The South Central Wisconsin Cheese Tour

Launch your culinary adventure at the largest producers-only farmers’ market in the country: the Dane County Farmers’ Market. Join the downtown gathering of over 250 vendors selling produce, flowers, baked goods, artisan cheeses, honey, meats and more every Saturday morning, and a smaller market each Wednesday. The fun doesn’t stop during the winter, when the market moves indoors to Garver Feed Mill. 

After browsing the market, taste more of Wisconsin’s culinary heritage with lunch at the Old Fashioned. Inspired by the traditions of Wisconsin taverns and supper clubs, The Old Fashioned pays tribute to the foods and spirits that make the state famous, from Door County cherries and artisan cheese curds to beer and bratwurst. 

A Wisconsin cheese tour must include a stop at Fromagination, one of the state’s premier cheese shops. Though the store off Capitol Square offers international artisanal cheeses, their primary focus is Wisconsin dairy products. Taste samples from across the state and learn about local makers. The spot also offers cooking classes, gourmet lunch options and fondue events! 

Co-owned by Diane Christensen and Chef Tory Miller, L’Étoile brings exceptional French-inspired cuisine with a Midwest flavor to Madison. Through multiple partnerships with a large network of small-scale farms, the focus of the menu is highlighting local and regional ingredients. Finish your meal with the Wisconsin Artisan Cheese plate, which features rotating selections that often include Uplands Cheese Company and Marieke Gouda. 

Travelers looking for gracious hospitality and earth-friendly lodging will find it at The Speckled Hen in Madison. Travel Green Wisconsin-certified and located just miles from the capitol and campus area, the inn offers a luxurious and sustainable lodging option on 50 acres of property that is home to sheep, llamas, wetlands, trails and orchards. In the morning, enjoy a farm-fresh breakfast that includes eggs from the on-site chickens! 

For day two, head south to Monroe, home to Green County Cheese Days each September. Stop in at the Emmi Roth Factory at Alp & Dell for delicious samples and to watch the cheese-making process from an observation window. Founded more than a century ago in Switzerland, Emmi Roth cheeses won five medals at the 2025 World Cheese Awards, so you and your crew are sure to be in for a delicious start to your day. 

Featuring some of Wisconsin's finest cheese, imported cheese, specialty foods and much more, Baumgartner's, opened in 1931, is Wisconsin's oldest cheese store. What do the locals order? Limburger with mustard and cheese on rye. With a mint served on the side.

Visit the Swiss community of New Glarus and experience some of the state’s famous brewing heritage, not to mention some of its most popular beers. Take a free self-guided tour of the original Riverside brewery, where you can explore the production area and learn about the brewing process. Then, stop in the gift shop and tasting room to sample delicious brews you can only get in Wisconsin, including the iconic farm-style Spotted Cow and the nutty Fat Squirrel. 

You might feel a yodel coming on after spending the night at the Chalet Landhaus Inn & Restaurant in New Glarus. The restaurant offers the best of Swiss and American fare in a well-appointed chalet-like dining room, as well as a convenient location on the Sugar River Trail, making it perfect for outdoor adventures through the local countryside.  

Day 3 begins with a trip to the most award-winning cheese company in the world. Come early to the Carr Valley Cheese La Valle factory to watch the masters at work. In nearby Sauk City,the Carr Valley Cheese Store also offers a wide selection ,including Ba Ba Blue goat cheese, Bacon Bread Cheese, Cocoa Cardona and many more. 

There’s no better complement to cheese than wine! Hungarian Count Agoston Haraszthy, the “Father of California winemaking,” first selected this location for vineyards in the 1840s. Today, Wollersheim is led by winemaker Philippe Coquard, who originally hails from the Beaujolais region of France ,where he grew up working in the wine industry. After a tour of the facility and its gorgeous grounds, enjoy a complimentary wine tasting with an explanation of official wine-tasting guidelines. 

The next stop is Cedar Grove Cheese in Plain. One of Wisconsin’s most environmentally conscious producers of organic and local cheese, Cedar Grove produces additive-free cheese from ecologically sustainable sources. The company’s unique “Living Machine” greenhouse even naturally cleans the wastewater from its factory before returning it to the Earth. Call ahead to schedule a tour and learn more about these unique processes. 

A good night’s rest can be found at this charming house that once belonged to Frank Lloyd Wright's uncle. It offers cozy amenities and is a short distance from other Spring Green attractions such as the American Players Theatre, House on the Rock and Taliesin.