cute shop with a great selection of cheeses, meats and drinks. I had maybe the best pulled pork sandwich ever from the deli counter. Highly recommend read more

The wine and cheese pairing offered was really nice. Purchased a few of the choices. The cheese was really good with a nice selection.

Excellent sandwiches, great service, perfectly prepared BBQ. They have an amazing selection of cheeses and breads to take along to your favorite winery. We enjoyed the slider trio, brisket sandwich, the potato salad and the hibiscus tea. Really, everything iwas perfect. My daughter enjoyed the iced matcha with oat milk. read more

Friendly and helpful staff-incredible selections of cheese, wine, condiments, salads, beverages. Bakery selection wonderful and the food is amazing! For breakfast split the avocado toast and smoked salmon bagel- both out of this world. The portions are quite large so split if you're not completely starving or take home! The burrito is the size of a puppy! Eat there (plenty of space made or outside) or take out for a picnic. The barbecue smells Devine and will try that next time for lunch. read more

Great cheese selection in Sonoma! We came here after a bomb breakfast at Sunflower Caffe nearby. Definitely take your time in this store, ask any questions you may have and staff is more than happy and very knowledgeable about their cheeses. Try any sample they are offering because it may become your new favorite cheese! We picked up some Truffle Manchego, Mimolette, and a bag of Jamon Iberico Potato Chips from Spain. Definitely check it out if you're in Sonoma Wine Country! ALOHA!!! SHAKA METER: \uuu/ \uuu/ \uuu/ \uuu/ 4 read more

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Amazing charcuterie board, amazing service, everyone here seems to like being here! Easy joint to be at and to get nice full glasses of their wines for the tastings was a nice surprise. Most tastings don't actually let you enjoy the wine they give you a little nibble but this one was superior. Will definitely be coming back for more tastings and more charcuterie boards!!! read more

Sonoma Cheese Factory - Cheese Shops Near Me - Sonoma, California

It is so amazing all the fun cheeses. The spread is amazing! We bought a delicious deli sandwich and had a picnic on the grass in the square. It was only missing the friendly staff to greet you with a smile. read more

Sonoma Cheese Factory - a variety of cheeses on display - Cheese Shops Near Me - Sonoma, California

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