The new cheese shop in town

Andrew Steiner, formerly general manager of the Foundry on Melrose and fromager at Patina, is set to open his cheese shop -- Andrew's Cheese Shop -- on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica on Friday. Chef Tommy Pollio (of the family that runs Pollio Italian Cheese Co. -- as in Polly-O) plans to make fresh mozzarella every week with fresh milk from the Santa Monica Farmers Market.

The cheese shop will carry more than 200 artisanal and farmhouse cheeses -- such as from Sally Jackson (who makes Renata, named after the one Swiss cow who provides the milk for the cheese), Capriole (the goat cheese house in Kentuckiana -- that would be on the border of Kentucky and Indiana) and Hooligan (another great American cheese maker, which makes a lovely washed-rind raw-cow's-milk cheese). Cheese classes and tastings also are planned, starting later this month.

Andrew's Cheese Shop, 728 Montana Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 393-3308.

-- Betty Hallock

UPDATE: The opening of Andrew's Cheese Shop has been delayed to Monday or Tuesday.

Photo: George Wilhelm / Los Angeles Times