Great local spot. Best egg & cheese sandwich award goes to these guys & believe me, I've done my research. You come here for the food but stay for the service. The staff are always friendly and helpful. Cute thrift shop in the back. Basically this place does everything right and provides a comfortable setting to enjoy beautiful Main Street Rosendale. read more

Despite this being a sort of restaurant and cheese shop, I did not eat or buy cheese at The Big Cheese. I chose to shop and caffeinate (spell check is telling me "caffeinate" is not a word, I disagree.) The coffee was exactly what I needed (I was staying with tea drinkers...) and they had a pretty good selection of clothing, snacks, books, etc. I bought a cute sweater and shirt; both were reasonably priced and in great condition. The restaurant/shop, itself, is adorable. I, personally, liked all the happy, little quotes hanging on the wall (God, I am such a girl.) Everyone working here was friendly, as well. read more

This place is somewhat neat. It's a thrift store, a restaurant that has lunch, and place to pick up food on the go. However, I do not think that they execute any of these services correctly. My biggest issue is that if you order anything that needs to be made to order, you will be waiting quite a while. Which is infuriating especially if you are getting food to go. I once ordered two Of the same sandwiches and It took around 40 minutes to make. Mainly because they made each sandwich separately. He made the first one, wrapped it up and started making the second one while the first one sat there and got cold. The reason this boggles my mind is because both sandwiches had the same ingredients. He could've made both of them at the same time and it would've taken half the time. The staff are also not the nicest. However, the annoying part is that the sandwiches were actually good - it's just you get so mad waiting for them that it kind of ruins it. Their deli food is good too and I recommend that, mainly because it's really quick - they just have to put it in a container. They also sell stuff like chips and water and they have a public restroom so it's a good place to stop if you are on the road and need to stretch your legs. If you are in a rush don't get any food they need to make. And finally I'll talk about the thrift store. This place has a really nice and trendy thrift store in the back with a lot of good vintage stuff. But don't get your hopes up everything is very expensive. I find stuff I want to buy there all the time but I don't feel like paying $50 for a button down shirt. Or if you find something that you think is going to be cheap it ends up being almost 3/4 of the original price of what you would pay if it was new. I don't understand marking a pair of used and beat up converse shoes at $25. I feel like I might as will buy them new at that point. So if you want anything at the thrift store just make sure you really want it and you have the money. This place has so much potential. The food is good. It's just slow and overpriced. read more

I absolutely love this place. They have great selection of cheeses, drinks, snacks, food, etc. From something small, to a meal, I've never been disappointed. read more

Im from the area, but have never tried getting lunch here - but now that I have, I can only say that the falafel wrap is the best I have tasted, and Im originally from NYC, so I have some experience:-) The cheeses on the counter for sampling were delish, and the atmosphere on a sunday afternoon, exactly how I wanted it be, relaxed, take your time, dont hurry!!! A bit pricey, but I guessthats to be expected with a store focused on selling cheeses from around the globe...good job!! read more

A great find in Rosendale, much better cheese selection than the Cheese Plate in NP. The service was great , the lady allowed me to sample the cheeses I was interested in and I bought some Point Reyes Blue , some St Pete's Blue and a nice free chunk of a blue Brie. All the cheese I saw and sampled was in great condition and tasted perfect. read more

Friendly staff, excellent food, and a really nice place to hang out. We stopped in during a bicycle tour and left with happy bellies

The Big Cheese has an amazing selection of not only cheeses but other foods as well. The owner is a very nice and friendly person who does a great job with this place. Every time I come here they have something new for me to try that could be from the area or imported from far away lands. I would not have the opportunity to try these cheeses if it wasn't for this excellent establishment. read more

I can always count on the Big Cheese for a delicious gluten free vegetarian meal, whether dining in or taking home. There's an interesting menu with many staple offerings as well as items that vary with seasonal tastes. The cheese selection is outstanding and the owner, Yuval, is often available for well advised suggestions. It's a cute, comfortable and friendly place that visitors to the area should not miss and locals frequent regularly. read more

Their staff is friendly and their food is delicious! They have everything I adore: cheese, coffee and vintage. Their vintage is semi-pricey but very eclectic! Anyone seeking a quaint, authentic place to loiter while ingesting should check out The Big Cheese. read more

TL;DR very pleasant and good service with a nice selection of delicious baked goods. Given the unsettling experience at the alternative baker across the street, my experience at the Big Cheese stands in stark contrast: it operated the way you'd expect a friendly small town business should. My wife and I came in looking for coffees and a little dessert after lunch and had a tasty vegan chocolate loaf and decaf espressos. I would highly recommend choosing the big cheese for baked goods when visiting Rosendale. read more

