This is no surprise: Italy rewards those who pay attention to food. Cheese sits at the center of daily life here. You see it in markets, small shops, and family kitchens. You taste it in pasta, sandwiches, and served on grazing boards and aperitivo plates. If you want to understand the Eternal Cit’s food culture, start with cheese. We’re sharing Casa Mia Tours’ favorite cheese shops in Rome. These give you direct access to the best products from Lazio and across Italy, along with strong selections from France and beyond.
Our favorite cheese shops in Rome
Rome offers a great choice of cheese shops, each with a clear identity. I return to these places often, and each visit adds something new. You learn by tasting, by asking, and by building relationships with the amazing people behind the counter. That’s the secret ingredient: the people.
Beppe e i Suoi Formaggi – Beppe Giovale
Beppe e i Suoi Formaggi
I have followed Beppe Giovale’s work for years. His family has been producing artisan cheese for the past 400 years (not a typo), so it was a huge surprise when at the end of 2025 he closed his historic shop opened since 2006 in the Jewish Quarter. His presence in the Mercato Trionfale kept us afloat. I love that market, and always wind up at his stand #227 where you can find him offering tastings carved straight from the wheel, or genuinely asking for your impressions as he feeds you slivers of his divine smoked salted butter. A glass of chilled wine may occasionally appear out of nowhere. Then the even bigger surprise, in the spring of 2026 Rome woke up to not one, but two more locations in addition to the market. One: a small retail “corner” on Via Nemorense that sells dozens of signature cheeses, plus others made by fellow producers who also work with raw milk, with an impressive choice of natural wines selected by his business partner Leo Spadaro. And two: the pièce de resistance, a cheese shop-restaurant on Via Gallia, where cheese lovers can shop and also stop for a sit-down meal. If you want to learn, and not only buy, spend time with Beppe. And don’t be in a rush.
Beppe e i Suoi Formaggi – Mercato Trionfale Box 227-228 Via Andrea Doria – Restaurant Via Gallia 22/24 – Corner Via Nemorense 51/c – Instagram
Formaggeria – Francesco Loreti
Formaggeria
Francesco Loreti is one of the few people in Rome who changed how a neighborhood market works. I have spent time at his counter in the Piazza Epiro market, and what stands out is the intention behind every choice. He removed industrial brands early on and replaced them with cheeses from producers he knows personally. He adjusts that selection based on season and supply. He cuts from a wheel, makes you sniff, and while you savor each bite, he explains. There is always a story behind what’s melting on your tongue: where it comes from, who made it, why it matters. This ranges from perfect pecorinos, to British clothbound cheddars, “fossa” pit-aged cheeses from Romagna, and other unique dairy creations. On a recent visit, Francesco showed me cheeses I had never hear of: a delightful Sardinian sheep’s milk cheese with an ultra-short supply chain and winner of a bronze medal at the World Cheese Awards; the Kaiser, “emperor of the Alps”; a Stracchino made from still-warm milk from the udder of Bruna alpina cows; and a delicious Monte Veronese d’alpeggio made in summer at high elevation. Through these relaxed interactions, the energy around his cheese counter feels closer to a social gathering than a place of trade. And don’t get me started on the parties and cooking challenges he gets the entire market involved in after hours. That atmosphere is not staged. It comes from years of relationships with producers and customers. His selection reaches over 100 different cheeses, many made in small farms across Italy and Europe. Prices stay fair, and the quality stays high. If you want a focused introduction to artisan cheese, start here.
Formaggeria Box 25-26 – Mercato Latino, Piazza Epiro – Instagram
Va Sano – David Bilski and Laurène Brayda
Va Sano
I go to Va Sano when I need my French cheese fix without compromise. I’ve known Laurène Brayda and David Bilski since their early days, when their shop was still a shoebox three blocks away and a bit hidden. How they expanded to a new, bigger location since then is applause-worthy. The French couple takes their fromage (and foie gras, baguettes and champagnes) seriously, which matters to a turophile like myself. They first brought true French fromagerie culture to the Eternal City in 2013, and they stayed consistent. You walk in for cheese, but you stay for the conversation. They guide you through each product, always with a clear wine pairing in mind. Their selection covers the full range of French classics, from Brie de Meaux to Mont d’Or, farmhouse Camembert, Roquefort, Livarot and Beaufort, all sourced directly from trusted artisans they scout out personally on frequent research trips back home beyond the Alps. They also host tastings and small events, often with the producers themselves, which adds depth to the experience. You always taste before buying, and you always leave with a better understanding of what you just chose.
