Looking for a meaningful holiday gift idea? Look no further! We have put together a list of just a few of many incredible local gifting options from Ontario’s artisan cheese community. From pre-curated to custom boxes and baskets, each features delicious, locally crafted artsian cheeses that are just perfect for the holiday season!
Thornloe, ON
Thornloe is proud to craft “Northern Heritage Cheese” in an enormous range of styles from their wonderful Devil’s Rock blue cheese and Timiskaming Portuguese-style St. George to their Hot Pepper Colby and famous flavoured cheese curd lineup that includes dill, garlic, barbecue and more. They also produce a range of grass-fed products including a butter you have to taste to believe, but be sure to place shipping orders before December 13th to make sure they arrive in time!
Recommended gift options:
- Gourmet Holiday Cheese Boxes & Baskets
Price range: $35 - $99+
Simcoe, ON
Jensen Cheese is one of Ontario’s oldest cheesemakers and makers of fine aged, flavoured and smoked Cheddars as well as mozzarella, colby and their unreal delicious cheeseballs in original, smoked and hot pepper flavours. Jensen has two locations; one in Simcoe and another in Odessa, which operates under the name Wilton Cheese Factory.
Recommended gift options:
- Small, Medium, Large & Extra Large Holiday Cheese Boxes & Baskets
Price range: $31 - $110+
St. Marys, ON
Stonetown Artisan Cheese hand crafts a wide variety of award-winning Alpine-style cheeses on their farm using milk from their own herd of dairy cows. From their flagship Wildwood and Grand Trunk cheeses to a Fontina that is just perfect for raclette, anyone who receives a gift of their cheese will be transported to a very happy place.
Price range: $20 - $200
Lancaster, Ontario
This incredible cheesemaker is one of Ontario’s best. If you like to give high-quality gifts with a story behind them, you’ll appreciate that Glengarry’s Lankaaster Aged Loaf was famously named as the Supreme Global Champion at the Global Cheese Awards in Frome, England in 2013. Unlike other luxury brands, the price of their cheese is well within reach.
Recommended gift options:
- Cheese Bags
- Cheese Baskets, assorted sizes
Price range: price $35 - $125+
Woodstock, ON
Tucked away down a country road in a region that proudly refers to itself as the “Dairy Capital of Canada” is some of the finest cheese in Ontario. Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese crafts a unique mix of cheeses, many of which carry the mark of traditional Swiss cheesemaking, thanks to cheesemaker Shep Ysselstein who perfected his technique in the Swiss Alps. His big bold cheeses like 5 Brothers and Handeck are complemented by the softness of his delightful Brigid’s Brie - something for everyone on your list!
Recommended gift options:
- Small, Medium, Large and Extra Large Cheese Boxes & Baskets
Price range: $35 - $185
New Hamburg, ON
Mountainoak Cheese is a celebrated cheesemaker with an on-farm cheese shop selling their award-winning Gouda cheeses as well as farmstead quark and to-die-for Gouda cheese curds. They have a huge variety of aged and flavoured Goudas including Wild Nettle, Black Truffle and Chili Pepper. They are offering their popular Cheese Holiday Baskets this year for those lucky enough to get their shipping orders in by December 10th (orders for on-farm pick up Christmas Eve are open until December 20th).
Recommended gift options:
- Small, Medium & Large Cheese Holiday Baskets
Price range: $35 - $70+
Windsor, ON
The Cheese Bar is one of the best things going in the world of Ontario cheese delivery. You can visit them onsite at their beautiful brick and mortar shop or order their wonderful selection of Ontario cheeses for delivery anywhere in Ontario or Canada. They carry a huge selection of Canadian and Ontario-crafted artisan cheeses and other local fare, but the very best gift might be their Cheese Club membership. Who wouldn’t want a selection of Canadian cheeses, curated by owner Sarah Barrette, shipped to their door each month?
Recommended gift options:
- Cheese Club - various levels ($54.95 - $79.95 per month)
- Ontario Cheese Gift Boxes
- Cheese Gift Set (local pick up or delivery only)
Price range: $25 - $150+
Jordan Station, ON
Upper Canada Cheese is one of the most popular local food shops in the Niagara Region for a good reason. Their distinctive, award-winning cheeses include the famous Niagara Gold, Comfort Cream and Guernsey Girl cheese, all made from Guernsey cow milk from a local farm. They offer thoughtfully pre-curated holiday boxes filled with their cheeses along with premium items from other Canadian makers!
Recommended gift options:
- Holiday Cheese Boxes (custom or curated)
- Farm-to-Table Cheese Club
Price range: $60 - $80+
*While many of these cheesemakers deliver locally and ship within Ontario, delivery rates, pricing and limitations may differ. Be sure to contact the cheesemaker directly to confirm the details. Also, most cheesemakers will customize a gift basket just for you - just ask!