The Cheese Board Bakery and Cafe

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CLOSED NOW - Opens at 7:00am

An incredible variety of what seems like hundreds of cheeses. The most difficult thing is trying to decide which one you want to try. They also sell fresh breads and pastries and have an espresso bar. Well worth a stop.

The Cheeseboard Collective is not only the best place to find the best cheeses from all over the world at the best prices, but the bread that emerges crisp from the ovens is some of the best artisanal bread available anywhere. The sourdough culture that pervades the breads (and the pizza crust from the associated Cheeseboard Pizza Collective) makes some of the most flavorful bread around, with the possible exception of a few small wood-fired ovens that are hard to find. It is a raucous place, people take a playing card (instead of a number) to wait their turn at the counter - where one can sample any of the exquisite cheeses on display before choosing a creamy bleu and some olives from the barrel - or one can grab a warm loaf from the rack and get in the express line. The place is almost always busy, six days a week; the employees are the owners, so they set the hours and holidays as well as the happy, bustling atmosphere. Since 1974, the Cheeseboard has been one of the true anchors of Berkeley's famed "Gourmet Ghetto" - Alice Water's world-famous Chez Panisse restaurant is just across the street, and it's not uncommon to see a chef in his or her whites picking up some capers or a special sheep's milk crotin to accompany that evening's fare

Cheeseboard makes great thin crust pizza. Just one type of pizza is made each day and it's always vegetarian. Check their website for the menu. FYI, their corn pizza is killer!