Everything went well. Their prepared sandwich selections are to die for. Through out the store we always come across items that hit a home run. Go & explore this beautiful upscale store!!!! read more

Most people visit The Cheese Iron for their sandwiches (understandably so; we've had them, and they are delicious!), but for me, the beauty of this place is in its cheese and deli meats. We make a lot of fresh pasta at home, and they always have the freshest ingredients to take our recipe to the next level. For example, many Italian recipes call for guanciale (Italian cured pork), and we could never find it locally until we visited The Cheese Iron. We had to settle for pancetta until we found this gem of a spot. Their focaccia and baguettes are delicious, and their cheeses are always fresh. They also are the only place we've seen locally that carries Lioni Latticini burrata, which is, without a doubt, the best burrata we've ever tried. We stopped buying commercial burrata altogether after trying that brand. Plus, their customer service is unmatched -- everyone is always welcoming, friendly, and helpful. Those little (and big!) elements continue to bring us back to The Cheese Iron. I'm so, so happy The Cheese Iron exists in Scarborough. read more

The Cheese Iron - the front of the restaurant - Cheese Shops Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

Wonderful selection of cheeses from around the world with wonderful staff who are friendly and knowledgeable! So happy to have found this place. We didn't sample the sandwiches but they looked incredible. Huge variety of high quality meats as well. Solid wine offerings and all sort of specialty foods. We were also happy to see baguettes from Standard Bakery. We'll be back!! read more

On a driving trip from MA to Houlton we stopped by the Cheese Iron to grab some sandwiches for the road. I purchased the Cubano and the ham and brie, both were excellent! This spot is more than just sandwiches and a cheese / charcuterie / gourmet food store. read more

The Cheese Iron is always a must stop location for us when we are in Scarborough. We love coming here for lunch and their specialty grocery selection is also unmatched. When I tell you I could spend hours here browsing, I am not messing around! On this particular visit I was looking for dark chocolate and the woman behind the counter very patiently walked me through all my options and helped me whittle down what I might like best. For lunch I got the gigante beans, lentil salad and kale salad from the prepared food sections and they were all delicious. Pro tip, they post their daily sandwich and prepared food selections on their instagram daily @cheesemanmaniaci. Lots of specialty pasta, olive oil, crackers, chocolates, cheeses etc. Cannot recommend it enough! The store is beautifully curated and I wish I could take it home with me so that I could stop by more often. read more

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I had a really great experience here last week. Stopped in to see if they had anything I could grab for a quick lunch- and they had a BUNCH of sandwich options ready. Even better was the owner (? I think) was there to tell me about each one and the love and care he put into each cheese selected for each sandwich. Each option is truly carefully put together like a piece of art. It's amazing. There's a cheese for everyone here- higher end, spicy, more affordable, platter-ready. Lots of sides and wines are ready to pick, and they're all laid out so beautifully. I could spend all day in here. It's truly beautiful and such a calming experience to even come in. Thank you, Cheese Iron! A true gem of a spot and somewhere I can't wait to visit again. A must-stop for us cheese lovers. read more

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Wow. What an amazing store and the staff. I can't say enough good things about the staff. I flew into the store for a quick initial trip and was warmly greeted by all and given some great recommendations and perfect service. I would highly recommend The Cheese Iron for your palate pleasing shopping. read more

Great customer service with top quality offerings. The staff is super knowledgable and courteous. Easy in and out parking too.

