Molto Formaggio

The ability to try before you buy is a big draw at the new artisanal cheese shop Molto Formaggio. "When people come in here, they haven't tasted the majority of our cheeses, so everything is available for sampling," says co-owner Michael Perlmeter. You'd best bring an appetite, as the Preston Royal store stocks more than 200 cheeses from around the world, all cut to order.

Other gourmet goodies include charcuterie and three varieties of bulk olive oil, but the emphasis is most assuredly on fromage. A second Molto Formaggio is scheduled to open next month in Highland Park Village. "Cheese is the new wine," Perlmeter says with a laugh.