Farmers Market Cheese Pros Open La Jolla Cafe

A fixture at three of San Diego’s most prominent farmer’s markets has found its first storefront in La Jolla, the home of founders Jenny and Mike Eastwood.

Smallgoods Cheese Shop & Cafe got its start in Fall 2016, becoming a farmer’s market vendor at the La Jolla Open Aire Market, Little Italy Mercato, and Hillcrest Farmer’s Market.

Prior to moving to San Diego, the couple lived in New York City, where Jenny left a corporate career to work at legendary shop Murray’s Cheese as a cheesemonger and affineur in its cheese cave. The Eastwoods founded Smallgoods to help support and promote small producers of American farmstead cheese as well as charcuterie and other gourmet American products. Though they will continue to have a farmer’s market presence, their new brick-and-mortar on La Jolla Boulevard gives the pop-up cheese shop a permanent location where it can expand into a full-fledged cafe.

Open Tuesday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., the 2,550-square-foot eatery serves Counter Culture Coffee and breakfast and lunch items sourced from their farmer’s market vendor friends; a larger menu of sandwiches and cheese and charcuterie plates is being developed. The shop also plans on hosting cheese pairing classes and other special events.