This is the most incredible shop I've ever been in. It's a Mecca for all things Cheese and everything you need to accompany it with. The most delicious cheeses, a huge wine selection and all the best crackers and accoutrements you could wish for. The people behind the counter are extremely helpful and we picked out 3 delicious cheeses because we couldn't choose just one. Their premade sandwiches are amazing. I would like to go back to try them all. This place is definitely a spot that is worth the drive. read more

Wish I could give it more stars. I walked in here and thought that I could stay here forever. I am already planning a trip back for lunch. The sandwiches looked so good and reasonably priced. The staff was so friendly and seemed to love what they do. I have been driving by here for years and finally stopped. I was so happy I did but wish I had done it sooner. They have so many great things, Fairly high end items but it all looked fresh and high quality. Many varieties of , crackers, jams, chocolate, everything you need for entertaining. The bakery items looked delicious. Lots of different kInds of wine. This would be a great place to get people a gift certificate to (hint hint) or to get someone something special. I will be back when I have more time and money. read more

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I love this place for gourmet, quality food stuffs. A feast for the eyes and senses! Friendly and knowledgeable staff too. Obviously do expect the price tag to match. Resently had a yummy BLT panini but it was skimpy for the $$. Because of my budget, TCI has to be an occasional treat for a gourmet nosh. read more

Quality product! If you are looking for a savory sandwich, a great cheese and wine selection, then this is the place to stop. Located on route 1, and there are a couple indoor seating options as well. Always set at 67 degrees, so bring your sweater in if you get chilled easily. No flashy sign on the street, so keep your eye out for it. Classy spot and local fav! read more

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One word review: Stollen I only came here at the recommendation of a friend from whom I had the privilege of trying a sample of Stollen bread from. The initial description of it being a fruit bread with marzipan did not appeal to me -- I am not a fan of marzipan or almond flavored things in general. But first bite, and it must have been all the powdered sugar, made the shivers go through me, it was sooo delicious! I had to get the stollen for a small group gathering to share with the others and stopped in. The Cheese Iron is this barn looking structure and you go in and immediately it's just cheese everywhere. I couldn't care less about the cheese but they have all these other goodies imported from Europe that you can browse through and check out. They do have samples of cheese throughout, but most of them weren't very good to me -- typical hard sour cheeses, but I'm sure if you're a cheese fan you will enjoy that aspect much more. Definitely come here and get their Stollen though, it's not as expensive as many of the other places and is darn good! read more

Wide selection of cheese, spreads, wines, sweets, etc. Employees are super knowledgeable and helpful. You can also try the cheeses before you buy them which is very helpful. Prices match the quality so it's not crazy cheap but I definitely recommend coming here if you like cheese and have some extra spending money. read more

This is an update for for anyone visiting. I still love the place but wish I knew about the change before stopping. It was probably was posted elsewhere but I did not see it. Passing it on... We ended up ordering 6 sandwiches and ate them in the parking lot. They impressed my coworkers and am everyone was happy with their choices. read more

I'd heard a lot about the Cheese Iron and was excited that a gourmet cheese store of national acclaim had opened right outside of Portland. When it comes to cheeses, they have a great selection - definitely on par with some of the nicer cheese stores you'll find in Boston. The staff was very knowledgeable and willing to lend advice. When it came to cheese accessories (e.g. crackers) I was a little disappointed at the small range of crackers available. I really wanted Effie's crackers - the most amazing crackers on the planet - but had to settle for Potter's crackers, which aren't all that bad. But they really need to boost the cracker stock! The cheese we got was amazing - and the offer the cutest little "cheese orphans" at the register, small pieces of cheese you can take away to try out and see if you like 'em. The BIG surprise was the bakery section - I bought the most amazing looking butterscotch brownie and it was SO GOOD. They should sell the recipe it was that good - I'm still having dreams about it. Who knew? The shop keeper was very friendly. Almost too friendly! But he offered to take a picture of me and my friend in front of the store so I really can't complain that much now can I? Better to over serve than under serve! read more

The Cheese Iron - A wonderful store environment to browse - don't forget to visit the bakery section! - Cheese Shops Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

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The last time we went there we stayed for lunch. The soup and sandwich items were delicious. One of the clerks then helped me select a wine to take out. The space for dining is rather limited. The Cheese Iron does a great job preparing gift baskets. read more

