LOCATION
303 E Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55414
close up view of Surdyk’s exterior photo credit Stacy Brooks
Highlighting Cheesemakers Near and Far
Surdyk’s has been a mainstay in Minneapolis’ Northeast neighborhood for nearly a century. In 1934, it was among the city’s first liquor stores to open after Prohibition. After moving a block up the street to the current location, Surdyk’s added a cheese shop in 1979. Today, the 4th-generation family-owned business carries over 150 cheeses, ranging from European imports to fresh curds from Alemar Cheese Company, an urban creamery that’s within walking distance of the shop.
“Our focus is on artisanal, interesting, high-quality cheeses,” says Store Manager and Cheese Buyer Christian Petty. “You can trace the cheese back to the people making it.” In addition to cheeses, Surdyk’s stocks charcuterie, locally made jams and preserves, and an impressively curated selection of artisanal chocolates. “We’re like your fancy little grocery store,” says Petty. “We have a deli case, we make our own salads and entrees. We make our own ice cream!”
cheese counter photo credit Surdyk’s Cheese Shop
Petty explains that the shop’s focus on customer service makes it a unique cheese retailer in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. “Everyone [on our staff] knows everything about all the products…People come in to talk to us because they’ll have a person to lead them through the whole experience.” He adds, “We get a whole array of people, grownups who’ve been coming since they were kids, people who’ve lived in Northeast their whole lives. We have people from the suburbs who come and shop with us every Saturday.”
The Shop
Surdyk’s Cheese Shop is under the same roof as Surdyk’s Liquor and Sidebar at Surdyk’s, a bar and full-service restaurant. The cheese shop is a rectangular space with a white-and-black checkered tile floor, cool gray walls, and marble and tile accents.
The cheese counter runs along one of the long walls. The opposite wall is occupied by a small deli counter with prepared sandwiches and salads, a shelf stocked with fresh bread, and a refrigerator case with items such as olives, pickles, butter, and prepared entrees. The short wall at the back of the shop has an additional refrigerator case, and the short wall at the front of the shop features a coffee counter serving espresso drinks and baked goods. Two shelving units in the center of the shop are stocked with specialty grocery items including artisan chocolates, jams, crackers, olive oil, canned fish, and pasta.
In addition, there is an outdoor walk-up window serving coffee, plus a few outdoor tables.
Délice de Bourgoge photo credit Fromagerie Lincet
Top Selling Cheeses
Délice de Bourgogne & Brillat-Savarin (tied)
“The biggest seller is the triple creams,” says Petty. “Délice de Bourgogne and Brillat-Savarin are 2 buttery, creamy, luscious cheeses.”
Parmigiano Reggiano Photo credit Castorly Stock
Parmigiano Reggiano
“It’s a staple,” notes Petty. For many people in the neighborhood, Surdyk’s Cheese Shop is a convenient spot to grab a last-minute ingredient. “[Northeast Minneapolis] is becoming a little more young professionals, we’ve got a lot more people in their late 20s to 30s and up moving into the neighborhood and the new condominiums.”
block of Bleu Mont bandaged cheddar photo courtesy Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin
Bleu Mont Dairy Bandaged Cheddar
“That one’s pretty cool—it’s made by a guy in Wisconsin who dug his own cave. [The production] is all solar and wind-powered,” says Petty. Bleu Mont, Wisconsin-based cheesemaker Willi Lehner wraps his raw cow’s milk cheeses in cloth and ages them in a cave for at least 1 year, resulting in a complex balance of sweet and earthy flavors.
Also Look For
Surdyk’s Cheese Shop offers a selection of gift baskets that pair cheeses with salumi, crackers, locally-spiced nuts, preserves, cookies, chocolates, and other accompaniments. Options include a basket with white and red wines, a beer basket featuring local and imported craft brews, and a non-alcoholic basket.