Bandel
Cheese
India's oldest European-style cheese, made in the town of Bandel on the Hooghly River in West Bengal since the 16th century. Introduced by Portuguese traders, this smoked cow's milk cheese has been made by the same small community of cheesemakers for over 400 years - and is virtually unknown outside Bengal.
Available on Blinkit & Zepto in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad
Tasting Notes
Certifications
Origin
Bandel, Hooghly District, West Bengal
A small town on the Hooghly River, 50km north of Kolkata, where Portuguese missionaries established a settlement in the 16th century. The cheese-making tradition they introduced has survived intact for over 400 years.
GI Certificate
Bandel Cheese holds an official Geographical Indication (GI) tag from the Government of India (2023), certifying its exclusive origin from Bandel in Hooghly district, West Bengal - preserving a 400-year-old Portuguese cheesemaking tradition.
The Origin Story
India's oldest cheese, kept alive by a handful of families
When Portuguese traders arrived on the Hooghly River in the 16th century, they brought with them the knowledge of European cheesemaking. In the town of Bandel, they established a church and a community - and began making cheese from local cow's milk using the smoking techniques of their homeland.
For over 400 years, the same families have continued this tradition. The cheese is made from fresh cow's milk, pressed into small rounds, and then smoked over wood - a process that gives Bandel cheese its distinctive flavour and preserves it without refrigeration, a crucial quality in Bengal's humid climate.
Today, only a handful of families in Bandel still make this cheese using the traditional method. It is virtually unknown outside West Bengal, sold only in a few shops in Kolkata's New Market. We source directly from one of these families, ensuring that this extraordinary piece of Indian culinary history reaches tables across the country.
Farm to Kitchen
The Journey of
Bandel Cheese
From cultivation and harvest to processing and your kitchen - watch the full story behind every batch.
The Last Bandel Cheesemakers
Meet the family in Bandel, West Bengal who have kept this 400-year-old Portuguese cheesemaking tradition alive - one of only a handful still practising the craft.
Pressing, Salting & Smoking
Watch the traditional process: fresh cow's milk is curdled, pressed into small rounds, salted, and then smoked over wood - the same method used for four centuries.
Cooking with Bandel Cheese
A Kolkata chef demonstrates how to use Bandel cheese in traditional Bengali recipes - from shorshe Bandel to modern cheese boards with fig preserve.
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Customer Reviews
A piece of Bengal history in every bite
I grew up in Kolkata and Bandel cheese was always a special treat. Finding it here, made the traditional way, brought back so many memories. The smokiness is real and the texture is exactly right. This is the authentic article.
India's most underrated cheese - finally available
As a cheese enthusiast I have been searching for Bandel cheese for years. This is the real thing - the Portuguese smoking technique gives it a character unlike any other Indian cheese. Crumbled over a salad it is extraordinary.
Unique and delicious - nothing else like it
I ordered this on a whim and was completely surprised. The smoky, salty flavour is unlike any cheese I have had before. It works beautifully with mustard and green chillies in the traditional Bengali way. Would love a larger quantity option.
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