San Diego’s Best Cheese Boards

Whoever decided that cheese boards should be a thing, is my hero! So any chance I get to have a great cheese (and meat) board, I seize the opportunity.

What makes a board good? Selection: I think it’s important to have a variety of meats, cheeses, and accoutrements. Balance: Having a color balance on a board makes it visually appealing as well as having a balance of taste with sweet and savory. Unique additions: The best boards I’ve had have something truly unique on their board that sets it apart from a typical board.

The Tipsy Crow located in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter is serving up a beautiful board with locally sourced cheeses from Venissimo Cheese. On their board is this tangy and tasty cheese called Red Dragon which is infused with ale cheddar and mustard seeds. As someone who doesn’t like the taste of mustard, I could not get enough of this cheese. But the best part about this board was their house made Bacon Jam. This bacon jam, could and should be jarred and sold immediately! 770 Fifth Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101

Solterra Winery is an amazing family owned winery located in the heart of Encinitas. Not only do they have great wine but they also have a great menu. My awesome friend told me Solterra had her favorite Mixed Cheese and Meat Plate, so I had to check it out for myself. Some great additions to this slate board include salamis and house pickled vegetables, but the real winner on this board was their house made Fig Jam. I hate to sound redundant, but this also needs to be jarred and sold immediately! 934 N. Coast Highway 101, Encinitas, CA, 92023

Extraordinary Desserts is the brain child of Executive Pastry Chef/Owner, Karen Krasne. Extraordinary Desserts has been featured on Food Network and has two San Diego locations. Every Wednesday the Little Italy location is featuring a self-serve Cheese Bar. For a three hour block, you can explore a beautiful cheese bar adorned with vibrant fruits, flowers, and signature accompaniments. My favorite here was the Coconut Gouda, I couldn’t get enough of it! 1430 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101

Park 101 is a great new spot to hang out with your squad in Carlsbad. Executive Chef Ryan Tuskan is using his years of experience to make some great food with organic and locally sourced ingredients. Read more about this venue in another story I wrote about Park 101. In the meantime, I’m here to brag on their awesome cheese and meat board available on the Tamarack Deck. The board features a great mix of cheese and meats with some fruit and olives, but my favorites on this board are the honeycomb and Chile Hatch Cheese. 3040 Carlsbad Blvd, Carlsbad, CA 92008

Trust Restaurant located in Mission Hills, made a great first impression on me. The staff pays such great attention to detail so it was no surprise that my charcuterie and cheese board here was equally as incredible. Chef Brad cures all the meats in-house like fennel salami and duck prosciutto. The board also includes flavorful elements like pickled brussel sprouts and peach poppy seed jam. What really won me over though was the Scotch Egg, a very unexpected addition, but they nailed it! 3752 Park Blvd. Suite 105C, San Diego, CA 92103

I’m sure I missed more amazing boards, so leave a comment and let me know what your favorite board is!