Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery Stores

Ellsworth Store

Ellsworth calls itself the Cheese Curd Capital of Wisconsin, and the cooperative makes 180,000 pounds of cheddar curds here every day from the milk of more than 180 family farms. The first curds of the day reach the store at 11am. The store stocks more than 280 cheeses, with samples, regional wine and beer, and gifts.

The curd wagon outside opens Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5:30pm, frying hand-battered curds, pickles, mini corn dogs, jalapeño poppers and bacon gouda mac and cheese bites.

Menomonie Creamery

The Menomonie plant and store at 3001 County Road B opened in 2022. Windows give a view of the cheesemaking from almost every angle, with step-by-step signs for a self-guided tour. Cheese is made Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and fresh curds are sold Friday to Sunday. There are deli sandwiches, take-and-bake pizza, curd brats and ice cream, and wine and beer from New Glarus, Wollersheim and Door Peninsula.

Getting There

Ellsworth is about an hour east of the Twin Cities. Menomonie is right by I-94, roughly 75 minutes from St. Paul and 30 minutes from Eau Claire. At the time of checking there was road construction near the Ellsworth store, but it was open with parking available.

Nearby

The Ellsworth Cheese Curd Festival takes over the village on the last weekend of June. Bass Lake Cheese Factory in Somerset is 45 minutes north.