This is my favorite little stop when in Maine. Their store offers not only an amazing selection of cheeses, crackers, candies, wines and more, but their sandwiches are just plain fantastic. The cubano is out of control delicious, highly recommended! Ilove the overall feel of this place...hanging out at a table with some coffee and a delicious sandwich, while great music plays? Sign me up!!! read more

The Cheese Iron - Cheese Shops Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

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Great shop with excellent and knowledgeable staff. Sampled a few cheeses and ended up leaving with several great options. Also got a meatball sub which was outstanding. Would definitely return if I'm in the area. read more

Nick S. scouted out this local gem and I'm so glad that he did; The Cheese Iron ended up being outstandingly awesome. Cheese and other specialty foods are located in every cranny of this store. They even have aging cheese in a back in a cooler--very neat! There were all kinds of cheese and accompaniments to scour through. I was a fan of some of the prepared foods sold by the pound and I got a white bean salad that looked appealing. We also picked up some "cheese ends" so we could sample a few different ones during out last few hours in New England. There is a cooler with locally made beverages and other goods and food stuffs that's worth checking out as well. The owner was friendly and polite and you could tell he was there at the shop working a lot. He greeted regulars by their names and chatted with them. A great place to visit if you are looking for specialty items or something unique or you love cheese! read more

File this in the "WHY HAS IT TAKEN ME SO LONG TO CHECK THIS PLACE OUT???" folder! Stopped in for lunch today with a friend and we both loved everything about The Cheese Iron. As we first walked through the doors, we were greeted warmly and informed of where the cheese samples were located in case we wanted to try them! Who does that? The shop is so packed with incredible cheeses, dried salamis, chocolates, prepared sandwiches, wines and so much more that it was impossible for me to figure out where to look first. But focus I did, and headed right over to the sandwich counter. I ordered the Cuban sandwich, my friend ordered something with mortadella, we included a side of potato salad and took a seat at one of the super comfortable tables inside (there are also lovely tables outside, but at the time we were there, they were pretty exposed to the sun). Anyway, food arrives and A++++++. The Cuban sandwich was well made and super delicious, my friend's grilled mortadella sandwich was incredible, it tasted as though there was a thin layer of fig jam or sweet onion jam, whatever it was, it was phenomenal. The potato salad was homey and delicious. After we finished our sandwiches, we both got coffee from the coffee bar and chose two biscotti and a salted chocolate chip cookie to share. Again, everything was really good. The atmosphere was so comfortable and welcoming that we ended up hanging for awhile. The staff at The Cheese Iron could not have been nicer or more accommodating. What a place! I WILL BE BACK!!! read more

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Love this place! In addition to cheese, the shop is filled with wonderful little indulgences. There are small batch chocolates, and yummy olives and imported pates and all sorts of unusual delights. They also have a very good selection of wine and a few good specialty beers on hand. Most importantly the staff and owners are welcoming and super knowledgable. Most of my visits start with a desire for one their european style panini's. The line up constantly changes, but there are always 3 or four choices and I have never been disappointed. Though, I have found that they all taste a little better when accompanied by a sea salt chocolate chip cookie. Of course when stopping for lunch, it just makes sense to pick up some extra goodies. read more

The sandwiches are just AMAZING. I'm French and I missed such good flavors for so long ! We took some sandwiches to go to Acadia National Park and we enjoyed our delicious lunch there read more

Came here for the first time yesterday after passing by a million times on Route 1. I was not disappointed. This little shop was so friendly, warm, and inviting. I was immediately excited to browse all the specialty items. My boyfriend and I each got a sandwich and split them so we could each try half. I got the ham and Brie (perfection, honestly) and he got the El Cubano which was delicious and spicy! We sampled some cheeses throughout the store and got three new (to us) bottles of wine to bring home. We decided to leave our trip with sandwiches and wine and save the cheeses and other items for another day. We can't wait to come back! I told my boyfriend that I would be getting all birthday gifts and Christmas shopping done at the Cheese Iron from now on- there is something for everyone! read more

