La Fromagerie Hamel

HUGE SELECTION. Great location. Inside the marché Jean Talon. Nice staffs.

Great cheese selection, as that’s what they’re known for, BUT the meat section of the store should not go unnoticed as well. Large selection of cured meats and various hams as well. Honestly quite affordable if you get a bunch of different types at 100grams. They usually come up to like $5-$8. The Jambon w/ Herbs is delicious, along with the Bresaola and Salami. Super good! I love my cheese tote when I shop around Brooklyn.

Will no longer be shopping at this location. On my last visit, a tall, slender employee with a poorly kept goatee stood off to the side making snide remarks to his colleague about the quantities and varieties of cheeses I was purchasing. I can easily take my business elsewhere — and from now on, I will. When I go out of my way to purchase high-quality, relatively expensive products, I expect professionalism and courtesy, not immature mockery from staff. This behavior was unprofessional, unwelcoming, and completely unacceptable.

This cheese shop is like cheese heaven! They've got all kinds of cheesy goodness under one roof. Whether you're into classics or funky flavors, this place has you covered. Plus, the vibe in there is so lively - it's like a cheese party! 🧀🎉

A must go place especially if you love cheeses as there’re so many options with reasonable price. The staff are very kind and friendly and they offer to vacuum seal if you’ll be traveling (with a very small extra charge). There’re also other cured meat; canned stuff, strongly recommend.

The staff was very kind and helpful. They recommended wonderful cheeses! Also very happy with the tinned fish collection they had on hand! Will be back!!

I always love Comté cheese. At the moment when I visited, they didn’t have 24 months ones I had to get 18 months one. Asked for a suggestion, because I don’t know much about cheese. The staff suggested me the Lindsay. I really loved it. If you don’t know what to get, ask the staffs!! They are very friendly.

Ordered some of their products via Panier Québécois, very impressed. Good quality, delicious and reasonably priced. Cheese curds were the best I’ve ever tasted, better than even St-Albert.

As soon as you walk in you smell cheesy goodness! Lots of great options of cheese and foodstuffs to pair with cheese. Bring your own bag to hold your groceries. Checkout is easy & quick.

Stopped in after my visit to the Jean-Talon market. I am a turophile, so I could not resist! I wish I could have purchased everything in the store, but unfortunately, we were flying out in the morning so could not take anything with us. Loved the strong cheese smells in the store and the vast selection. Some in my party couldn't handle it, so had to step outside. It is pretty overwhelming if you don't like that. Great selection of cheese and other sundries. The staff is very knowledgeable as well. Definitely worth a stop and sniff!

Cheese Please. I hope you like Cheese and the strong aroma of cheese. The moment I stepped inside the store, I was overwhelmed! I almost wanted to turn around and run out of the store. But I glad I stayed as La Fromagerie Hamel is more than just cheese. A lot of ingredients and condiments offerings. The best and one stop store to get a Charcuterie Board customized by your own preference. Make sure to check out their imported gourmet items from France and from other countries around the World. And yes, they even have SOMA chocolate from Toronto too! Must visit for food loving people!

I love cheese. I love discovering new cheeses and advice on which cheese to eat, and then eating said cheese. Talking about it. Dreaming about it... But seriously they have a great selection, great advice. 5/5

Great little cheese shop and market just next to the Jean Talon Market. Great way to add some cheeses and jams to the selections available at the market. Friendly staff.

Cheese as far as the eye can see! I am one of those people who thinks that you can never have too much cheese. Despite this I only recently visited Montreal's premier cheese shop, Fromagerie Hamel. In general I tend to favour Italian cheeses so Milano has long met my needs. With that being said it is good to mix things up and try new places from time to time so on one of my weekly visits to the Jean Talon market I came to Hamel. Boy was I glad to have finally discovered Hamel because they have a wide selection of cheeses from all over including a variety of local cheeses. I had no trouble finding the pecorino which I was looking for as well as piave, a cow's milk cheese from northern Italy. The prices were a bit high but they are located in the heart of the market so this is to be expected for the area. There is also a diverse selection of other products such as olive oils, spreads, breads and so on. On a Saturday afternoon you can expect to the joint to be jumping but the people at the counter know how to handle the crowds so you will be served quickly. My only minor complaint is that because of the crowds it can be difficult to move around the store because of the layout. Anyways, crowds aside this place is definitely worth a visit when you are in the area.

Highly recommend for excellent selection and quality. We spent $50 here recently on cheese, baguette and pate that lasted us (two people) for two meals! Highly recommend the pate faisan -pistache and the rillette canard rougie! Also love their reusable tote bags that prominently feature cheese!

