The Cheese of Milwaukee’s Public Market

Liam Brownlow
2 min readMar 26, 2019

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A recent visit to the Milwaukee Public Market led to my discovery of a food vendor that I never had the pleasure of visiting before. In my two years in living as a college student in the city of Milwaukee, I have explored this tourist attraction many times. Of the many times I have explored the market, this was my first time experiencing the West Allis Cheese and Sausage Shoppe. This vendor has been a shopping tradition for over 30 years, and remains the only cheese shop in the market. From over 300 different cheeses to choose from, there is bound to be a cheese out there for every cheese connoisseur. I had the privilege of trying the rumored chocolate cheese, that Professor Tim Cigelske of Marquette University made me aware of. The taste was somewhat interesting, with tones of sweetness from the chocolate, and tones of saltiness from the nuts and 5 percent American cheese that constitutes this strange delight. From sweet to savory, this place has something for every palate.

https://www.facebook.com/liam.brownlow.54/videos/376614539850125/

While at the West Allis Cheese and Sausage Shoppe, I was surrounded by a small number of helpful and welcoming employees. I had the privilege of interviewing the manager Tina, who had much to share about the food vendor. The interview can be accessed via the link below.

https://anchor.fm/liam320/episodes/Interview-e3igis

Tina described how her job is enjoyable, however it can sometimes be hard finding new ways to be creative. The customers, Tina explained, “Are not locals but mostly tourists”. The West Allis Cheese and Sausage shop also branches out into the Milwaukee community hosting events such as “Curds and Kegs”. If planning a future visit to the Milwaukee Public Market, I highly recommend visiting the West Allis Cheese and Sausage Shoppe. They will offer you an array of meats and cheeses, and an experience that you won’t soon forget!

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