Tucked in between more well known Palmer Square establishments like Thomas Sweet and The Bent Spoon, Olsson’s Fine Foods is a quaint, unassuming cheese shop that is easily overlooked, but if you’re craving some uncomplicated, well-executed American comfort food, look no further. Olsson’s menu offers a wide selection of satisfying grilled cheese sandwiches ranging from the unpretentious Traditional, a classic, no-frills grilled cheese sandwich, to the inspired Parma, embellished with arugula, prosciutto, and seedless grapes. In addition to its delicious sandwiches, Olsson’s cozy atmosphere ensures that you will feel at home as you bite down on a crisp, gooey grilled cheese sandwich, engulfed in irresistible aromas of warm bacon and melted Gruyère.

The Traditional is Olsson’s top seller, with earthy, aged Vermont cheddar placed between two thin slices of sourdough. The sandwich is grilled to golden-brown perfection, each bite accompanied by the crisp, audible crunch of the freshly toasted sourdough and the slow ooze of sharp, creamy cheddar flowing into your mouth.

Another customer favorite is the Newton, which embellishes the Traditional with caramelized onions and crunchy, thinly-cut apple slices. The sweet onions complement the aged cheddar beautifully, while the sliced apples brighten the sandwich, and give the sandwich an autumnal character. The onions and apple slices create a unique texture when mixed in with the creamy cheddar, giving each bite a satisfying crunch.

If you’re a mustard lover, you must try the Dragon. The sandwich features Red Dragon cheese, a bold, buttery Welsh cheddar made with mustard seeds and brown ale, with thin slices of bacon inside. If the thought of mustard-flavored cheese makes you apprehensive, make sure to ask for a sample of the Red Dragon cheese before delving into this bold sandwich.

Olsson's Fine Foods

Other notables:

The Noble Pig: an aged cheddar sandwich with ham, mustard, and pickle slices.

The Dyker Heights: a mozzarella grilled cheese sandwich with artichokes and slices of salami.

Bonus: Make sure to ask for samples! The people behind the counter are willing to let you sample any of their cheeses. The “cheese of the week” this week is Dancing Fern, a raw milk cheese from Tennessee that is “grassy, vegetal, and gooey at room temperature” (Raw milk cheeses are made from unpasteurized milk, and generally contain subtle flavors that reflect the diet of the animal that gave the milk). Another delicious, must-try cheese is the Wildspitz, a Swiss goat cheese also made from raw milk. You won’t be disappointed!

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Address: 53 Palmer Square West, Princeton, NJ

Hours of Operation: Mon-Wed: 10am to 6pm, Thu-Sat: 10am to 8:30pm, Sun: 11am to 6pm