We stumbled across this really interesting store while walking around Point Reyes Station. It's…read morelocated inside the Cow Girl Barn. They do have a deli inside if you want a sandwich. I loved the selection of pickles, kimchi and unique deli meats. I got a box of sourdough za'atar crackers, which are amazing. I also bought this lamb salami with rosemary and orange rind. It's so different that I had to buy it and try it at home. The inside is quite big with deli cases and organized shelves. They also had cheeses, chocolates and wine. Customer service was very good. I had a nice conversation with the gentleman helping me, regarding the salami I bought. It is made locally, which I really love.

I highly recommend their fermented strawberry soda but I would try any of their seasonal flavors.read more

I've heard people ask a lot of different questions about the ranches leaving Point Reyes, such as,…read more"Why are the ranchers leaving? What will happen to the buildings? What will happen to the cows? What will happen to the families who lived there?" My first question was, "How will this affect my birthday cheese?" Point Reyes Original Blue Cheese has been my favorite cheese for many years, ever since the first time I tried it, which was presumably at Gott's Roadside Deli around 2014. For a few years in a row, I drove all the way to Napa to have my "birthday burger" at Gott's. After that, I just started buying the cheese every year before my birthday, and calling it my "birthday cheese." Fast forward to 2026: all of the historic ranches moved out of the Point Reyes National Seashore, except for two. One of those two was Farmstead Cheese Co., which produces the aforementioned cheese. The farm is located just around the corner from Point Reyes Station, three miles up Highway 1 on Tomales Bay. The Marketplace and tasting room are located deep within the farm, at the end of a one-lane road, which is maybe about one-mile long. Like many of the other sketchy old farm roads in Point Reyes, you have to drive very slowly, and may need to back up if a big truck comes along. The road takes you through active farm work, past some very robust, healthy looking corralled cows, to a parking lot with enough room for a couple dozen cars. The Marketplace itself was only about one room, with two fridges full of cheese, a center table full of merchandise, and several more tables full of merchandise around the room. The inventory included jams, crackers, shirts, sweaters, cheeses (obviously), and various other gifts and picnic necessities. Aside from Bay Blue and Original Blue, I was excited to see a third flavor of blue cheese I'd not yet seen before: fennel blue. This turned out to be my favorite of all three, and I left with a small wedge of it, and a magnet. On my way in, I noticed a poster which I had seen in a history book full of national park posters in Golden Gate Park. While the artist in question (whose name I can't remember) never made a Point Reyes National Seashore poster, he made one for the Farmstead Cheese Co. I inquired if the posters were for sale, and found out that they normally are, but they are out of stock. When I said that I would come back to check for them in a few weeks, I was given a local's discount on my purchase. Sweet. In addition to the Marketplace, they also hold tasting events, which are listed on their website. Most of them are alcoholic events, which are of no interest to me, but I wish they would bring back cheese bingo before I leave for the summer. Would anyone come to a Cheese Bingo Unofficial Yelp Event?

We attended an incredible Yelp Event here last Fall and fell in love with the cheese, food,…read morescenery, and hospitality so wanted to return with a cheese-loving friend for a reserved cheese tasting. It was a $20 corkage fee for the table, which was waived when purchasing a $24 set of insulated tumblers, so it was easy to enjoy the prosecco and red wine we brought from home with our cheese boards & bring some souvenirs home. We also ordered mac and cheese, salad, and soup. One of the staff Sarah shared the history of the family owned Farmstead, as well as their current farming practices. We found it most interesting that they use Agricultural Methane energy, in which manure is pumped into tanks, bacteria breaks down the waste, and the captured methane is piped to a generator to produce the farm's electricity. They are also using solar power, so a very eco-friendly place! All the cheese & food was delicious and our friendly server (Sarah's daughter who was a delight) provided complimentary soft serve to end a perfect afternoon. We even had leftovers to take home! My friend was blissfully happy. Thank you, Point Reyes Farmstead team for a beautiful experience!

Palace Market is the spot I ended up getting lunch from after the local restaurant fell through…read more They had so many wonderful pantry items and I went hog on some of their olives and other veggies that were in sealed small bags for snacks for the honey. I think you can never have too many pantry snacks for emergencies. Lunch-wise I was able to pick up a reasonably priced cobb salad, some cumin-free hummus, as well as a few berries for dessert. The service was friendly and prompt, and they had utensils you can grab for your meal. All in all Palace Market saved the day and I would absolutely come back!

Review is purely for the soft serve: PSA they no longer serve buffalo milk soft serve :(…read more They have valley ford creamery's soft serve which was good but not the same as the rich flavor from buffalo milk!