Get the breakfast sandwich. The cheese and bread they use are both excellent. The groceries are overpriced and it's super weird that they sell used clothes in the back, but it's a good place to go if you're seeing a movie next door and need a bite. read more

A few years ago, we stumbled upon The Big Cheese and decided to grab a quick lunch after visiting the Farmers' Market in Rosendale. Just recently, we decided to give it another try and we were pleasantly surprised! Their menu is expanded and printed clearly for perusal. We have been 3 or 4 times in the last 3 months, and I have enjoyed every sandwich I've tried (the Turkish bread is amazing!) Yes, the place is a bit eclectic, but Rosendale is a bit eclectic! The Big Cheese has earned a spot as part of our breakfast/lunch rotation. Definitely worth a try! read more

The owner of this store was at the Rosendale Pickle Festival selling bad cheese. He sells a bag-full of cheeses for $20. By the time I got them to the car, I could see they were not fresh and when I opened them at home some were rancid and had mold on (on not supposed to be moldy cheese). One of them had a best-before date that looked like it'd been scrubbed off...2017 !! They all had to be thrown away. My friend also bought cheese from him and had the same experience. A woman who works at the festival warned me that this seller has a reputation for selling cheese that is past its best-before date. A racket! read more

Man, I used to LOVE this place. I dont know whats happened but the sandwiches have become TINY, a fraction of what they used to be. Just really unfortunate, this was like the last good place in the area that wasnt gouging people with city prices and tiny portions. Chincy portions, disappointing, not at all worth it. Such a bummer. read more

Good food. Funky stuff. Be careful that the cheese isn't expired!

I've been wanting to try this place for a long time and I'm glad I did! The food was so fresh and tasted amazing !!! The staff were wonderful and so welcoming! Honestly everything was wonderful! read more

I love Rosendale. It's an eclectic little town that moves at a European pace, with people who smile at you when you pass them on the sidewalk. The Big Cheese is the kind of place you'd expect here, with an unexpected mix of things inside. It's part restaurant, part food mart, part thrift store, and part specialty cheese shop. The people that work there are friendly and personable, which I think is the exact issue the previous reviewer had with this place. I have had nothing but wonderful experiences here with the workers, and, additionally, the FOOD!!!! Everything I have ever had here had been delicious, from the homemade turkey burgers to the chicken sausage to the salads they make, everything is fantastic. I would be lying if I said they weren't half the reason I'm looking forward to moving to this town! read more

So glad we made a pit stop at The Big Cheese, the combination of cafe, cheese shop, and thrift store is right up my alley! I browsed through clothes and gourmet snacks and cheese while the two very friendly ladies working behind the counter made our lunch. The falafel and the beet salad were both top notch and so was whatever sandwich my boyfriend got (he ate it so fast I can't remember what it was). We left satisfied with a bag of goodies to hold us over for the rest of our ride home. Check out The Big Cheese! read more

Every bit of this cute little place is worth the stop! We were greeted with friendly and attentive staff. We ordered the large sampler platter to share ( 6 selections from a wide variety in the deli case), and a turkey sandwich. The food was fresh and delicious, and portions were large. There was a small consignment store in the back of the cafe, and a wide variety of cheeses were available for purchase. We had a delightful lunch experience at this great little place! read more

Don't buy the sale cheese. I brought it home to find it's inedible. If their inventory expires or goes bad they should throw it out, not sell it to unsuspecting customers. read more

the big cheese was heaven the second we walked through the door. the aroma of fresh baked bread and cheese filled my nose as I was greeted by one of the most pleasant ladies I've encountered in a while. she quickly assisted us making sure we knew all the delicious possibilities for us to enjoy. the iced coffee was perfect and my breakfast sandwich quickly gave me the energy I needed for the hike that was to follow. the store has vintage clothing and local produce as well. I only wish I lived closer to the big cheese, because I would be there every day. read more

If you like cheese you should drive from far away if necessary because this place has the best selection I have ever seen. All excellent quality for very reasonable prices. Very strange staff that has a very difficult time to break any bill greater than a single. Just bring exact change for these weirdos and save yourself a headache. read more

I love The Big Cheese! A wonderful selection of cheeses from around the world. The staff is always courteous as is the owner. All are well versed pertaining to all products and generous with their time and samples. A pleasure! A treat! read more

A rather eclectic cafe. The cheese selection is wide. We ordered the cheese plate and a vege burger sandwich. The burger was delicious, on toasted turkish bread. The cheese plate was very generous, and was served with lots of olives, walnuts and dried cranberries. Relaxed atmosphere. read more

Tried the place a few times and purchased some cheese to take home. When I got home the last time i was there i noticed the cheese i purchased was expired. I talked to a friend about it and he told me that the owner of The Big Cheese buys expired cheeses and cuts the mold prior to selling it. Needless to say I will never visit this place again. read more