El Paso Has an Official Favorite Cheese & it’s Not Surprising

I've been asked before what my favorite cheese is and, without thinking, my immediate answer is Muenster cheese. Of course, I love lots of different cheeses, but Muenster has always been a staple in my house, and now, I'm learning that it wasn't just in my house, it's probably in most El Pasoan's homes!

Forget queso fresco or Oaxaca, El Paso’s true cheesy love affair has always been with Muenster. For generations, this melty, buttery cheese has found its way into tacos, enchiladas, burritos, and quesadillas across the city. From giant blocks at neighborhood groceries to bubbling plates at iconic local restaurants, Muenster has become the unofficial official cheese of the Borderland.

Step into an El Paso kitchen and chances are you’ll find a block of Muenster waiting in the fridge. Families slice it thick for quesadillas, smother it over enchiladas, or add it to calabacitas. Restaurants, both past and present, have kept it front and center too- whether it’s Lucy’s legendary tacos, gooey enchiladas at Kiki’s, or even today’s burgers and tortas piled high with Muenster. In El Paso, this cheese isn’t just an ingredient- it’s tradition.

That love for Muenster isn’t just in our kitchens-it’s gotten national attention too! A recent feature in Texas Monthly highlighted how El Paso has made Muenster its own, tracing the cheese’s surprising journey from Europe to Wisconsin and finally to the Borderland. But while history lessons are nice, what really stands out is how El Paso families and restaurants turned Muenster into a tradition all its own.

Muenster is so popular that Mata’s grocery in Downtown El Paso has quite a problem with cheese thieves, so much so that they prominently display a wall of alleged cheese thieves call “Roba Quesos” which translates in English to “One who robs cheese”!

At the end of the day, Muenster isn’t just a topping in El Paso- it’s part of the city’s flavor, history, and identity. From family kitchens to neighborhood cafés, it’s the cheese that connects generations and keeps showing up in new and delicious ways. Call it tradition, call it obsession, but one thing’s for sure: in El Paso, Muenster will always reign supreme.