Are You a Cheese Lover? Then You’ve Got to Try Bandel Cheese—Kolkata’s 500-Year-Old Salty, Smoky Secret!

To taste Bandel cheese is to chew through centuries of history. This crumbly, smoky cheese with a salty punch traces its roots back to the early 1500s, when Portuguese settlers docked in Bengal and brought along with them not just religion and architecture—but their love for cheese. As the first Europeans to colonise parts of India, they left an indelible mark on Bengal’s culinary map. One such legacy is the Bandel cheese, named after the town of Bandel by the Hooghly river, about 54 km from Kolkata.

Unlike anything the locals had seen—or tasted—before, this cheese was made by curdling fresh cow’s milk using an acidic agent. The curds were then moulded into thick discs, salted heavily, and smoked over traditional cow-dung cakes or wood. While the method sounds humble, the result is anything but: Bandel cheese is bold, funky, and unforgettable. Over time, Bengali cooks embraced and adapted it, leading to culinary inventions like roshogolla and sandesh that also stem from curdled milk. Today, only a handful of artisans remain, mostly in Bankura’s Kotulpur block, continuing this almost-secret craft. Bandel cheese lives on in Kolkata, especially in New Market, where the past and present sit side-by-side, often in the same shop window.

1. S. Panja 

On our visit to New Market’s famous Hogg Market, we stumbled upon a little legacy right at the entrance—S. Panja. This isn’t your average dairy stall. Run by Sanjiv Majhi, the sixth-generation keeper of the cheese trade, the shop has been around for nearly 50 years. “It was started by my ancestor Krishna Prasad Majhi, back when we had our own factory in Hooghly,” Sanjiv told us. “Now, the production has shifted to Bankura, but we still sell Bandel cheese just like we used to.” The cheese, he explains, is cured in two ways—one soaked in salted water, ready to eat straight away, and the other dried and preserved, perfect for long-term use. “The smoking gives it a strong flavour—that’s done with cow dung or wood,” he adds, handing over a fresh batch of the cheese. Apart from Bandel, his stall also sells red cheese, Parmesan, blue cheese and cheddar, but the Bandel cheese remains their most nostalgic offering. “It’s mostly local bakeries who buy from us, but yes, it goes abroad too,” he nods. Amid the chaos of Hogg Market, S. Panja offers a taste of Bengal’s cheesemaking past—one bite at a time.

2. J. Johnson 

A few steps deeper into the market, and we find ourselves in front of J. Johnson, another heritage shop run by fifth-generation owner Mukul. “We’ve been here for over a century,” he says, gently lifting a fresh batch of Bandel cheese onto the counter. “Most people don’t realise it, but this cheese has travelled far—it’s part of our culture.” Mukul shares that they stock both versions of the cheese—the white, plain one and the smoky brown one. Prices range from Rs. 15 to Rs. 240 per packet, depending on the size. “We mostly sell to local bakeries and some hotels, but a good amount is exported too,” he says. Mukul believes the smokiness adds a complex layer of flavour, perfect for salads or risottos. “Some chefs use it like Parmesan, to grate over dishes. It adds salt and that rustic edge,” he explains. Apart from Bandel cheese, J. Johnson’s dairy shelves also carry mascarpone, cream cheese, burrata, and even Philadelphia.

Smoked Heritage on the Rise: The Comeback of Bandel Cheese

From its introduction 500 years ago to the hands of today’s home chefs and fine dining kitchens, Bandel cheese has come a long way. While its intense saltiness and strong aroma may not be everyone’s cup of tea (or wedge of cheese), it has found new love in modern menus. Chefs across India have found creative ways to use it—from stuffing it into chillies to grating it on risottos or even balancing sweet dishes with its sharpness.

 With efforts underway for a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, researchers like Dr. Debabrata Bera at Jadavpur University are working to bring this cheese to the larger market, cleaner, more accessible, and with added health benefits. Its probiotic profile and traditional method of smoking make it a unique candidate for modern nutritional exploration. But beyond science, Bandel cheese is a reminder of Bengal’s layered history—of how food travels, evolves, and finds its way back into hearts and kitchens.

If you’re in Kolkata, let your taste buds travel back in time—one smoky disc at a time.