Customers can now “say cheese!” — or better yet, taste cheese — at Le Petit Comptoir Wine and Cheese.
The new wine bar, owned by Marblehead resident Alex Lewis, officially opened its doors earlier this month. Located at 1 Atlantic Ave., Le Petit Comptoir offers rotating wines selected specifically to pair with artisan cheeses, along with cheese boards and gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches.
Lewis, a 2005 Johns Hopkins University graduate, briefly operated a hookah lounge until changes in smoking laws forced it to close in 2017. He later worked in data management while continuing to build his dream business.
“I wanted to own my own place,” Lewis said. “My dad has always been big into wine, and I’ve always been a foodie.”
His passion for cheese began during a memorable meal in Las Vegas. At the end of the tasting menu, a server presented a cart with French cheeses and explained each one in detail.
“I remember thinking, ‘Wow, cheese is good,’” he said. “It opened up my eyes to the world of cheese.”
His interest grew through traveling. After he and his wife married, Lewis said they traveled to France when his father, Philip Lewis, was officiating a wedding at a 14th-century chateau. They visited a renowned cheese shop in Paris where they tasted French food.
That experience, along with trips to London and a five-day intensive cheese course in San Francisco, convinced Lewis to create a wine bar rather than a traditional cheese shop.
Lewis and his family moved from Boston to Marblehead in 2019. He called Marblehead a perfect area to launch a business.
“There were no wine bars in this area,” he said.
He titled the business Le Petit Comptoir after a favorite Parisian bistro the family discovered during their travels.
But it wasn’t an easy road to opening. Lewis purchased the business in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic started. Construction and permitting delays postponed the opening for several years until the restaurant welcomed guests at its July 10 soft opening.
Lewis said the dining room was filled within 30 minutes.
“The people in Marblehead are awfully nice,” said Philip Lewis, the co-owner.
One of Alex Lewis’s favorite parts is introducing customers to new cheese pairings.
Lewis’s favorite pairings include Stilton with port wine, Gouda with dark chocolate, brie with kimchi, and Parmigiano-Reggiano paired with prosecco. He also recommends pinot noir as a unique pairing with cheeses.
The menu features Lewis’ “Fancy Grilled Cheese for Adults,” made with pecorino, Gouda, and Comte cheeses.
“I think my grilled cheese is top-tier,” said Lewis.
In addition to its menu, Le Petit Comptoir hosts classes, including Cheese 101, American Wines and Cheeses, French and Italian Wines, and Unconventional Pairings.
Currently open Wednesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m, Lewis hopes the wine bar will become a gathering place for the community.
“I hope we fill a void,” Lewis said. “Customers love that it isn’t loud; they can sit and talk and have a glass of wine. We have made this our town — we love it here