The Cheese Iron - Ham and Brie and the El Cubano! - Cheese Shops Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

If you're a foodie, pop in here for a look, and you'll be impressed with the selection of meats and cheeses available for purchase. The very informed monger will be quite attentive and friendly as to any questions you can think regarding the selections. The rest of the shop is filled with great treats, both sweet and savory, from around the country, and some items from other parts of the world. There is also a big selection of wine from all parts. On checkout, we noticed some local chacuterie and just had to try it. One was pepperoni, one was a sausage with fennel, and another was smoked. They were all delightful as you can see from my photo that I tried them out before getting a unfettered picture. Prices are as expected in an establishment like this, a bit on the higher end. read more

The Cheese Iron - Cheese Shops Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

The Cheese Iron is worth a stop, maybe two or three stops. While staying in the area, I found this little gem. It had been a long time since I've had a sandwich this good! The store is amazing with many tasty treats and large variety of cheeses. I was also charmed by the friendliness of the staff. read more

We frequent this place quite often as the Cheese Iron is stuffed with a great selection on cheeses, meats, and wine. One of the lesser known items, although one of our favorites, are the multiple sandwiches offered daily such as the Cubano, Italiano, and Caprese. The staff are extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and willing to offer assistance when trying to decide what to order. read more

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A refreshing small food retailer, whose shop delivers cheese with passion! Saw the sign on the street side as the place is set back from the main road as we drove past and thought it looked interesting, so we did a U turn and pitched up to an empty cheese shop, well it was a Tuesday January afternoon. Non of your mass produced factory muck here, most cheese was from carefully selected sources, local producers or importers and the place reeked in the best possible way! They also have a small olive selection and other delicacies,as well as a few pastries. The female member of staff could not have been more helpful in suggesting sandwiches & panini, preparing to heat them and then deliver them with a smile. We took a cup of coffee, again excellent, a small local salami nibble and sat and chatted, ate and burped our way though various toasted treats. Offered her a tip and she rejected it with...'go and tell your friends as that is the best recommendation you can do'. So this we are more than happy to do!! Left feeling very satisfied and most impressed that the owners passion and knowledge for cheese came through in a refreshing original shop. read more

Our old neighbors, Vince and Jill, left Austin in 2006 to open The Cheese Iron, so we were thrilled to finally drop in and say hi. We brought our kids and had sandwiches and. Cheese plate with a local beer, Ishmael by Rising Tide. The sandwiches we solid, mortadella and Cubans on fresh French bread and the three cheese we sampled were excellent. I particularly lived the cheddar Vince selected and served with nuts, a selection of crackers and dried dates. There is a great selection of fromage, enough to keep you coming back and also fresh pastries made by Jill. Vince knows his stuff talked us through the subtleties of everything on our plates in a pleasant manner. For years he ran the cheese counter at Whole Foods HQ in Austin. This is th real deal. If we lived here, it would definitely be on our short list. Granted, this is a friendly review but having lived in France for three years I can say I'm a reasonable cheese critic and you won't be disappointed. read more

The Cheese Iron - Cheese Shops Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

If you like cheese and you like cheese shops this is your place. These sandwiches are unreal. They have everything your heart could ever desire- accoutrements, desserts, meats, cheeses, breads. read more

The Cheese Iron - Cheese Shops Near Me - Scarborough, Maine

Great cheeses and other products, incredible knowledge, and super nice folks. Their lunch options are always so tasty!

This place is adorably amazing. So much deliciousness! Definitely has it's fair share of regular customers and it's clear as to why. The staff are very friendly and helpful and the food is fresh and scrumptious. They offer a plethora of cheeses and their sandwiches are so good! The wine selection is pretty vast as well. A must visit! read more

The bell mortadella is awesome! Great service as usual. My husband enjoyed his Italian sandwich as well.

