La Petite Vache

La Petite Vache has been filling the air of the Saint-Josse neighborhood with heavenly scents for nearly 90 years now! Taking over the Uyttendaele dynasty in 2020, Julie Moulia (ex-Plateau du Berger in Ixelles) can now be found in this creamery with rather 1950s decor (white marble and tiling). From the farm to the shop, 150 artisan-made cheeses show off their indulgently creamy nature here: Belgian cheeses (AOP fromage de Herve, Malmedy from La Ferme Grodent), Italian cheeses (smoked scamorza, gorgonzola served by the ladle), French cheeses (a rather ordinary présent mi-vieux, a cousin of raw milk gouda, saint-marcellin, Trou du Cru, Époisses), and 13 highly desirable varieties of raclette, including blue cheese, wild garlic of hay-infused flavors. Plus high-born charcuteries (rosette de Lyon, Corsican coppa, artisan saucisson from Savoie) and terroir-rich épicerie products (Pipaillon jams, Kalios Greek olives, Superbox Belgian chips) round out the tableau, in addition to a few sweet treats like Léopold Cuberdons candies and Dandoy cookies. And to wash all that down, there’s a handful of natural wines (a Menetou-Salon from Antoine de La Farge, Marius, a Pays-d’Oc red from Michel Chapoutier), fruit juices and Rish kombucha, produced across the street. Seriously good stuff! //

The hidden gem: The truffled taleggio, an utterly decadent delight (€38.80/kg).