Factory or dairy visit · Suttons Bay
Leelanau Cheese Company
Leelanau Cheese, at 3324 South West Bay Shore Drive near Suttons Bay, is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm. A viewing window in the shop looks onto the make room. Come on a Tuesday: that is cheesemaking day, and the curds are lifted into hoops at about 10 to 10:30am and 2:30 to 3pm.
- Hours
- Mon to Sat, 10am to 6pm
- Cheesemaking
- Tuesday
- Hooping
- About 10 to 10:30am and 2:30 to 3pm
- Known for
- Raclette
What You See
The creamery makes raclette, the Swiss melting cheese, from locally sourced milk using traditional methods. Through the shop window you can watch the make on Tuesdays. The highlight is the hooping, when the cheesemakers lift the curds out of the whey and form them into wheels. On other days the shop is open for buying cheese and other specialty foods.
Getting There
The creamery is on M-22, the West Bay Shore Drive, just south of Suttons Bay and about 20 minutes north of Traverse City. Call (231) 271-2600 with questions.
Nearby
The Leelanau Peninsula is lined with wineries, so the cheese pairs naturally with a tasting day. De Vor Dairy Farm near Kalkaska, about an hour east, makes gouda and ice cream.
Cheeses to Taste Here
Where to Stay near Suttons Bay
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Questions People Ask
When can you watch cheese being made at Leelanau Cheese?
On Tuesdays. The curds are hooped at about 10 to 10:30am and again at 2:30 to 3pm.
What cheese does Leelanau Cheese make?
Raclette, the Swiss-style melting cheese, which it sells in the shop and online.
Official site: leelanaucheese.com/pages/visit. Dates, hours and prices checked 22 October 2026; confirm on the official site before you travel. See all cheese factory tours.