OMG, this store is amazing! The people that work there are so helpful and kind... the cheeses are to die for and they don't stop there. Cured meats, crackers, wines, teas, chocolates and more. Their offerings were endless. I will Definitely go out of my way to shop their again. read more

This place is awesome. In the years I've been coming here I always feel good leaving. The staff is sharp with good suggestions. You can pick up some cheese ends if you want to try a block at home, but the staff is always willing to shave off a piece in the store. The hidden gem for me is their sandwiches. Straight out of a euro bistro. They are closed on sundays, which is good for them and their staff; bad for my cravings when I want to grab a sandwich and head to the beach. Thanks Cheese Iron. You're still awesome. read more

This is a wonderful little gem of a cheese shop tucked away on Rte 1 in Scarborough. I was hosting a party on a Friday night and I figured this would be the perfect excuse for me to stop in, peruse the wares, and oversample whatever food items they had on display. The first thing one notices when walking into The Cheese Iron is - you guessed it - cheese. Wheels and wedges of cheese are in front of you at the counter, and samples are on the left and right. There is cheese everywhere, and I love it. It feels like some kind of old timey European shop. Once you can bring yourself to look beyond the cheese, you will see a meat/deli/sandwich counter, a special meat room (for aging?) in the back corner, and plenty of chocolates. This place is more than just for cheeses, and caters to the other things that cheese enthusiasts also like. The second thing you'll notice is how warmly greeted you are by the cheesemonger, and how helpful/patient she is at guiding you down the correct cheese path. She was very good at pointing me towards the cheeses I like, even though I feel like I essentially answered each of her qualifying/focusing/narrowing questions with 'I like cheese!' Kudos to her for getting correct whatever cheese equivalent of the Myers-Briggs there is for me. The third thing you'll notice is that, despite the hands-on customer service, and the millions of kinds of high quality cheeses to select from that come from all over the world, the prices really aren't too far removed from what you'd pay for cheeses found in the deli section of Trader Joes, Whole Foods, or Hannaford (even though I'm pretty sure that one of the three cheeses I selected at The Cheese Iron is made from the milk of critically endangered goats who live at a super high altitude in Spain that requires sherpas to be airlifted in by rescue helicopters once every other lunar eclipse to scrounge enough milk to make 1/8 of a wheel. At least that's what I remember about that cheese). My point is, why settle for the regular gouda or brie at TJ's when you can try something from The Cheese Iron that I can promise you your taste buds have never before experienced? read more

If anyone ever rates this place one star, I'll finally have my over due emotional breakdown.

This store is always on my mind. From their sandwiches (which I am working my way through trying each one) to their soups (same), to their baked goods and meat sticks. Everything is amazing. Oh, and did I forget the cheese? So many options, enough to keep you coming back for ages. Not to mention the unusual, upscale candy and drinks. This place will keep you coming back for life, just give it a try. I recommend the Bella Mortadella with a cup of whatever soup they have hot that day. My one complaint is that you can't crack your beer while you are there to go with your lunch, but even that won't affect the 5 star rating. It's that good. read more

Awesome little meat and cheese shop with some of the best sandwiches in the Portland area. You absolutely have to try the Mortadella!!

If you're like me and you've ever read the book "Cheap: the High Cost of Discount Culture" you cannot step into Whole Foods in good conscience. For unique meat and cheese in the Portland area, that leaves you Aurora Provisions and The Cheese Iron. I truly love this place. I love the friendly owner that greets everyone who walks in the door. I appreciate that I can always find great wine, beer, cheese, meats, pastries, and prepped salads/sides. The sandwiches are delicious, especially the Cuban. Yes, everything is pricey (upcoming soapbox moment...) but you can rest assured it's going to an honest family owned business that supports New England's finest dairy farms and many other local businesses (pastries, beer, candy, etc). I don't go here regularly but I always go for my most special dinner preparations. read more