Cheese is not often thought of as a major South Carolina agricultural product, but there's more cheesemaking going on in South Carolina than you think — and in a variety of cheeses, by animals raised with our specific terroir. Consider this the most extensive list of cheeses made in South Carolina available. This is a list of cheesemakers, cheese shops and retailers, and farmers markets. This list excludes products like pimento cheese unless it's specifically made with SC-created cheese.
I have verified that each of these places are operational as of August 2024.
Their stock, products, and retail offerings may vary according to seasonality, so always check with the farm/cheesemaker/cheesemonger/store in question. And because this is going to be the cheesiest list on cheese in the state, I have also included independent cheesemongers and cheese stores, and any cheesemaking classes available too. Let's get cheesy:
Cheese Made in South Carolina by Type
Blue Cheese
Clemson Blue Cheese — Clemson, SC
Types of Cheese Made: blue cheese
Of Note: The cheese is aged at the university in rooms created to replicate the original aging spot of historic tunnels on campus where they began in the 1940s.
Where to Purchase: online, or at select retail locations throughout SC
Tours Offered? No
Cheddar/Curds
Happy Cow Creamery — Pelzer, SC
Types of Cheese Made: So many! Cheddar, Swiss, Asiago, Cheddar Gruyere, Colby Jack, Cream cheese, farmers cheese, feta cheese, Havarti, hoop cheese, mozzarella, muenster, Parmesan, pepper jack, provolone, cheese curds, and more.
Where to Purchase: Select retail locations around the state and their farm store
Tours Offered? Yes
Turner's Farm Fresh — Bowman, SC
Types of Cheese Made: curds, cheddar, pepper jack, etc.
Where to Purchase: Coastal Produce, Hickory Bluff Berry Farm, Summerville Farmers Market, Lower Lake Country Store,
Tours Offered? TBD
River Bottom Dairy — Jefferson, SC
Types of Cheese Made: cheese curds
Where to Purchase: Information to come
Tours Offered? TBD
Goat Cheese
Goat Daddy's — Kershaw, SC
Types of Cheese Made: goat cheese in a variety of flavors
Where to Purchase: Select retail locations
Tours Offered? Private tours only
Hope Haven Farm — Harleyville, SC
Types of Cheese Made: goat cheese
Where to Purchase: Farm store, local farmers markets
Tours Offered? Yes
J&J Carolina Kidz/Goat Goods Creamery — Brunson, SC
Types of Cheese Made: chèvre, ricotta, feta
Of note: Grade A Milk Plant as of 2024
Where to Purchase: Port Royal Farmers Market
Tours Offered? TBD
Palmatier Farms — Belton, SC
Types of Cheese Made: chèvre, flavored chèvre, feta, Havarti
Where to Purchase: farm store, local farmers market
Tours Offered? Yes, the goats love visitors!
The Goatery at Kiawah River — Johns Island, SC
Types of Cheese Made: chèvre, including several special flavors made with locally sourced ingredients: fig, blueberry and honey, garlic and herb, sumac berry, and plain. Pimento cheese and feta cheese are in the works.
Where to Purchase: Select retail locations, including: Locally Jo in Mount Pleasant, Carried Away in Mount Pleasant, goat.sheep.cow in Charleston, the Market at Storey Farms on Johns Island, Rosebank Farms Market on Johns Island, Somm Wine Bar on Johns Island, and in the new local hotel, Auberge Resorts on the Kiawah River.
Tours Offered? Yes
Fishing Creek Creamery — Chester, SC
Types of Cheese Made: chèvre
Where to Purchase: farm store, local farmers markets
Tours Offered? Call to ask.
Thomas Family Farms — York, SC
Types of Cheese Made: goat feta, chèvre, cheese spreads
Where to Purchase: at the farm by appointment, select retail locations
Tours Offered? No
Trail Ridge Farm — Aiken, SC
Types of Cheese Made: flavored goat cheese, goat feta
Where to Purchase: Information to come
Tours Offered? Call to ask.
Split Creek Farm — Anderson, SC
Types of Cheese Made: goat, goat feta
Of note: Award-winning cheeses!
Where to Purchase: Farm store, online, select retail locations, Greenville Saturday Market, Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery
Tours Offered? Yes, self-guided on Fridays and Saturdays.
Gouda Cheese
Forx Farm — Anderson, SC
Types of Cheese Made: gouda, various flavored gouda, Leyden, Parmesan, Gruyere, Brie, ricotta, cream, feta, pimento cheese
Of Note: The family is from the Netherlands and uses authentic recipes.
Where to Purchase: farmers markets and select retail locations, Greenville Saturday Market, Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery
Tours Offered? Some Saturdays, check their website for details
Sheep's Milk Cheese
Whispering Pines Farm — Seneca, SC
Types of Cheese Made: cream cheese, feta cheese, goat cheese, Manchego, ricotta, pepperjack,
Of Note: This is the only grade A sheep's milk creamery in the state
Where to Purchase: Farm store, Greenville Saturday Market, Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery, Clemson Area Food Exchange (C.A.F.E.)
Tours Offered? Yes
Independent Cheese Shops in South Carolina
goat. sheep. cow. — Charleston
There are two locations here. The south/Church Street location sells cheeses only, and a limited number of sandwiches for lunch. The north/Meeting Street location also shares their space with Baba's which offers breakfast, lunch, and charcuterie trays made with GSC cheeses. They do not specialize in local cheese but occasionally have some available.
Counter Cheese Mongers — Charleston
They carry a curated variety of cheeses, including some local cheeses from Forx Farm, and others. They also sell sandwiches featuring their favorite cheeses. They are only open Friday and Saturdays.
The Gourmet Shop — Columbia
They do not always carry local cheeses, but do sometimes! They are a great resource for cheese knowledge in Columbia.
The Cheese Wheel — Greenville
They specialize in imported cheeses and only offer a very small selection of US-based cheeses, none local, but it's still a great place to visit and taste and buy a variety of cheeses.
Carolina Cheese & Provisions — Conway
Of note: their Instagram page is updated daily.
Retailers and Groceries That Sell South Carolina Made Cheese
Swamp Rabbit Grocery and Cafe — Greenville
Wingard's Nursery — Lexington
14 Carrot Whole Foods — Lexington
Four Oaks Farm — Lexington
Farmers Markets That Carry South Carolina Made Cheese
Greenville's TD Saturday Market
Cheesemaking Classes in South Carolina
Jeremiah Farm & Goat Dairy — Johns Island, SC
Their focus right now is on cheesemaking classes and workshops.
Tours Offered? Yes
Blue Ridge Creamery — Greenville, SC
Offers wine and cheese, spirit and cheese pairings, mozzarella making classes, and more at New Realm Brewing Company in Greenville. Check their Instagram for the most up-to-date information.
Of note: They are different than Blue Ridge Mountain Creamery in Asheville.
See any information that needs to be updated? Please let me know!