Murray’s Cheese: Where Tasty Cheese Classes & Catered Treats Combine to Make a Fun Date Activity

The Short Version: Murray’s Cheese, a cheese store based in Greenwich Village in New York City, cultivates an appreciation for all types of cheeses in a diverse online and in-store selection. The cheese-obsessed come in droves to shop through artisan cheeses, join a tasting class, and savor a variety of flavor combinations at special events. In business since 1940, this long-standing institution celebrates the history, science, and taste of cheeses by hosting an assortment of cheese-making, cheese-pairing, and cheese-tasting classes. With lots of wine, beer, or liquor flowing, Murray’s Cheese classes encourage groups of people to relax, explore, and learn together. Singles and couples join these interactive, cheese-focused events to bond with people who share a love for outrageous flavors and new experiences.

At Murray’s Cheese store, lovers of savory snacks gather to enjoy buying, making, and eating cheeses from around the world. For some singles, the cheese store’s professional instructive lessons become the setting for romance.

At a mozzarella-making class, two single women got to talking with two single guys while they sipped wine and learned how to make five different mozzarella-style cheeses. During the hour-and-a-half class, they formed bowls of soft cheeses into shape, sneaking tastes and making jokes, and, at the end of the night, the four of them went out for drinks.

One year later, the foursome returned to Murray’s Cheese on a double date. The two couples were all smiles as they celebrated their anniversaries by rolling mozzarella and enjoying endless glasses of wine. They lingered after class to thank the instructor and share their love stories. One of the women pointed out the engagement ring on her finger, saying she and her fiancé never would’ve met if not for that evening of cheese, wine, and laughter.

With frequent public and private events, Murray’s Cheese is chock-full of “grate” date activities for cheese lovers. Every day, their cheese-tasting and cheese-making classes attract hungry singles and couples in New York City. Anyone can sign up for an array of interactive cheese courses where sharp, soft, spicy, and smelly cheeses are paired with different alcoholic beverages and specialty foods.

Murray’s Cheese is a cheese store selling specialty cheeses (as well as classic cheese pairings like meats and pasta) online and in their Greenwich Village store.

Since the first store opened in 1940, Murray’s Cheese has been an NYC favorite. The cheese-obsessed team continually hunts for new flavors and new ways to share the world’s most delicious cheeses with their customers. Murray’s Cheese fosters a social atmosphere by hosting lively events for cheese lovers of all ages to engage their senses and learn to appreciate cheeses from across the globe.

Becky Nawrocki, the Manager of Education and Events, has seen many students in her cheese classes meet and make friends with one another over plates of cheeses. “Gathering for meals is the way people bond,” she said, “and it always has been, since the beginning of civilization.”

Murray’s Cheese classes

, offered nine times a week to the public, combine alcohol with cheese education. Intriguing, right? Groups of 18 to 24 people get a hands-on experience learning about the texture, smells, and tastes of different cheeses. “I don’t just lecture,” Becky assured us. “The class is very much interactive.”

Murray’s Cheese works to delight students with fun topics like stinky cheeses, DIY cheese-making, and special themed events (called Nerd Curd classes) for fans of popular series like Harry Potter or Game of Thrones. Private events are available, too, for groups of at least 10 people (this could be a fun idea for a bridal shower, for instance).

In the Cheese 101 at Home Class, students learn the basics about cutting and tasting cheeses.

Many classes feature unlimited glasses of wine or beer to accompany the cheeses. “It really loosens people up,” said Becky, chuckling. “We always have a lot of fun as the wine flows.”

Beer and wine are tried-and-true pairings to cheese platters, but Murray’s Cheese goes even further with classes featuring tequila, Scotch, whiskey, and specialty cocktails. Plus, you’ll find a variety of imaginative food pairings in classes focused on hot sauce, meats, chocolate, and other goodies.

Whether you’re interested in creating the perfect cheese board or learning how to make ricotta, these public classes provide a unique opportunity to spend an evening exciting your senses and meeting new people.

