A super soft opening at Barnyard Cheese Shop, back in biz on B

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

In recent days and weeks, Beatriz Gutierrez has been getting the next iteration of the Barnyard Cheese Shop ready at 168 Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street. (We first reported on her return in August.)

"We're having a super-soft opening, an ultra-soft opening," Gutierrez said of her meat, cheese and fine foods shop and quick-serve restaurant next door to her Brix Wines. "We quietly opened our doors to test some things out, and we did six sandwiches the first day, 16 the next, then 35, and then 50, and it was too fast for us." 

They took a few days off to reset, and for Beatriz to visit her mother on her 80th birthday before reopening on Dec. 21, the day I paid a visit...

Returning sandwiches include the Figgy Piggy, prosciutto, fig jam, and goat cheese on flauta creation... and the Barnyard Classic (below) with eggs, thick-cut bacon and cheddar cheese...

And here's a look around...

We found Luke behind the counter...

There are several seats for dining inside Barnyard...

Hours right now are flexible. Ideally, Barnyard will be open Monday-Saturday from 11:30 a.m. until 6 or 7 p.m. The shop is cash or Venmo only until their point-of-sale system is running.

The original Barnyard Cheese Shop closed in October 2021 at 168 Avenue B. (The business dates to 2008 on Ninth and C, with a 2016 opening on Avenue B.) Like other food service establishments at the time, Gutierrez said she was having difficulty finding kitchen help. Victor, her longtime cook, lost his brother during the pandemic ... and he returned home to be with family in Mexico. 

Gutierrez gave this current Barnyard Express concept a test run for several months in a limited capacity on weekends starting in December 2021.