An Epicurean Getaway: The Wisconsin Cheese Tour

Just as wine lovers head to Napa Valley for their grand wine tour, the compass for the cheese enthusiast points directly to Wisconsin, where its master cheesemakers are passionate about their goods and share them proudly. Couple that with farmers’ markets, restaurants featuring regional ingredients, farm-fresh breakfasts at local B&Bs and tours of the breweries and wineries producing cheese’s most complimentary beverages – and you have an epicurean’s dream getaway. Use one of these two itineraries as a starting point and begin your taster’s tour across Wisconsin!

The Southwest Itinerary

Day 1: Madison

Taste & Shop: Fromagination

Travelers can launch their culinary adventure at Fromagination, one of the state’s premier cheese shops. Though Fromagination offers international artisanal cheeses, their primary focus is Wisconsin dairy products. Additionally, they offer cheese cooking classes, fondue events, gourmet lunch options, catering and in-house culinary events. Stop in for some delicious samples to start off your cheese-themed adventures.

Lunch: The Old Fashioned Restaurant
After shopping, taste more of Wisconsin’s culinary heritage with lunch at the Old Fashioned. Inspired by the traditions of Wisconsin taverns and supper clubs, The Old Fashioned pays tribute to the foods and spirits that make the state famous, from Door County cherries and artisan cheese to beer and bratwurst.

Taste & Shop: Dane County Farmers Market
As the largest producers-only farmers’ market in the country, the Dane County Farmers’ Market showcases Wisconsin’s culinary spirit. Join the downtown gathering of over 250 vendors selling produce, flowers, baked goods, artisan cheeses, honey, meats and more every Saturday.

Dine: L’Étoile Restaurant
Tory and Traci Miller’s L’Étoile brings exceptional French-inspired cuisine with a Midwest flavor to Madison. Through multiple partnerships with a large network of small-scale farms, the focus of the menu is highlighting local and regional ingredients.

Stay: The Speckled Hen
Travelers looking for gracious hospitality and earth-friendly lodging will find it easily at The Speckled Hen in Madison. Travel Green Wisconsin-certified and located just miles from the capital and campus area, the inn offers guests a luxurious and sustainable lodging option on 50 acres of property that is home to sheep, llamas, wetlands, trails and orchards.

Day 2: Green County

Tour: Emmi Roth Factory at Alp & Dell - Monroe
Many Green County cheese makers have strong ties to Switzerland, but few are as close as Emmi Roth's, which was founded more than a century ago in Switzerland, reestablished in Wisconsin and now under Swiss ownership once again. Self-guided tours are available with a viewing hall allowing you to observe the cheesemaking process. Best times to catch some action in the viewing hall are weekdays from 9am-1pm.

Lunch: Baumgartner’s Cheese Store & Tavern - Monroe
Featuring some of Wisconsin's finest cheese, imported cheese, specialty foods and much more, Baumgartner's, opened in 1931, is Wisconsin's oldest cheese store. What do the locals order? Limburger with mustard and cheese on rye. With a mint served on the side.

Taste & Tour: New Glarus Brewing Co. - New Glarus
Visit the uber-Swiss community of New Glarus and experience some of the state’s famous brewing heritage, not to mention some of its popular native beers. Take a free self-guided tour during the week to see where the magic happens. The tour ends in the gift shop where, for a nominal fee, tourists can sample beers like Spotted Cow, Uff-da and Fat Squirrel.

Stay: Chalet Landhaus Inn & Restaurant - New Glarus
You’ll feel a yodel coming on after spending the night at the Chalet Landhaus Inn & Restaurant. The restaurant offers the best of Swiss and American fare in a well-appointed chalet-like dining room. 

Day 3: Prairie du Sac, Sauk City, Plain, Spring Green

Taste & Tour: Carr Valley Cheese - Sauk City
Day Three begins with a trip to the most award-winning cheese company in the world.. Come early to the Carr Valley Cheese La Valle factory to watch the masters at work. In nearby Sauk City, The Carr Valley Cheese Store also offers a wide selection including Ba Ba Blue goat cheese, Bacon Bread Cheese, Cocoa Cardona and many more.

Taste & Tour: Wollersheim Winery & Distillery - Prairie du Sac
There’s no better compliment to cheese than wine! Hungarian Count Agoston Haraszthy, the “Father of California winemaking,” first selected the location for vineyards in the 1840s. Today, Wollersheim is led by winemaker Philippe Coquard, who originally hails from the Beaujolais region of France where he grew up working in the wine industry. After taking a tour of the facility and gorgeous grounds, Wollersheim offers a complimentary wine sampling along with an explanation of official wine-tasting guidelines.

