Dine Fine

Whole Foods

50 Raymond Road
West Hartford, CT
(860) 523-8500

340 N. Main St.
West Hartford, CT
(860) 523-7174
www.wholefoods.com

According to Michelle Thompson, Whole Foods "easily" has over 130 cheeses to pick from. Thompson is not just well-studied on the subject of cheese, but shares the same passion for the smelly stuff that any cheese-lover has. Whole Foods also carries locally made cheese, and, Thompson says, they're all the highest quality. And if you don't believe her, you're welcome to walk in the store and demand samples. The peeps at WF will even help you pick out which cheese is best for your dinner party. (Tip: If you're into the dangerous, hardcore cheese, the Stinking Bishop, a notoriously malodorous cheese, is said to smell like dirty socks and wet towels. "I get people who are like, 'Bring on the most foot-smelling cheese you have,'" Thompson says. We doubt many places can beat the Stinking Bishop.)