Cheese Shops We Love: Antonelli's Cheese Shop

Location

4420 Duval St

Austin TX 78751

First Came Love

Photo courtesy of Antonelli’s Cheese Shop

The seeds of Antonelli’s Cheese Shop were planted on John and Kendall Antonelli’s honeymoon, in 2007, while the couple was sitting on the beach. “I just had the perfect wedding, and I have the perfect wife and the perfect dogs and the perfect home, I just can’t stand my job,” said John, who is a trained CPA and was working as an accountant. “I think I’m going to quit.” “Uh, what are you going to do?” Kendall asked. “I don’t know,” he responded, “something in cheese.”

While that announcement might have seemed sudden—and the business idea pretty vague—the fact that John was pulled to work in cheese was not surprising. Both Antonellis had a long history of finding joy in curdy pursuits: John started a grilled cheese club in high school and Kendall started a school “gourmet food society” at the same age. They first explored the idea of opening a gourmet grilled cheese shop (a rarity at the time), but as they were running a preliminary grilled cheese club out of their house, they realized that they really enjoyed offering their guests different cheeses, telling them about the cheese’s history, and coming up with impromptu pairings. Two years later (after John had studied with Murray’s Cheese in New York and with cheesemaker Hervé Mons in France), the couple opened Austin’s first cut-to-order cheese shop to do the same things they were already doing for friends, but for a wider variety of customers.

In the shop, none of the cheeses offered are pre-cut. The case is loaded with roughly 100 cheeses, which vary seasonally, and they are arranged into seven styles: fresh cheeses, bloomy rinds, washed rinds, semi-soft, firm, hard, and blue. About 70 percent are domestic cheeses, from a variety of producers all across the country—including a good selection of offerings from local Texas cheese makers—and 30 percent European and other cheeses. Customers are invited to taste anything they like (depending on the state of pandemic regulations), and the shop also offers a number of cheese classes that customers can sign up for.

After more than 11 years, the Antonellis still think of cheese as a way to spread joy. Kendall thrills to the many moments she has been privy to, from “giving somebody a bite of something new at the cheese case and seeing them do their happy dance—a little wiggle or a head nod, or a full-on moment (that maybe others should or shouldn’t witness)” to seeing their cheeses at a person’s house, with people congregating around the cheese board.

The Shop

The shop is a long, skinny space shaped like an L and with bright red walls and chalkboard-style signs that offer information about all things cheesy. When you step through the front door, there is a short hall to the left filled with accompaniments—jams, honeys, dried fruits, olive oils, and more—and in front of you is the longer side of the L, with the cheese case and a charcuterie case. On the back wall, you’ll find a selection of biodynamic, organic, and sustainable wines; craft beers; and local ciders. “We sell everything you want to put on a cheese board or take on a picnic,” says Kendall, who explains that because the shop is small, they needed a narrow remit to “avoid mission creep.” (They can sometimes be creative with this idea, as when they decided to carry some locally made goat cheese popsicles.)

Top Selling Cheeses

Nettle Meadow’s Kunik

This bloomy rind triple cream from New York is made from goats’ milk and cows’ cream and combines tanginess and sweetness all in one bite. “This is one of our cheesemongers’ favorite cheeses, one that they regularly recommend and give samples of,” says Kendall. She also notes that Kunik has a cult-like following, and that customers who love it keep coming back for it. She recommends having it with something bubbly—whether a wine or a sparkling water—to bring out the flavors.

June’s Joy

This fresh chevre is made locally by Pure Luck Farm and Dairy in Dripping Springs, one of the most distinguished cheese makers in Texas—and one of the state’s first organic herb farms. This cheese, named for the cheesemaker’s son, is seasoned with thyme, honey, and black pepper, and is especially popular for its combination of sweet and savory flavors. Kendall suggests having it on breakfast toast, with fresh fruit, or piled into a peach half in the summer.

Parmigiano Reggiano

“You can’t be an Antonelli and be ‘Antonelli’s Cheese Shop’ without a good Parmigiano Reggiano,” says Kendall. The shop sells Mitica Parmigano Reggiano, which comes from Pellegrino Formaggi, a family-run diary that makes small-batch cheese near the commune of Pellegrino Parmense. Kendall notes that the popularity of parmesan spiked during the pandemic, as more people cooked at home and used the cheese both as a table cheese and to make their own pasta dishes.

Also Look For

Antonelli’s offers a wide variety of public classes and private tastings at their Cheese House across the street from the shop. Eight members of their small team are certified cheese professionals, and on any given week they hold three to five public classes and another ten private events. Last year, with in-person classes shut down, they lead over 15,000 people in virtual tastings. “We feel that cheese is all about education, and the more that we can turn people on to new cheeses, and help support American cheese makers, the more we can build a better customer base and also help our American cheese industry,” explains Kendall. “The classes are an intentional part of that strategy.