Whether you like it triple-cream, grated, on pizza, in a mac'n cheese or served after a meal alongside almonds and pickles, the cheese you need is undoubtedly at Robert Burns' La Fromagerie. This Little Italy shop is a haven for cheese lovers of all walks of life. The shop specializes in French and Québecois cheeses, counting amongst its best sellers staples like Brie de Meaux, 1608, Pouligny Saint-Pierre and some very popular French chèvres.
"What I aim to accomplish here is to supply quality cheeses to my customers and have them enjoy the unique taste palettes they offer,” explains Robert. “I want Torontonians to understand what cheese is all about, understand what you can do with it and experiment. Supermarket cheeses are fine, but nowhere near what the real deal is."
Should you visit Robert's shop, you can be sure to get a taste of what La Fromagerie has to offer. "Customers don't walk out of here without having tasted the products. Tasting is paramount; they have to know exactly what they're bringing home, and I love to help them find a cheese or a taste that goes well with whatever finds its way on to their table," says Robert.
Perched at the College and Ossington junction is a little piece of Paris. Few things are more satisfying than the French staple of a perfectly crunchy on the outside, melt-in-your mouth on the inside baguette, with a hunk of rich, aged cheese, and this is the spot to find it. La Fromagerie carries a huge selection of cheeses from Quebec, Ontario, England and Italy – think quality AND quantity. If meat’s on the menu, premium sausages and assorted terrines are aplenty. Also on the roster: juicy Kalamata olives, spicy French olives and flaky buttery croissants.
Chances are excellent that the Little Italy grocery store nearest to you does not have as wide a selection of cheeses as La Fromagerie. Of course, they also provide fine meats, bread and a huge variety of olives – you might think that you've somehow landed in Greece. Since 2005, the owner has offered many varieties of cheese to satisfy your dairy cravings and has helped to increase Little Italy’s foot traffic with his shop's offerings.