Wow, I was surprised at the variety of cheese! A lot are varieties I have not seen elsewhere. They even have a room that is temperature controlled to help ripen the cheese! Once you walk in, you can SMELL the lovely, pungent scent of cheese, and it makes my mouth water. Love!!!

You know that you are in a good cheese shop when you walk in and the scent of a million dirty socks strikes your nose! This cheese shop located near the Marche Jean-Talon has a huge selection of cheeses ranging from fresh cheese to aged varieties. The cost here is fairly reasonable and before you leave you need to stock up on some of their fresh breads. The only critique is that the service here is phenomenal, but the store is so busy that the staff tends to rush you along. That being said, if you love cheese, then this is your shop!

We were served by a knowledgeable 'frommagisto' who made recommendations and let us try local cheeses and salamis. He also recommended a smoked duck breast we would not have realized to try. Finally he recommended some beer pairings by Quebec breweries. We just had an amazing dinner with cheese, salamis, and beer. We owe it to the frommagisto at Hamel!

After hearing so much about la Fromagerie Hamel, I decided to give it a go, to find myself completely at a loss. I'm not a fromage connoisseur so I was simply overwhelmed by the humongous display. I was pleasantly surprised to find some fine condiments and delicacies (sugar violets, jellied hibiscus) and great, reasonably-priced jam! Seeing the selection and the quality of the products, I wouldn't say they are "expensive" but adequately priced, great news when you realized how overpriced cheese can be in a regular supermarket! Since I was way too shy to really approach the counter (and eventually engage in cheesy-conversation, *gasp*!), I decided to find something on the shelves. A big red block called out to me: "Ski Queen". LOL! An inspection of the label reads "Oslo, Norway". Ski Queen, we belong together! The staff present during the week seems a bit blasé but they get super efficient during the week-end rush!

Fromageries are about the only place you can get good cheese in Montreal. All the grocery stores have really shitty selections. For all the fromageries I've been to, La Fromagerie Hamel is absolutely my favorite in Montreal. They have a grand selection and good prices. There are a couple other fromageries around this one in particular, but they are not as large or well staffed as Fromagerie Hamel, so don't waste your time. I struggled on the rating between 4 and 5 stars because there is a cheese from France I really like, which oddly they have no idea what I'm talking about (brebirousse d'argental). However, I can go to Ottawa, an English speaking area I might add, and get exactly this cheese. On the other hand, they had variations of soft ripened sheep's cheese similar, so I can at least get that. At the end of the day there is no better option in Montreal, so I'm sticking with a 5 star rating. Nevertheless, this is the best fromagerie I've been to and by far my favorite fromagerie in Montreal.

So. Much. Cheese. Perhaps one of the best selections I've ever seen. But that's not what makes this place great. The staff is enchating. They actually know their product well. I went in knowing exactly what I wanted. One sharp cheddar, preferably made in Montreal. One bleu cheese, also hopefully local. Creamy, sharp and sweet. The closest Montreal cheese for bleu was very good but he suggested I also try a French cheese which was amazing as well in different ways. I bought both. 3 hunks of very nice cheeses were under $20. Joy for all. Also, if you want to make your own poutine, this is the place to get the curds. Not in Montreal? Pas de probleme. They are online too.

I love going to Fromagerie Hamel because i can always count on their fresh Ste-Guillaume cheddar curds. Don't get me wrong, they have an amazing selection of other cheeses, but sometimes you just want a place you can really rely on for the simple things. In the past, they had wheels of it, yellow or white (same cheese, the yellow is just coloured with beta-carotene), so you could have them cut a large wedge for you. Now they also have small bags of individual curds, if you prefer that. Hamel is also my go-to store for Burrata, mozzarella balls with LIQUID CREAM INSIDE!!!! Like some other reviewers have mentioned, they do tend to rush customers, which I find to be pushy. This can detract from the cheese shop experience if you're trying to explore and sample new items. Overall, Hamel has a great selection, and the store has a comfortable amount of room to move around, coupled with the prime location right next to the Jean-Talon market, this should definitely be on your list of quality cheese shops in Montreal.

Yeah, pretty much heaven in here. Amazing charcuterie and cheeses from Quebec and abroad. Try everything, service is friendly. Get the duck rillettes. Perfect stop before a picnic.

Super friendly staff, and lots of cheese. That's pretty much the ideal situation for a cheese shop. I would highly recommend this shop, especially since they have sales where the delicious cheeses are even cheaper! As an English speaker, they weren't rude to me and offered lots of help and in the end we walked out with 12 different cheeses.