This is an absolute local gem. On weekends it can be a complete tourist nightmare. The staff are…read moregenerally pleasant, kind, and helpful. Their patience is tested weekly by folks expecting instant gratification. If you go, please bring a spirit of kindness and cooperation because these guys serve up the best quality local fare for a decent price. From salads, soups, killer burritos, burgers, falafel, sandwiches, fish n chips, sushi, Thai food, etc. every dish is delicious. For sit down check out the super casual Tap Room next door. No matter what, PLEASE be kind and tip generously. We love these guys and want them around for years to come.

Our kayak guide recommended stopping in here for lunch and we're so glad that we listened to him!…read moreFirst the market is awesome with a really good mix of natural, specialty, and conventional food and beverage products. The deli was really good - an extensive menu including sandwiches, burgers, burritos, etc. Highly recommend the cheesesteak and deviled eggs. Only hiccup was a burger that we special ordered... Kitchen got it wrong twice and then seemed mad at us when we asked nicely to remake it.

Sip, savor, and enjoy the incredible flavors of the cheese Trail…read more The California Cheese Trail features 46 artisan cheesemakers in 24 counties who welcome visitors to their farms, cheesemaking facilities and retail shops, offer farm tours, cheesemaking classes and events. Before you embark on a cheese adventure, download the latest Cheese Trail Map, and pick 3-4 stops. These are my favorite three cheese makers. But honestly - I love all the cheese! Every cheese shop offered wonderful service. - - Marin French Cheese Co. offers classic, delectable cheeses, local wines and ample lunch options which you can enjoy in their beautiful picnic area. Nicasio Valley Cheese offers a delightful variety of handcrafted cheeses and local wines. Wm Cofield Cheesemakers offers a beautiful selection of handcrafted artisanal cheeses, local wines, and perfect charcuterie lunch boards.

The Cheese Trail has been a fantastic gift to send during the holidays. The Grilled Cheese, Please!…read moreAnd Cows & More Cows have been the favorite hits. It comes with a kooky cow tea towel that makes the experience complete! The cheeses are fresh from the farm and feel like a unique gift of love rather than a box of something I can pick up from Costco. Plus, it felt good to support small businesses who were hit hard with Covid. You can put your mind at cheese. Thanks for the smooth ordering and delivery Cheese Trail. Nothing gets feta than this!

This is to imperfect no place for a delicious farm to table meal in Point Reyes Station. the…read moreservice was friendly and quick, and the food was fresh and flavorful. I will be back .

Side Street Kitchen had such high reviews we were really excited to sit down and enjoy a meal…read more We walked up and stood in line, when another customer came up and asked if the people ahead of us had ordered. We said no, we're just waiting in line. They walked around us and went inside. The hostesses came out and speaks only to the people directly in front of us. I heard, "you're in the wrong area, you can order inside." Neither my husband or I are acknowledged, given an eta, or menus. So we wait for the people ahead of us to move and they do nothing but look at their menus. We wait a bit more, nothing. So we walk up to the menu on the wall to decide what we want. The people are still standing there, so we assume they don't know what they want yet and go inside to order. The hostess walks up to us and anxiously tells us there's a line. I let her know we were in it and the people in front of us weren't moving. She tells us to wait outside, and again no eta or menus are given to us. So we go back to our spot in line and look at all the empty tables and decide that the system feels disorganized and there appears to be only one waitress for 10+ tables. After waiting a bit more, we leave. At the end of the day, Side Street could have had proper signage for the line. The hostess could have addressed everyone and handed out menus. The restaurant could have even gone fancy and had an ordering tablet. But as it currently stands, Side Street Kitchen's service isn't great and its structure needs some work, so we don't see ourselves returning.

The "Pioneer" digestive enzymes Eden sells and recommended for my post-food poisoning (binge) and…read moreindigestion TOTALLY healed it in 1 day! (she has also sold me some salve she herself makes and given me great free consultations!) (re: review below, I got great results from ear candles!--)

This is a fun little herbal shop in Point Reyes Station. The selection of herbals and botanicals…read moreis incredible with a ridiculous number of herbal teas and extracts and every kind of organic, homeopathic cure for what ails you. Being totally clueless to what helps what, the owner Eden is incredibly knowledgeable, helpful, and very patient in answering any questions you may have. They've also got some nifty little stuffed animals and books about herbs too, so you can learn yourself all about herbs. Now, I'm not a huge herbalist, but my date is and was digging the whole experience. Right after we left the store, Eden chased after us because we forgot to buy the tea bags for the herbal tea, she made an extra $3, I was out another $3, and my date was happy. One could call that some superior customer service right there.

Great walk on the dairy farm with Sammy learning about their sustainability. Newborn calves…read moreeverywhere, but the 'extra' was talking to Danny, the horticulturist who entertained our inquisition as he tried to work....beautiful groundswork!

