Luna
Fargo, North Dakota
By Nicole Thom-Arens
Published in 2024
Scroll any foodie’s Instagram feed and you’re sure to see beautiful food boards of different varieties, but the cheeseboard remains a classic, and according to Graham Seignious, general manager of Luna in Fargo, North Dakota, creating the perfect cheeseboard is a lot like life.
“Balance is important,” Graham said, “in life and in cheese.”
Luna, one of Fargo’s most innovative local restaurants is tucked into an unassuming strip mall along University Avenue, north of Thirteenth Avenue South. What started as a quaint coffee shop in 1993 has grown into a local favorite that focuses on seasonal ingredients.
“We want to make really good food with really good ingredients,” Graham said. “We work with a lot of farmers to get our vegetables — potatoes, onions, beets, sunchokes. We like to get our protein from sustainable vendors focused on getting the best product possible.”
Cheese has always been part of Luna’s story, and owners Nikki Berglund and Ryan Nitschke added a cheese case to the coffee shop in 2014.
“Balance is important,” Graham said, “in life and in cheese.”
Luna, one of Fargo’s most innovative local restaurants is tucked into an unassuming strip mall along University Avenue, north of Thirteenth Avenue South. What started as a quaint coffee shop in 1993 has grown into a local favorite that focuses on seasonal ingredients.
“We want to make really good food with really good ingredients,” Graham said. “We work with a lot of farmers to get our vegetables — potatoes, onions, beets, sunchokes. We like to get our protein from sustainable vendors focused on getting the best product possible.”
Cheese has always been part of Luna’s story, and owners Nikki Berglund and Ryan Nitschke added a cheese case to the coffee shop in 2014.
“There’s not a place like Luna in Fargo,” Graham said.
He, Nikki, and Ryan want to make sure they’re offering visitors a selection of cheese they can’t find in the supermarket. The Luna cheese case is stocked with a variety of options from regional dairies along with those from Italy, France, and Spain. When it comes to building your own cheese plate, Graham says it’s important to have a good mix of sweet and salty. He recommends a quarter pound of three cheeses to start — a cheddar, a soft cheese, and a semi-soft cheese — which will feed three to four people.
“I like to have variety in a cheese plate,” Graham said. “I try to get as many different flavors and textures on the plate as possible to make it exciting — make it a conversation piece.”
He, Nikki, and Ryan want to make sure they’re offering visitors a selection of cheese they can’t find in the supermarket. The Luna cheese case is stocked with a variety of options from regional dairies along with those from Italy, France, and Spain. When it comes to building your own cheese plate, Graham says it’s important to have a good mix of sweet and salty. He recommends a quarter pound of three cheeses to start — a cheddar, a soft cheese, and a semi-soft cheese — which will feed three to four people.
“I like to have variety in a cheese plate,” Graham said. “I try to get as many different flavors and textures on the plate as possible to make it exciting — make it a conversation piece.”
If you’re new to artisan cheeses, a visit to Luna can help you discover where to start. Graham says the best way to learn about cheese it to taste it.
“Getting people excited about cheese is always a goal of mine,” he said. “Cheese can be treated just like wine where everything from the animal’s diet to the elevation of where it is raised effects the flavor of the product.”
Graham encourages people not to be intimidated by new cheese.
“Cheese tasting requires curiosity and a willingness to go outside your comfort zone,” he said. “[It’s] refreshing when people find a cheese they like that they wouldn’t have expected to like.”
Luna is located at 1545 South University Drive. You can also find a wide selection of cheeses at Luna Market, which opened in Brewhalla in 2023, located at 1702 First Avenue North in Fargo.
“Getting people excited about cheese is always a goal of mine,” he said. “Cheese can be treated just like wine where everything from the animal’s diet to the elevation of where it is raised effects the flavor of the product.”
Graham encourages people not to be intimidated by new cheese.
“Cheese tasting requires curiosity and a willingness to go outside your comfort zone,” he said. “[It’s] refreshing when people find a cheese they like that they wouldn’t have expected to like.”
Luna is located at 1545 South University Drive. You can also find a wide selection of cheeses at Luna Market, which opened in Brewhalla in 2023, located at 1702 First Avenue North in Fargo.