La Fromagerie Hamel

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 Montréal.

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!

Il y a une bonne sélection de produits variés de qualités. C’est pas
Loin du métro Jean — Talon.

Nous prenons nos fromages depuis 4 ans pour le restaurant chez Hamel
Un service adorable et des fromages d’une qualités irréprochables.
De plus, le choix né manqué pas ce qui nous permet de changer notre assiette à chaque semaine
Ericka-​Propriétaire du Restaurant Tandem à Montréal

In many cases, the best finds are in and around markets. La Fromagerie Hamel only proved this theory, and surpassed all my expectations for quality, service and shopping experience.
There is a sort of organized chaos, as shoppers pick up numbers and wait for a very knowledgeable, very efficient staff member to serve them. They allow you to sample and answer any questions you have about place of origin, pairings and recommendations (even vague, open-​ended ones like «what soft and creamy cheese do you like?»).
They have an incredible selection of Quebec-​made cheese. We loved the strong semi-​crumbly Bleu Queen Elizabeth, and the oh-​so-​creamy Alexis de Portneuf. In addition, LFH has wonderful pâté and rillettes that are perfect when paired with cheese and a baguette for an impromptu indoor picnic.
I would definitely return to LFH. They know their cheese, and they made our shopping experience both pleasant and delicious.

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 Montréal. J’adore fromage.

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.

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.

Fromagerie Hamel is a serious institution in cheese that has been serving Montréal’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 café 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!

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!

As a person who is lactose intolerant, my love of cheese is true testament to the fact that I must be a masochist. I am constantly on the lookout for new cheeses, and am particularly fond of local cheese-​makers. Hamel carries an impressive selection of local cheeses and I am particularly fond of picking their brains for some of the newer selections available.
The prices here are reasonable and the service is always friendly and accommodating.

Fromagerie Hamel probably has one of — if not the largest — selection of cheeses in Montréal. 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 ;)

Comment dire que j’aime le fromage? genre beaucoup … à la folie.
Que de joie quand j’ai découvert cette fromagerie pendant une promenade dans le marché Jean Talon. Je rentre et on sent cette odeur spécifique de toutes bonnes fromageries.
Le choix … immense, j’ai retrouvé du fromage français que j’aimais mangé quand je vivais la bas, mais j’ai surtout découvert le bon fromage d’ici par exemple un bon cheddar fumé vieilli 2 ans … et j’en passé.
Le service est génial malgré tout les clients qu’il peut y avoir, les conseillers vont prendre le temps de vous faire goûter les fromages qui vous intéressés ou vont vous diriger vers tel ou tel fromage selon ce que vous rechercher.
Puis surtout les prix très attractifs, on peux se faire un bon plateau de fromage pour moins de 30 $. Les fromages né sont vraiment pas cher.
Chose que j’ai aussi trouvé super: les plateaux dégustation/​découverte que vous pouvez acheter ou alors les cartes cadeaux (minimum 20 $) que j’ai offert à des amis qui aiment aussi beaucoup le fromage.
J’ai vu qu’ils avaient aussi de la charcuterie et d’autres produits mais j’avoue né pas m’y être vraiment intéressé pour le moment.
Un vrai régal à chaque fois que j’y vais.

Standard pour une haute qualité choix, service, tradition. jamais déçu.cher et très, très bon! longue vie!

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.

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 Montréal. One bleu cheese, also hopefully local. Creamy, sharp and sweet.
The closest Montréal 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 Montréal? Pas de probleme. They are online too.

Que dire de plus qui n’a pas déjà été dit… A part l’mmense choix de fromage, de pâtés et de charcuterie… Et bien, il y a le service. Toujours professionnel et avenant. Malgré les longues files, il me semble que le temps passé toujours trop vite quand je vais chez Hamel. Les conseillers prennent le temps de faire le travail, vous font goûter les fromages, vous en présente de nouveaux quand vous êtes indécis.
On aime tellement aller chez Hamel, que l’on fait parfoit des soupers Charcuteries-​fromages juste pour en essayer de nouveaux et aller dans la boutique.
Les prix sont tout à fait correcte et pour les amateurs de raclette, il y a aussi un grand choix pour ces fromages.
Bön appétit!

Franchement époustouflée !
Le prix et la qualité des fromages rien à redire !!
Pour un petit morceau de Tome de Savoie, un demi Chabichou et du conté d’affinage jeune tous de France: 15 $
Le choix est incroyable des classiques québécois comme l’Oka, aux incontournables français (on va pas les citer il y en a beaucoup trop) mais aussi des italiens, des espagnols incroyables ! Il y a également quelques pièces de charcut dont du jambon de Bayonne (oui oui du vrai).
Bref Hamel, un régale !!!

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!

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 bac

I felt like I was cheating on America’s Dairyland.
No Wisconsin cheese but hundreds,
HUNDREDS you guys from around the world!
And even though I’m lactose free I could appreciate the spectacular array of options and add-​ons, quick things to grab for a lovely picnic or some charcute.