Va Sano – Via Po 66, Tel. +39 06 855 4971 – vasano.it/
«If you want to understand Roman food culture, start with cheese»
Di Origine Laziale – Vincenzo Mancino
Di Origine Laziale
DOL, acronym of Di Origine Laziale in the Centocelle suburb, is one of the strongest references in Rome for regional products. I have known Vincenzo Mancino for over a decade, and he is the person I turn to when I need to research a cheese for my work with Gambero Rosso TV. His knowledge comes from years spent building direct relationships with producers across Lazio. The project started with a clear goal. Focus only on products from the region, selected with full traceability. Over time, this approach turned DOL into a reference point in Centocelle, firmly rooted in its community but enticing residents from the entire city. Vincenzo’s work helped define how Lazio products are presented today, with a focus on short supply chains and seasonal sourcing. At the counter, you find cheeses that reflect the territory, from fresh ricotta to aged pecorino, local goat robiolas or impressive blue cheeses often from small farms. Each product has a story, and Vincenzo explains it with precision. The space is also an important dining destination, with an impressive menu. It is a research hub for Lazio’s food culture, built on consistency and long-term work in the field. His cheese selection is available in all the “ProLoco” restaurants across town, and in his aging cave-meets-art-gallery, Taste’accio.
DOL – Via Domenico Panaroli 27, Tel. +39 392 957 6658 – dioriginelaziale.it/
Cacio e Pera – Matteo Pera
Cacio e Pera
The Cacio e Pera stand at Mercato de’ Calvi in the Monteverde neighborhood is a classic Roman food stall where cheese drives everything. Opened in October 2024, it stands out as one of the most engaging counters in the market, led by owner Matteo Pera. He brings energy, deep product knowledge, and a clear belief that customers value quality when it is explained well. He built this project after years working in large retail and investing in research trips across Italy to source artisan products from small farms. His approach is simple: he offers tastings, often without hesitation, and builds trust through direct conversation. The selection is wide, with around 80 cheeses on a regular day and up to 130 during peak periods like Christmas. The range includes Italian regional cheeses, blue cheeses, bloomy rind styles, and both raw and pasteurized milk products. One of his best sellers is “Mediterraneo”, a lightly smoked cow’s milk cheese aged in tomato sauce barrels, which develops notes of tomato, oregano, and spices. He also highlights unique products like the Pecorino Sbagliato, made by Caseificio Maremma in Tuscany, which was a fantastic accident. The staff left a number of wheels of sheep’s milk cheese in the cellar, where they went moldy but developed some pleasant flavors. So now it’s aged with noble molds, creating a delicious product: the flavor is reminiscent of Gorgonzola, but the texture is crumbly, particular of a pecorino. Alongside cheese, you find fresh bread, mozzarella di bufala delivered daily, ricotta often still warm, Italian cured meats, porchetta, and prepared specialties.
Cacio e Pera – Mercato de’ Calvi Box 8 – Largo Sant’Eufrasia Pelletier – cacioepera.it/
La Tradizione – Francesco Praticò
La Tradizione
I visit Francesco Praticò and Stefano Lobina at La Tradizione when I need range. Active since 1980 and run by the pair trained for a decade under the gentle guidance of founders Renzo Fantucci and Valentino Belli, it has built its reputation over decades. What stands out is scale and depth. The shop carries over 600 cheeses, both Italian and international, alongside a large selection of cured meats, wines, pastas and regional specialties. This is not a narrow cheese shop. It is a full food counter where cheese plays a central role within a much larger system. The approach is traditional. Cheeses are carefully sourced, as well as aged in their own caves in Umbria, and finally presented with strong product knowledge. The space feels welcoming and reliable over time, which reflects its identity as a long-standing Roman cheese destination. If you are near the Vatican area, this is one of the most complete stops for cheese and salumi in the neighborhood, with a level of variety few places can match.
La Tradizione – Via Cipro 8/e, Tel. +39 06 3972 0349 – latradizione.it/
La Differenza – Paolo Stramaccioni
La Differenza
Founded in 1958 by Gilberto Stramaccioni, La Differenza has been a staple of the lively San Giovanni neighborhood as a classic deli. From 2024 the place expanded acquiring the next door space and adding “bistro” to its already noteworthy resumé. A fun place with outdoor and indoor seating where diners can sit down for both lunch and dinner, enjoying great wines and dishes from the local ingredient-driven menu curated by chef Micol Mariani. Credit for this improvement goes to Paolo Stramaccioni, who, together with his wife Sandra and their sons Luca and Mattia, transformed the family’s deli into a vibrant food-lover’s magnet. After traveling all over Italy, gaining the expertise and contacts needed to source top-quality artisanal products, Paolo and his sons focus exclusively on niche products saying “no” to commercial brands. The cheese selection is a clear reflection of this. I come here for a glass of orange wine and a dollop of gorgonzola whipped with champagne on toasted bread, and I always save room for the droolworthy Perle di Ol Sciur, goat’s milk blue cheese “pearls” aged with rose petals and berries, dipped in white chocolate. To die for! Further proof of quality and care, is that La Differenza is the only shop in Rome to carry the rare Montèbore cheese from Piedmont. Instead of being tied to a set menu, theirs is an unconventional tasting experience featuring small plates like butter and anchovies, bruschetta topped with culatello and pears, or slightly more elaborate dishes such as octopus and peppers, or a low-temperature poached egg with endive and bottarga, paired with wine from their selection of 200 bottles. Or a niche vermouth!
La Differenza – Largo Magnagrecia 4-5, Tel. +39 06 7049 6477 – ladifferenza.bio/
If you want to explore Rome’s cheese culture with guidance and context, we’re happy to arrange a private food tour with one of our local cheese experts.
