Murray's Cheese Shop

Greenwich Village
254 Bleecker St.
at Leroy St.

P: 212.243.3289

Midtown
Grand Central Market
Lexington at E.43rd St.

P: 212.922.1540

Cheese market with an enormous selection, top quality and excellent service. They also sell charcuterie, some grocery items and prepared foods. The main store is in the West Village with a smaller outpost in Manhattan's Grand Central Market.

What's great:

They have an enormous selection. The staff is extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic. And the main store is able to do an excellent job of keeping the cheese in temperature-controlled caves.

What to avoid:

The West Village store can be crowded just when you'd think it would be -- before holidays and on Saturdays. Be patient.

What to know:

In addition to selling you fabulous cheese, Murray's also holds classes and cheese tastings in the West Village store. Check their resourceful website for current information about these classes and also what's new in the store. And if you can't take the train to the West 4th St. subway station, they ship, but remember that it's always wise to taste before you buy.

The store has been selling cheese in Greenwich Village since the 1940's and yes, there really was a Murray. And if he saw the store today, we think he'd be proud.