Taste & Tour: Cedar Grove Cheese - Plain
The next stop is Cedar Grove Cheese in Plain. One of Wisconsin’s most environmentally conscious producers of organic and local cheese, Cedar Grove produces additive-free cheese from ecologically sustainable sources. The company’s unique “Living Machine” greenhouse even naturally cleans the wastewater from its factory before returning it to the Earth. Call ahead to schedule a tour and learn more about these unique processes.

Stay: Aldebaran Farm - Spring Green
A good night’s rest can be found at this charming house that once belonged to Frank Lloyd Wright's uncle. It offers cozy amenities and is a short distance from other Spring Green attractions such as the American Players Theater, House on the Rock and Taliesin.

The Eastern Itinerary

Day 1: Milwaukee

Taste & Shop: Downtown Milwaukee

You could easily spend weeks checking out Milwaukee’s food scene, but here are our three picks for gastronomical shopping gems. With 24 vendors, the Milwaukee Public Market offers the best of gourmet, organic and specialty produce from independent purveyors. Aside from the shopping, the Public Market also offers cooking classes, tastings and in-house music performances. 

Sausage always makes a nice accompaniment for cheese, so visit the 100-year-old Usinger’s Sausage Shop in Milwaukee’s historic German retail district. Usinger’s is nationally recognized for its production of 70 different types of gourmet German sausage including deli meats, bacon, brats and more. Just steps from Usinger’s, the Wisconsin Cheese Mart offers “the world’s largest selection of Wisconsin cheese” with over 150 tasty varieties.

Taste & Tour: Lakefront and Sprecher Breweries
The names Schlitz, Blatz, Pabst and Miller certainly ring a bell where beer is concerned. And what do they have in common? They’re all part of Milwaukee’s long brewing history. Tour the Sprecher Brewing Company that offers a pairing of ten Sprecher beers as well as craft sodas. And for an iconic, laugh-out-loud tour, Lakefront Brewery is just the place for your group.

Dine: Sanford Restaurant
In an upscale, but homey, atmosphere, Sanford offers guests a changing, gourmet menu to reflect the peak freshness and flavor of the season. Described as Modern Ethnic, they take food traditions from around the world and integrate them into modern dishes using ingredients close to home by supporting local farms and artisans whenever possible.

Stay: Pfister Hotel & WELL Spa and Hotel Metro
Both of these hotels offer luxurious accommodations and quality culinary options.

Day 2: Cedarburg & Theresa

Taste, Tour & Shop: Widmer’s Cheese Cellars
Master cheesemaker Joe Widmer is the third generation of Widmers producing the family’s renowned Brick cheese. Joe is adamant about sticking to the traditional method of brining the cheese, still using the same bricks his grandfather did to weigh down the cheese decades ago. Open during the week, Widmer’s Cheese Cellars Factory in Theresa features a viewing area for visitors to watch the unique process.

Taste & Tour: Cedar Creek Winery
Discover more award-winning wines to pair with your new favorite cheeses at Cedar Creek Winery in historic downtown Cedarburg. Take a guided tour of the restored 1860s wollen mill that includes underground limestone cellars. Along the way, you’ll taste delicious wines such as Waterfall Reisling and Cedarburg Spice.

Stay: Washington House Inn
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Washington House Inn offers guests an opportunity for rest and relaxation in the heart of downtown Cedarburg. You’ll be within walking distance of shops, galleries, restaurants and more with luxurious whirlpool tubs and cozy fireplaces.

Day 3: Appleton Area

Taste & Shop: Simon’s Specialty Cheese
Steeped in the history and tradition of Wisconsin cheese making, Simon’s Specialty Cheese produces some of the best feta, mozzarella and provolone in the state. Visit their retail store to browse over 100 varieties as well as many other tasty local products.

Taste, Tour & Shop: Union Star Cheese Factory
Taste freshly made cheese curds at the Union Star Cheese Factory in Freemont. The factory tour includes stops at pivotal steps in the cheese-making process along with a cheese tasting at the end. And be sure to pick up some of your new favorites from the attached retail store.

Dine: Pick a Supper Club
For an authentic Wisconsin experience, dinner at a supper club is in order. Expect classic American cuisines like surf and turf, shrimp cocktail, a generous relish tray, baked potatoes and salads with homemade dressings. The Appleton area boasts several popular supper clubs including the Lox Club or Red Ox Seafood & Steakhouse.

Stay: CopperLeaf Boutique Hotel & Spa
One of Appleton’s finest luxury hotels features whirlpools, fireplaces, The RYE Restaurant and an in-house spa. Modeled after small, family-owned European hotels, their personalized services will have you wishing you never had to leave.

Discover more cheese-focused fun on the Driftless Wisconsin Wine & Cheese Trail!