Additionally, Murray’s Cheese Boot Camp is a weekend-long event complete with lectures, demonstrations, and tastings. It’s a more serious course than their typical nightly classes, getting into the details of cheese retail, the science of aging, and pairing principles. A final exam tests how students learned to differentiate styles and tastes. The cheese enthusiasts and professionals who pass the test receive a certificate of achievement.

This might not be everyone’s idea of a romantic getaway, but for business-oriented cheese lovers, it could really hit the spot! To expand your cheese knowledge and meet like-minded people, you can register for a boot camp in February, April, June, or November.

After a few holidays with a significant other, I start dreading the gift-giving process. Traditional gifts like cologne start to feel overdone, and I don’t like giving clothes as a present (because it’s not my job to dress my boyfriend), so I’m left wracking my brain for a personal gift idea before I inevitably give up and buy him a book. Because it is my job to make sure my boyfriend is well-read.

Instead of buying your partner the same old thing, you might want to mix it up by searching through Murray’s Cheese store for an assortment of gift options from sturdy cheese boards to platters of specialty foods. To show some originality and spunk, build your own gift at Murray’s Cheese and impress your date with a hand-picked package of delicious meats and cheeses.

“Gooey, creamy, rich — Murray’s Cheese of the Month Club is the ultimate gift for food lovers.” — Oprah’s Must-Haves

In the site’s Shop Gifts section, you can search through the cheese selection by categories like Crowdpleasers, Under $50, Tailgating, and Luxury gifts. You can also filter by milk type, price, pasteurization, and country to satisfy people with different tastes. Murray’s Cheese fills their shelves with high-quality kitchen tools and signature assortments packed with flavor.

Generous daters might want to get their loved ones a gift that keeps on giving throughout the year by signing up for a four-month, six-month, or year-long membership in Murray’s Cheese Monthly Clubs. Every month, your significant other will receive a special reminder of how much you care by way of a deluxe assortment of meats, cheeses, or pairings.

These mouthwatering and unique gift options can certainly spice up your next anniversary or birthday celebration with your date.

People often form deep connections by deviating from their usual routines and enjoying new sights, sounds, and tastes alongside someone special. This February, Weekend at Murray’s provides cheese lovers a three-hour opportunity to learn, taste, and mingle with fellow cheese lovers. You can grab a date to come with you or go by yourself and make new friends during an engaging, team-oriented workshop.

Murray’s Cheese hosts cheese workshops and tours so daters can explore the world of cheese.

First, you’ll be taken through the famous cheese store, encouraged to sink your teeth into tasty morsels, and instructed on delicious cheese pairings. Students absorb flavor insights during the lesson and then apply what they’ve learned in an engaging Pair-Off Competition.

Attendees form teams and make their own creative cheese pairings using anything from crisp Urban Oven crackers to decadent milk chocolate bars. The best combination of tastes and textures, as judged by Murray’s Mongers, wins a gift card to Murray’s Cheese.

You can bring your Valentine to this cheese extravaganza to share a memorable moment tasting, drinking, and learning. “People definitely get their options out there,” Becky said. “With our events, we want to encourage people to interact and have fun at our store.”

At Murray’s Cheese, singles bond with their classmates and sometimes form lasting relationships by relaxing with a drink while savoring fancy cheeses. For couples on date night, the classes provide an ideal learning and social environment with premium cheeses setting the mood. Cheese experts make deft recommendations and introduce buttery, savory, and flavor-infused items to your palate. Some classes even let you wash it down with a shot of whiskey!

Murray’s Cheese can shake up your evening with delectable combinations of food and drinks.

If you’re looking for a Gouda time, look no further. Murray’s Cheese has a wide selection of events and gifts to charm your date. For over 70 years, the store has invited people to come together over a love of cheese. You can browse for a date-night snack or investigate the history, science, and flavors of cheeses from around the world.

“Our wine and cheese pairings are the most popular event we do. It’s all about discussing what you’re seeing, smelling, and tasting,” Becky said. “Our classes are a really fun date activity because they’re interactive and you get to learn about each other as well as different cheeses.”