Baumgartner Cheese Store

Stopped in the Saturday of 4th of July weekend after a tour at Minhaus Brewery. The place was packed. We were told we'd only have a fifteen minute wait, but we ended up getting seated at the community table within a couple of minutes.

Despite the foot traffic, our server was quick to come to our aid with water & take our drink orders. When he returned, he spent a few minutes going over his favorite menu items with us (per our request) & didn't put a fuss which was admirable considering how many tables he was waiting on.

Our table of three ordered a small cheese plate to start. The cheese slice are thick, small squares. We got an assortment of 12 cheese pieces (3 each of swiss, cheddar & another one that I'm forgetting) plus four slices of salami. It was certainly enough to tide us over until our meal arrived a couple of minutes later.

I ordered a swiss cheese sandwich & a bowl of the chili w/ all the fixings. Again the cheese was cut SUPER thick. It overpowered the sandwich a bit, but I didn't mind because I looove cheese :)  The rye bread was super soft & delicious. The chili was a highlight; not too spicy & very tender. Despite the fact it was 85 & humid outside, the chili was a perfect lunchtime treat!

My only regret? Not buying their homemade mustard sauce. It's available for sale & I thought about buying it but changed my mind at the last minute. Now I wish I'd picked up a bottle. It's super addicting & so perfect on top of cheese appetizers!

Hopefully I can make a trip back to Baumgartner's when I'm in the Madison area this fall.

Disclaimer: I heart cheese.

After taking a tour of the local brewery, we decided that we should take a trek to a local cheese and sandwich shop. The locals admittedly said it was touristy, but also said that they personally enjoy their treats. I wanted cheese, meat, more cheese, and maybe a beer. We ordered a cheese and salami plate, I ordered the corned beef on their signature rye, and a bowl if their "2nd best chili" (because mom's is best they say). This stuff was great, EXACTLY what I was expecting. I knew it would be a meaty/cheese filled cold cut with a simple chili side. With that in mind, it was all done to perfection.

The atmosphere is fun, community tables encouraged- we had done great dining partners!

Baumgartner's is great. I don't know much about Wisconsin, or if places like this are common around the state, but I can tell you that I've never been to anywhere like this before. First off, this is where a cheese sandwich is truly a cheese sandwich. Slice of cheese, two slices of bread. Not toasted, nothing else added. They have some sauces on the table, and I highly recommend all three - spicy brown mustard, horseradish mayo, and a sweet and spicy sauce - but I'd say use them sparingly and switch them up for each bite.
The sandwiches are served on a plain-ish rye (no caraway seeds or marbling or anything) that's soft and mild. The basic choices are brick (a local cheese that I'd never heard of), Swiss, or cheddar. They also have limburger and onion....maybe next time.
I got the cheddar and hard salami sandwich. Very highly recommended. I love that they're served on a tiny piece of paper too.
I also started with a cup of chili, which, while very good, probably isn't in the top 2, or even 5 that I've ever had. I washed it all down with a few of their local brews. All the beers were from around the area, and all were very good.
Our server was super helpful in recommending beers and other menu items. We also walked out with a 5 year cheddar (amazing), some Landjaeger beef jerky, and a jar of that spicy sweet mustard.
Can't wait to go back!