One of the best cheese stores anywhere, very formal in their training of how to handle and select cheeses. The sheer number of cheeses available can make anyone feel overwhelmed, so what I suggest to those going for the first time is to visit during the off days. By going on a week day, you will have an opportunity to take your time ask questions and even sample some of the cheeses before you buy. Don't be intimidated to ask, questions and set the prices your would like to pay. The staff there is very professional, and this can seem snobbish, or intimidating in it's formality, but as a long time, extremely frequent client of theirs I can assure you they are really only looking to help. So take your time getting to know them and the gazillion cheeses they offer and you will be happy. Ironically one of my repeat purchases is a simple fresh cheddar, made locally called the St Guillaume, I usually have a piece served first, then I nibble on it while selecting other cheeses. Go try and have fun

La Fromagerie Hamel is located at the Marché Jean-Talon. Anyone who knows me knows that I simply cannot live without cheese. My parents on the other hand are not so understanding when the aromas of a sharp blue cheese encases the house, and my dad starts opening up windows as if a fire erupted and we're all gasping for air. I kid you not. My parents are definitely Asian. If my dad thinks one slab of blue cheese baking in the oven is unbearable, I'd hate to see his reaction upon entering La Fromagerie Hamel. He'd probably turn as blue as my Roquefort. To a non-cheese-lover, the aroma probably would be about as pleasant as walking by a garbage site - but to a cheese-lover such as myself, it was like getting a whiff of Chanel from the atomizer. I iterate that I am a cheese lover, but not particularly a cheese connoisseur. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the vast array of cheese that were available! From the very familiar cheddar and mozzarella, to "what the heck is that?" types of cheese. I didn't know where to start! All the customers in the stores seemed like gurus and knew exactly what to order, while I shyly circled the counter several times out of sheer intimidation. Luckily, there were a few cheeses that were available on the counter for tasting, and I decided to go with a Beaufort that I tried. I just can't go home to Toronto without buying a slab of cheese - it'd be like going to Paris and not coming home with a box of macarons! The Beaufort was not a mild cheese, but it wasn't an extremely sharp cheese either. It was somewhere in the middle, had a pronounced dairy taste to it, and was a harder cheese. Not the type you could slap on a sandwich and melt, but more of a munching cheese. When you are ready to order, you simply take a number, and one of the many boys/girls behind the counter will call out your number. Other than cheese, you will find a vast array of tapenades, spreads and oils available for purchase. I will definitely be back to Fromagerie Hamel on future Montréal trips...

If a fire broke out at Fromagerie Hamel, I'd be there first one there with bread and butter, ready to make the best damn grilled cheese anyone's seen. The prices were what I expected for a specialty grocery store. Since we were traveling, splurging on multiple bricks of cheese was out of the question. I was limited to my personal consumption only. To go with a baguette I had purchased earlier, I bought a small log of Quebec-made goat cheese for $6. This is a little bit more than I'd spend at the local grocery store, but it's about the same as what I would pay at any specialty grocer. The goat cheese was fresh, creamy, and a good value. One could go wild in here if fixing up a charcuterie plate. Don't like the prepackaged options? There's an even bigger variety behind the glass deli cases. J'adore Montreal. J'adore fromage.

I actually cried when I walked in here for the first time. There might be a better selection of cheese somewhere in the world. But I doubt it. No prices anywhere. So don't be shy and ask the staff for things they see as good values. Otherwise, dropping $100 here is easier than at Whole Foods in Palo Alto. Hint: Époisses de Bourgogne paired with a decent Bordeaux (or...gasp...California cabernet) and a baguette from Guillaume is a more potent aphrodisiac than oysters. Rating Scale: 1 Star: Avoid the town in which this place is located just to be safe. 2 Star: With so many great places to choose from, why risk this one? 3 Star: I'll try it again or consume here in a pinch. 4 Star: I go here regularly if financially and/or calorically feasible. 5 Star: I look forward to taking my wife or friends here.

The store was neat and organized. Service was welcoming and friendly. They have a variety of cheese so you can probably find something you like here. A great place worth checking out if you're in the area.

Our glorious afternoon at the Jean Talon Market came to an abrupt halt here. We were shopping for a large party and spent a fare amount of money. Their cheese mongers served-up the rudest service we've encountered in Canada. I actually received an eye-roll for ordering a pound of Jarlsberg sliced for sandwiches. We later discovered that he left the rind on. Their selection of gourmet goods is very impressive but not worth the horrendous attitude.

