The Cheese Boutique

GO HERE: for a real-life catalog of charcuterie wonders, including a gaudy selection of rare cheeses from all over the world; cured meats and pâtés; an encyclopedic collection of house-made vinegars, oils, jams, and honey; a bakery counter stacked with old-world breads; a room-sized cold locker stocked with produce, aged steaks, and wild game; and a walk-in cheese vault that smells like gourmand heaven. Maître fromager Afrim Pristine is responsible for most of the city’s best cheese plates, from home dinner parties to top-end restaurants.

ORDER THE: cheese, and plenty of it. There’s an entire lifetime’s worth of hard, soft, mild, stinky, streaky, creamy, beer-aged, young, and old blocks and wheels on display at any time; ask the cheesemongers for a recommendation based on your preferences, and then chow down back at the Airbnb. The round tomato focaccias are easily polished off in one sitting. And the Nutella-filled bombolone are irresistible and less than a buck each. The espresso bar near the gelato counter hands out gratis solo pours on the regular, so hang near the barista stand for some mid-shopping sipping.

THE VIBE IS: the calm before the dinner-party storm.

PRACTICAL STUFF: Open Monday–Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday–Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cheese Boutique is located on the western edge of downtown Toronto and about a ten-minute walk from the nearest public transit. Considering the amount of stuff you’ll be tempted to buy, it’s best to drive or take a taxi or Uber.