Most of us know that happy California cows make better cheese, but until I visited the Robert…read moreGiacomini Dairy in nearby Point Reyes, I had no idea those same happy cows made the pungent smelling moldy looking cheese known as blue cheese. Mostly because of its odor and yes, I'm admit those funky blue and green veins bothered me as well, blue cheese had always been the one cheese I had stayed away from. That is until this opportunity to tour the dairy and cheese plant came about. So armed with packets of Lactaid this lactose intolerant individual decided this would be my chance to finally toss aside my fear of blue cheese and confront it face to face once and for all. On our itinerary was a tour of the cheese plant, the farm, a visit with the happy cows, a cheese tasting followed by lunch featuring what else, grilled cheese sandwiches. The Robert Giacomini Dairy sits high on a hilltop overlooking the beautiful Tomales Bay. I was a bit nervous sitting in our big luxurious tour bus as it maneuvered its way up a steep, narrow and winding road to the visitors center at this huge 714 acre farm, but at the same time I was excited seeing literally hundreds of cows grazing on the hills beside the road. The new visitors center completed in 2010 is called The Fork. Once inside the building we were greeted by members of the Giacomini family. We were led out to The Fork's beautiful patio to assemble and admire our beautiful surroundings. We donned protective plastic covers to slip over our shoes as to not track anything harmful into the cheese plant. Robert Giacomini and one of his four daughters, Jill, introduced themselves and gave us an overview of the dairy farm and cheese plant. After a brief welcome we were led into the Tasting Room where we viewed a short video showing the main steps in the production and aging of the farm's signature blue cheese which is sold under the brand name, Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. The Robert Giacomini Dairy has been in operation here since 1959, but in 2000, the family decided to add a signature product to their dairy line. Their first blue cheese was born in August of that year, and to date they are the only blue cheese maker in California. It takes about a gallon of milk to make a pound of cheese. Combining fresh raw milk with cultures, enzymes, kosher salt and mold the resulting curds are formed into wheels weighing about 6-1/2 pounds each. Each wheel is conditioned by hand and aged in a temperature controlled room for up to 6 months. Once inside the actual cheese plant we viewed production workers behind huge glass windows going through the final process of packaging and labeling the blue cheese in entire wheels and wedges. All the work is done by hand. We exited the cheese plant to learn more about the farm. Most of the 300 cows on this farm are Holsteins. The female cows are often impregnated in order to produce more milk. The cows at the Giacomini Dairy average 9 gallons of milk per day with some producing as much as 16 gallons. They are milked twice a day at 2 AM and 2 PM with each session lasting about 4 to 6 minutes. A healthy cow on this farm can produce milk for up to 5 years. Milking is discontinued on pregnant cows about 60 days prior to the day it will give birth. At that time those cows are given a special diet and are paid regular visits by veterinarians. Milk not used in the production of cheese is sold directly to commercial dairy, Clover Stornetta Farms. We walked out to meet the cows then learned about their diets which consists of 100 percent organic feed. The farm, by the way, is certified organic and kosher. They recycle their water, produce their own methane gas and even produce their own electricity using cow manure to keep operations costs lower. After meeting with all the momma cows we were led out to the nursery to meet with the shy baby calves some as young as one day old. Meanwhile back at The Fork, our cheese tasting was set to begin. We sat down to ice water, tart lemonade and a plate of five cheeses created by the family farm. On our plates were the Original Blue, a Mozzarella created on the previous day, the Toma, a mild white cheese, The Mountain available only to farm visitors, and the New Blue which is less pungent than the Original Blue. While I'll admit the odor wasn't very appealing I found myself liking the two blue cheeses very much. My favorite, however, was the Toma. For somebody who takes part in lots of farm tours this tour was easily one of my favorites. Thank you to the Giacomini Family and their farm staff for their hospitality. I'm no longer afraid of blue cheese thanks to you. I've posted a pictorial history of my visit in the photos section. To learn more about events at The Fork, please visit www.theforkatpointreyes.com.

My partner and I made a cute date of of picking up two dozen oysters from Tomales Bay Oyster…read moreCompany and shucking them ourselves. We could buy the cooler, sauce, shucker, lemons, and gloves all there! They have a display stand that shows you the different types of oysters and their sizes, as well as a paper that clearly explains the price. The service was very friendly and willing to answer our questions. I thought the oysters were delicious! You can't picnic at the venue but I would recommend driving to Alan Sieroty Beach which is just a few minutes away with a 1-2 minute walk to the beach.

We picked up 100 oysters and did not stay inside, but the oyster were excellent quality! We will be…read moreback for sure.

Gallery Route One is a small art gallery with a nook of a gift shop that could definitely stand to…read moregrow a bit. We stopped in but I didn't love that they had some candles or scent being piped in, so we browsed quickly, checking out the items and admiring the bitty handheld chimes that they honey was quite taken with and then headed out. At the end of the day it's a small space but if you have the time, definitely worth a look into.

Small friendly wall art gallery featuring local artists at a reasonable price point. Some jewelry…read moreand other gifts. Very nice staff and good energy.