Fromagerie Hamel probably has one of - if not the largest - selection of cheeses in Montreal. Its staff is very knowledgeable and offers great service (after braving the potential wait); they're great at suggesting new varieties to try and specific cheeses to go with particular meals, wines, beers, or any other liquor for that matter, and that, whatever your price range. I also really enjoy the variety of other products in store, such as jams, tapenades, pâtés, canned items, etc. They have saved me many times when in a crunch before a dinner party! Note that if you go on the weekend, you may have to wait a while before being served. So just grab a number and peruse the other products available ;)

I have entered cheesy heaven. This fromagerie was bustling with people when I went in at 3pm. We were buying cheese for a picnic but we had no idea what was good or what when with what. Thankfully, the girl at the cheese counter was super nice and helpful. We told her what we were having for the picnic and she recommended cheeses accordingly. We sampled 4 different kinds of cheeses and ended up getting 2 amazing ones. Albeit expensive, the place was far from bougie. But coming here has definitely made me more of a cheese snob.

I went there for a quick lunch. Disappointed to see only 2 kinds of sandwich, but I'm guessing that's not their main priority. Not only that, but the sandwich was rock hard even though it's made the same day. The cheese and the turkey was pretty good though, even though for a 5$ sandwich there weren't that much ingredients. Next time I'll go for the good cheese, but for now, it's a 3-star. EDIT: well I went back for the cheese and salami. Very professional help and cater to my needs. They even let you sample b4 buying!

Hello cheese heaven. I love you. In addition to all the cheese, which I can't speak of because I might weep, there are local saucisson sec and fresh breads and pastries and inexpensive olives. And oh god. The cheese!

the best cheese selection hands down in montreal. they have cheeses you just can't find anywhere else in the area...like their nuage de bourgogne... a beautiful light and creamy soft cheese with a relatively mild rind...like a fluffy cloud of slightly tangy silky goodness. first place i tried bellavitano at the recommendation of one of the conseillers and it's almost like cheese candy. they have a great merlot and expresso one too. be sure to ask about their homemade canberge et bleuet cheese spread just a little denser and tangier than cream cheese. delicious!! sometimes i'll just tell him what i'm in the mood for and get some suggestions. I've never been dissapointed. also not to miss is their sellection of terrines made with unexpected combinations of fruit and unusual meats/poultry/game/etc there is usually at least a few specials of the week. lets you try out a new cheese or meat product. love it!!!

Best place to stop at Jean-Talon? Maybe. Great place to load up on goodies for a Montreal weekend.

Maybe a little pricey, but damn, do they have a lot of cheese. On the weekends it seems like they do some great sampling of cheeses that are on sale. This was great for us because we found two that we'd never had and they were delicious! Very friendly staff as well.

Our American tourist family shopped here three times in three days for delicious meats and cheeses for dinner and snacks. With each visit, attentive employees helped us with recommendations and samples and were ever so patient with our sad American English and utter lack of cheese expertise. In addition to cheese, they have all kinds of meats, breads, and dairy goods, plus it's right next to Jean-Talon where you can find everything else you might want. I'd go weekly or more if I lived in Montreal.

My wife and I were visiting from the D.C. area and stopped by La Fromagerie Hamel in search of some smoked salmon. Now we did not end up with any salmon, but one of the deli counter folks named Didier totally wowed us with his knowledge of cheese and pretty much all things gourmet. Thank you for introducing us to smoked French cheese Didier!

Fromagerie Hamel is a serious institution in cheese that has been serving Montreal's cheese loving population for over 60 years! What you have here is a strong selection of any kind of cheese to serve your liking! Also a fine selection of cured sausages, oils, jams, cookies, chocolate and most of the finer and rich things you need to find to compliment a meal or snack. What I have found here however is the cafe caps "re-useable" caps for a Nespresso machine. Location is right adjacent to Marche-Jean Talon. A great place to come for your cheese or fine food fixing!

The service we received was nothing short of excellent. I tried a few Quebec cheeses and ended up with three excellent choices. The store stocks all the necessary supplies to put together a nice cheese course. The sourdough baguette was also really well done.

My favourite cheese shop in Montreal. The Marché Jean-Talon location has an amazing selection, though lineups can be long on weekends. The Atwater Market location has a slightly smaller selection but fewer lineups. I always get great service at both, and the salespeople are always happy to make a recommendation or to give me small samples to taste. I have to watch my wallet carefully since it`s easy to spend a lot of money here. On the other hand, the wax paper that they use to wrap the cheese makes it last much longer than cheese purchased from the supermarket or even other cheese shops.

Very upset!!! Left the store less than an hour ago ready to try the burratta we just bought ( which clearly indicated on the package that it was packaged yesterday) only to get home and realize the cheese had turned. Very disappointed considering Fromagerie Hamel specializes in cheese- this should not have happened!

i had never before heard of or seen a pressed block of cheese curds, but believe me, it is the stuff dreams are made of.