On the corner of Main Street and Pennsylvania Avenue in downtown Glen Ellyn, the new, unique shop, Marché, has just opened up by the same owner as Marcel’s, a culinary store in the vicinity. The gourmet imported cheese shop is not your typical downtown Glen Ellyn store. At Marché, they offer a huge selection of cheese from all over the world, and the staff is extremely knowledgeable about each type. The staff routinely answers a variety of questions about where the cheese is from, how long it has been aged and what kind of milk the cheese is made of.

All of their cheeses and meats are available for takeout, but Marché offers plates to eat there as well. Some of the cheeses include brie, gruyere, and trugole and with sides like prosciutto, a thin Italian bacon, olives and mixed nuts. I chose to eat the “Classic” plate, which featured brie, bucheron, gruyere, pâté, olive tapenade and a baguette and cost $12, the average price for a plate. The portion size was perfect for a light meal for two people, and the cheese was very high quality, making the price reasonable. The cheeses were all very flavorful, with different textures ranging from very solid to more spreadable. Likewise, the flavors were all unique, no two being too similar in taste. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal.

I was immediately greeted when I walked in, making the shop seem like a very welcoming place. Unfortunately, there are only three small tables in the store to sit and eat, making it hard to find seating. The shop was busy for 3 o’clock on a Saturday when I visited with people going in and out picking up orders. Luckily, not many people were eating at the shop, so I could find seating.

With the only downside being the lack of seating, Marché deserves 4.5 out of 5 stars. It is a wonderfully cozy new addition to Glen Ellyn’s eateries–one I would happily return to.