Happy Birthday, Cheesetique!

Cheesetique, Del Ray’s “jewel of a cheese shop” and one of Alexandria’s destination restaurants, celebrates its ninth birthday Thursday, Sept. 5 with a day of cake, a night of jazz and a lot of fun.

There will probably be some cheese and wine, too.

Mini birthday cakes will be served all day Thursday and owner Jill Erber has brought back some of restaurant’s old school staff for dinner. Live jazz will also be played throughout the evening at the restaurant, which is located at 2411 Mount Vernon Ave.

Newer Del Ray residents may not remember, but when Erber opened Cheesetique in 2004 it was at 2403 Mount Vernon Ave.—the current digs of Let’s Meet on the Avenue.

Cheesetique moved to its current location in 2008. The Del Ray location was expanded with a new dining room in late 2011 and a second shop and restaurant in Arlington County’s Shirlington neighborhood opened in early 2012.

Both Cheesetique locations will be closed Sunday for a staff celebration.

What’s your favorite Cheesetique memory or dish? They once offered a Del Ray Patch Salad special, so we’re forever grateful of Erber and her fine crew of cheese specialists.