Specialty foods and artisanal cheese is at the heart of Murray’s Cheese, a valued eatery that opened up their doors in 1962 in Greenwich Village.
Known for their mac and cheese, grilled cheese and everything in between a cheese pull, Murray’s Cheese has everything a cheese lover could dream of: A Mac and Cheese counter, a location in Grand Central Market and products available in Kroger’s across the country.
A passion for quality and creativity is what is at the center of their offerings. Their cheeses are sourced from their personal cheese caves in Long Island City where a team works 24/7 to make sure the cheese ages tastefully. Controlling the humidity, temperature and moisture and even washing the cheeses, this team is a defining contributor to the perfect cheese.
“We are known for our mac and cheese, our grilled cheese especially, we are the experts,” said Clare Malfitano, corporate chef of Murray’s Cheese.
The team also offers a variety of different classes, both public and private for events, like pasta making, pizza making and butter making courses. These classes are made to be approachable for home cooks and anyone who wants to learn more about cooking with cheese.
These events are held either at their flagship store or offsite, where they offer cooking demos to cheese up any occasion.
“We help our customers find out new ways to use cheese and their cooking. We like to show off creative ways to use cheese and cooking as well,” said Malfitano. “We love to nerd out over cheese, so it’s really fun to talk about how passionate our affineurs are.”
The commitment to a great cheesy dish goes beyond the taste. The employees also get to taste-test the cheese to make sure they know how the cheese is made and what it tastes like to ensure their recommendations are perfect.
“Everything that we are cooking, we really approach with a very scientific background,” said Malfitano. “We understand the moisture content, the flavor, and we’re really choosing based off all of those items.”
At Murray’s Cheese’s first grilled cheese contest last year, the last team was able to get a cheese pull of 15 feet.
“I was working behind the scenes for weeks trying to get the perfect blend, the perfect ratio of cheeses for us to be able to pull off such a dramatic fashion,” said Malfitano.
The shop’s grilled cheese is ranked #1 by Time Out and Insider. The Murray Melt is sold for $10 and you can choose a variety of add-ons like bacon, chicken, avocado and tomatoes. Their crispy sourdough bread and the perfectly curated cheese combines to a perfect grilled cheese.
“I think Murray’s is just an absolute cheese destination,” said Malfitano. “We want to help people find their perfect fit for cheese.” They even offer a sampling of the cheese to make sure you have the best cheesy experience.
For National Grilled Cheese Day, Murray’s Cheese is the perfect place for friends and family alike to celebrate this classic comfort food. Whether you want your grilled cheese with some added flair, or just a simple bread and cheese, Murray’s Cheese is waiting for you to embrace the melted goodness.
For more information about Murray’s Cheese, visit murrayscheese.com.
