53 replies to this topic

[mongo_jones]

this is a thread in which i ask about where to buy good cheese in london. but feel free to turn it into a discussion of 99 cent stores in lower manhattan and from there to a thread about where lower manhattan begins and ends.

 

my plan/desire is to eat a lot of obscure british cheese over the next 3 months. the closest reputable cheesemonger to us (we're in westminster) seems to be paxton & whitfield. good enough? or should i be traveling further afield to some other establishment? any particular cheeses you'd recommend i ask for?

[Daisy]

You may want to check out La Fromagerie.  More than one location, the one I know is in Marylebone. Cheeses from all over including British ones.

[Suzanne F]

Neal's Yard?

[Abbylovi]

I second La Fromagerie, you can eat there as well and they've got lovely and nicely priced cheese plates.

[Sneakeater]

I'd say Lower Manhattan begins at Houston Street.  But would accept Canal Street as an alternative.

[Anthony Bonner]

You may want to check out La Fromagerie.  More than one location, the one I know is in Marylebone. Cheeses from all over including British ones.

I always like La Fromagerie but for obscure british cheeses I'd think Neal's Yard is a better option. 

 

I sort of prefer the highbury branch of la fromagerie as it is smaller and more low key - I also lived kinda walking distance, but marylebone is much closer to you..  But my first hand info is ten years old (although I did visit the Highbury branch in '14 and it was still quite nice.)

 

There is a Neal's Yard Dairy at Borough Market for British and Irish cheeses. 

 

Honestly tho, almost every option will be far superior to what we get in the States.  Like you can't f'- this up

 

And I'd ping Ian T and Balex on this as I'm sure they know better than any of us.

[voyager]

Neal's Yard?

That's where I'd start.   https://www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk

 

And I wouldn't turn my nose up at Harrod's Food Halls    Harrods food hall cheese

[Anthony Bonner]

FYI - assuming you are near the jubilee line getting to borough market for Neals Yard is super easy,

[mongo_jones]

okay, paxton & whitfield it is!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

the marylebone la fromagerie is pretty close to cadenhead's, which i plan to visit tomorrow or the day after. a combination seems easy. i'll wait to see if i'm passing in the vicinity of neal's yard for something else and pop in then.

[Anthony Bonner]

easy to tag the ginger pig onto that trip as well.

[Wilfrid]

Paxton & Whitfield is the right answer, but obviously Neal's Yard, where you can find the cheeses which are over-aged and dried out when they arrive in New York, New York (so good they named it twice).

[Wilfrid]

From Paxton & Whitfield, a few steps to Fortnum & Mason's, with an amazing stock of luxury foods to gawp at, and very good pies.

[Wilfrid]

Seriously, if you're near Jermyn Street, do inquire about a visitor pass to the London Library--I'm sure there are such things. You won't regret it.

[Wilfrid]

BTW, I'm serious that Paxton's is superb, and unrivaled (probably for centuries) until Neal's Yard opened.

[Wilfrid]

Specific cheeses: Yes, you'll need a resident's advice on small production cheeses and specific producers. But as for types, I'd love to know if you're able to track down Blue Vinny, an explosively full-flavored cheese which has been in and out of production over the years. Cornish Yarg is also unusual, although I've seen it a couple of times over here.

 

If it's a project, I'd also recommend setting a benchmark by asking Paxton's for the best versions of Cheshire, Single and Double Gloucester, and Wensleydale, which outside of Cheddar and Stilton, really define the British cheese tradition, and are never as good when imported. These are non-stinky cheeses, but have their own grandeur.