Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop

In Pokolbin, Newcastle, the Hunter Valley Smelly Cheese Shop is a destination for local, Australian and imported artisan cheese, along with the accompaniments that turn a selection into a meal or grazing spread. The shop has been serving the area since 2004 and also stocks cured meats and its own “Smelly” range, making it a useful stop for picking up regional produce and gourmet provisions.

Its standout feature is the Hunter Valley’s only walk-in cheese room, or fromagerie, where the focus is firmly on cheese and the people who know it. Staff are described as having a strong interest in cheese and gourmet food, and the shop offers various platters for different occasions, including cheese, antipasto, sandwich and gourmet baguette options. Celebration towers, grazing tables and house-made baked cheesecakes are also available for special events.

There is more to the venue than takeaway produce. Visitors can sit outside with a coffee, a slice of house-made baked cheesecake, or a Full Throttle pie or pastie while taking in the view. Fresh wraps and baguettes are made daily, and the shop also offers a selection of snacks and treats. That mix makes it suitable for a casual stop during a Hunter Valley outing, whether you want something to eat on site or provisions to take away.

The shop is also home to the Hunter Valley Gelato Company, which makes traditional Italian-style gelato on site using imported Italian ingredients and a 200-year-old recipe. There are 32 gelato and sorbet flavours available in store at any one time, along with take-home packs, gelato cakes and gelato cart hire. For larger gatherings, the venue provides catering both on site and off site, including antipasto platters, baguettes, wraps, cheese-based celebration towers and gelato carts. It suits individual visitors, couples and families looking for a relaxed food stop, as well as groups planning a celebration or catered event.