We’re crazy about cheese boards—rectangular or round, dark or light, natural or man-made. But something about a slate serving board plated with beautiful cheeses and accompaniments makes us swoon.

Aside from their one-of-a-kind texture and natural look, slate boards are also long-lasting and easy to maintain. Here’s why we love slate for serving cheese, charcuterie, and just about anything.

Is Slate Good for a Charcuterie Board?

Slate cheese boards are great for tons of reasons: their rustic texture, the natural variation created by carving the stone, the color that makes anything from charcuterie to plated dishes stand out. Available in deep-toned hues ranging from green to red to gray to black, slate also makes a great serving board because you can label each cheese and accompaniment with soapstone chalk right on the surface.

We love to plate cheese with colorful accompaniments and touches like edible flowers on slate because the dark background provides such a stark contrast to the bright, cheery items on the board. Alongside the warm tones and light colors of a bamboo cheese board, slate serving boards provide variation and contrast in an abundant tablescape.

Why We Serve Cheese on Slate

Slate isn’t just a classic cheese board material for aesthetic reasons. Slate has been used for centuries as an accessible material, particularly in Western Europe and the Northeastern U.S. Because of its sturdy composition and thin layers, slate lends itself naturally to purposes that require hard, flat, durable surfaces—like roof shingles, writing slates, and servingware.

Slate serving boards are sustainable throughout their life cycle because they’re made of natural materials. And because of slate’s unique composition, each slab behaves differently when cut. This variation in texture is part of this material’s allure, with no two pieces exactly alike.

Despite its elegant appearance, slate is more durable than you might think—just don’t accidentally drop them from a high shelf—and when properly oiled, it won’t absorb odors or liquids from food. With regular cleaning, periodic seasoning, and gentle handling, a slate serving board can offer years of faithful service in your kitchen.

The Best Slate Serving Boards for Cheese

In addition to its dramatic color, we love slate because it can be carved into so many shapes. We chose to create our Circular Serving Slate Set in collaboration with Brooklyn Slate for this reason: the wide, round surface creates a striking contrast with square or rectangular boards made from bamboo or wood.

Each of our slate sets includes a piece of soapstone chalk. This beautiful, dust-free chalk is perfect for labeling cheeses right on the board. When you’re done, simply wash off with mild soap and water.

Our slates come pre-seasoned to protect the material, and our slates are dishwasher safe if you prefer not to hand wash. Just touch up the seasoning a couple of times a year with food-grade mineral oil and you’re good to go!

Slate is beautiful, elegant, sustainable, and natural. It’s easy to care for and long-lasting. What more could you want in the perfect cheese board?

What do you love about slate cheese boards? Tag us @cheesegrotto on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and let us know!