Burlington & Vermont Cheese Country
The gateway to America's most concentrated artisan cheese production region. Burlington itself is small; the actual cheese country (Greensboro, Westfield, Websterville) is a 1-2 hour drive into the Northeast Kingdom.
Positioning
Burlington is the urban access point to Vermont's extraordinary cheese production density — the state has more artisan cheese producers per capita than any other in America. The Cellars at Jasper Hill (Greensboro) is the most ambitious American cheese affinage operation; Vermont Creamery (Websterville) defined modern American goat cheese; Vermont Shepherd, Cabot, Plymouth Artisan Cheese, and dozens of smaller producers form the broader network. Burlington's City Market (a cooperative grocery on Cherry Street) carries the most concentrated Vermont cheese selection; the actual production tours require driving an hour-plus into the Northeast Kingdom.
Cheese culture history
Vermont has been a dairy state since the early 19th century; the modern artisan cheese era starts in the 1980s-90s with producers like Vermont Shepherd (1990), Vermont Butter & Cheese (now Vermont Creamery, 1984), and the Jasper Hill Farm brothers Andy and Mateo Kehler. Jasper Hill's Cellars (opened 2008) was the first American purpose-built cheese affinage facility at scale — they age their own production plus offer affinage services to other producers (including Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, the most famous example). The Vermont Cheese Council (founded 1992) coordinates marketing and represents 40+ member producers.
Key neighborhoods
- Burlington downtown — Church Street Marketplace + City Market (Cherry Street)
- Greensboro (Northeast Kingdom, 90 min drive northeast) — Jasper Hill Farm + The Cellars at Jasper Hill
- Websterville (45 min drive southeast) — Vermont Creamery production facility
- Healdville (90 min drive south) — Plymouth Artisan Cheese, the oldest continuously-operating cheese factory in America
- Putney (2 hours south) — Vermont Shepherd production + retail
Specialty shops
- City Market (Burlington) — cooperative grocery with the most concentrated Vermont cheese selection anywhere
- Cellars at Jasper Hill visitor experience (Greensboro) — by appointment; the most ambitious American affinage facility
- Vermont Country Store (Weston + Rockingham, southern VT) — broader rural specialty retail with strong cheese
- Healthy Living Market (South Burlington) — broader grocery with serious cheese counter
- Cheese Outlet Fresh Market (Williston) — discount + curated, locally owned
- Klinger's Bread Company (South Burlington) — bread + cheese pairing focus
Restaurants & markets
- Burlington Farmers Market (Saturday May-October, indoor November-April) — direct from producers
- Hen of the Wood (Burlington) — restaurant with strong cheese course
- Misery Loves Co (Winooski, adjacent to Burlington) — neo-bistro with cheese plate focus
- Vermont Cheese Council member directory — the official producer list for self-guided cheese tours
- Cabot Creamery Visitors Center (Cabot, 1 hour east) — large-scale tour experience
Travel access
Best seasons
September-October (foliage + harvest) is the highest peak. June-August (full production + farmers markets) is the second peak. January-March is the lowest activity period — many small producers reduce winter operations.
Avoid these pitfalls
- Cabot Creamery (the cooperative's visitor center) is the most touristed but least editorially interesting — they make industrial cheese; visit Jasper Hill or Vermont Shepherd for the artisan experience
- Driving distances in Vermont are deceptive — Burlington to Greensboro is 90 minutes through rural roads, not the 60 minutes that Google Maps shows in good weather
- Many small producers don't do walk-in retail — call ahead, especially in winter