The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Gourmet food retail |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Founder | Colonel Sigmund Roth |
| Headquarters | Beverly Hills , United States |
Area served | Los Angeles, California; Las Vegas, Nevada |
Key people | Norbert Wabnig (former owner and CEO) |
| Products | Cheese, fine wines, caviar, gourmet foods |
The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills is a distinguished purveyor of gourmet foods located in Beverly Hills, California, celebrated for its vast inventory featuring between 500 and 600 varieties of cheese. Alongside its cheese selection, the store offers fine wines and exclusive delicacies, including the esteemed Golden Imperial Osetra caviar. Often highlighted in magazines such as Bon Appétit and Entrepreneur Magazine, the establishment promotes itself as possessing “the most extensive collection of goat’s and sheep’s milk cheeses available anywhere.” Norbert Wabnig, the former proprietor and principal executive, has earned a reputation as a notable figure in the Los Angeles business community.
Housed within a refurbished brick structure dating back to the 1920s, the store supplies high-end dining venues throughout Los Angeles, including Wolfgang Puck’s Spago, Valentino’s, Patina, Bar Marmont, as well as Las Vegas’ Bellagio. This positioning highlights its significant role within the gourmet food sector.
History
Originally established in 1967 by Colonel Sigmund Roth as the Beverly Hills outlet of Cheese Shop International—an East Coast franchise—the business was acquired in 1978 by Norbert Wabnig, who was then an employee pursuing a musical career. Upon purchase, Wabnig rebranded the shop to The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, transforming it from a high-end chain into a European-inspired specialty boutique that fostered community involvement through events such as wine tastings.
In 2004, Wabnig introduced the American Artisanal Treasure Awards to recognize artisans producing handcrafted specialty foods, presenting honors in categories including Best Cheese, Best Olive Oil, and Best Condiment.
The product line expanded in 2005 with the debut of Scoundrel, the store’s own house wine—a cabernet sourced from Sylvester Vineyards in Paso Robles—with label artwork created by Wabnig’s daughter, Talia.
In June 2023, The Cheese Store moved to a new location at 9705 South Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills 90210.
Products
Focusing on gourmet excellence, The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills stocks rare and high-quality items such as Austrian pumpkin seed oil, seasonal fresh truffles, various French butter selections, Russian caviar (including Golden Imperial Osetra and Sevruga), Spanish Jamón ibérico, Italian prosciutto, and an assortment of 25 extra virgin olive oils. Demonstrating its environmental awareness, patrons are encouraged to bring reusable bottles for olive oil refills.
Owner
Born on August 11, 1948, in Vienna, Austria, Norbert Wabnig relocated with his family to New Orleans in 1955. His summers were spent apprenticing at his uncle Franz Blauensteiner's restaurant, Gausthaus au Stadt Paris in Vienna. After completing his studies at the University of New Orleans, Wabnig moved to Los Angeles aiming for a music career but soon began working at what would become The Cheese Store of Beverly Hills—a business he purchased in 1978.
As founder and CEO, Wabnig actively sources cheeses globally to sustain the store’s premium offerings. He holds membership in the American Cheese Society and partners with leading culinary institutions such as The Cordon Bleu Program at the California School of Culinary Arts and The New School of Cooking to promote cheese education.
Beyond his business endeavors, Wabnig co-composed the theme for the Los Angeles chapter of Meals on Wheels, illustrating his broader community involvement.
In popular culture
Wabnig served as the host for the Cheese of the Day video series on the gourmet website Eat, Drink or Die and appeared as a cheese specialist on the History Channel’s Modern Marvels program in 2007. In 2024, he made a guest appearance in an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm that centered around rare cheese.
Awards
- Honored with a 2-Leaf rating by Greenopia Los Angeles as a Distinguished Business during 2008–2009.
- Recognized as the Best Cheese Shop in Los Angeles by MyFoxLA for three consecutive years: 2007, 2008, and 2009.
- Named “Best Gourmet Food Store” in the Los Angeles Best of Citysearch poll by both editors and readers for 2006–2007.
- Achieved #1 Overall, #1 Cheese, and #1 Beverly Hills rankings from Zagat every year between 1997 and 2001; earned a score of 29 points in Zagat’s 1999/2000 Survey.
- Included in Los Angeles Magazine "Best of LA 1996" feature.