Best Restaurants for Cheese in London

The Swiss know their cheese, especially when it comes to fondue, and this little Soho old-timer delivers the good stuff in bucket-loads and at an attractive price. There are five kinds of fondue to choose from (plus a chocolate fondue for dessert) that come with a selection of veg and bread to dip with. Wash it all down with one of the many grand Swiss wines on offer. The place opened in 1974 and interiors-wise, it looks unchanged, which adds to the charm.

Everything – and we mean everything – about this place tells you you’re in a Scottish restaurant. From the kilted staff and tartan chairs to the wall-hung hunting trophies and the wide selection of whisky, the food is also distinctly Scottish. Its dessert menu features all sorts of curiosities, including cigars, and a cheese trolley. Take your pick of either five or ten British farmhouse cheeses served with spiced preserved quince, celery and crackers.

This Islington pub might look gentrified, but the feel and food is still very much traditional. The Georgian features are left well alone, allowing the classic pub design to shine. Food is in the comfort department, helped greatly by a large cheese profile. From the cheeseboard (where Neal’s Yard Dairy cheeses with crab apple jelly features) to baked Camembert, cheese also makes its way onto several of the menu’s dishes.

Wiltons started life out as a fishmonger with family traditions dating back to Georgian times, so there’s no doubt this is the place to go for some of the finest seafood in London. Seafood and cheese we hear you query? Don’t worry, it’s not served in combination. Yes, the cheeseboard of British farmhouse cheese is great and all, but have you heard about the twice-baked Stilton soufflé? You can thank us later.

This charming and elegant neighbourhood restaurant (from two Chez Bruce graduates) offers a seasonally changing set menu for dinner and lunch that never fails to impress. A steady item on it, though, is the cheeseboard showcasing favourites from Britain and Europe. To complete the experience, the enthusiastic sommelier will sort you out with the best wine recommendations. Enjoy it all in the very pretty dining room with mint-green upholstery, apple blossom ceiling decor and vintage mirrors.

Stocking more than 30 sensational soft and hard French cheeses (including baked ones), this is the place to go to explore the world of fromage. With award-winning champagnes available, too, the experience is made complete. The range of charcuterie available works well with the cheeses, as do the many terrines, confits, jams and condiments. The best part? It’s all available to take home.

The cheese trolley at two Michelin-starred The Ledbury (headed up by gastronomy genius Brett Graham) is hugely popular, and we can see why. There’s something incredibly luxurious about cheese being wheeled around for your indulgence, isn’t there, making the serving ritual almost more enjoyable than the eating. But only almost. Getting stuck into the European cheeses with grapes and a variety of colourful crackers is, simply put, a wonderful experience. Where Graham’s food is elsewhere inventive and contemporary, the cheese offering brings things back to the traditional, and it’s very welcome.  

This restaurant’s name leaves little doubt of what’s on offer. What started out as a food truck in Camden has now become a fun and stylish restaurant where all-things cheese are served to an unsatiable crowd. Think gooey mozzarella sticks, four-cheese rotelle (basically a posh mac and cheese), fondue, toasties and blue cheese ice-cream. The wine list is limited to two options, although the craft beer offering is a little beefier, so this is the place if cheese is the priority.

The clean lines, authentic trappings and white linen tablecloths at Le Vacherin transports you straight to a Parisian bistro, and so does the elegant and classic French cooking. The dessert cheeseboard features a delicious selection of farmhouse cheeses, red onion chutney and cheese biscuits, but there are also favourites available on sharing plates. If you are a party of 20 or more, the restaurant also offers BYO wine on Wednesdays – the perfect party.    

Another feather in Jason Atherton’s Michelin-starred cap, this City restaurant (headed up by executive chef Paul Walsh) delivers food that matches the incredible views from the top of Tower 42 (prices are as sky-high, mind you). Leave room at the end of your meal for a few slices from the cheese trolley that also comes fully stacked with crackers and chutneys to match the wide selection.

Although mostly known for its wide selection of French, Spanish and Italian wines and interesting range of grower Champagnes (it’s from the team behind Soho's Experimental Cocktail Club), this cosy little bar has some delicious cheeses. Choose between either four or five slices and wash it down with one of the recommended wines. Spread over two floors, the space is made comfy with the help of some soft cushions, stylish divans and shimmering candles.

Nip into London’s oldest restaurant (Thomas Rule opened it in 1798) and dine like Charles Dickens (apparently a regular) did. The proudly British menu is traditional bordering on ancient with dishes such as potted shrimps; steak and kidney pie; and golden syrup-steamed sponge with custard up for grabs. The English cheese plate offered on the desert menu is just as great and should not be missed when you visit.

Four words: build your own cheeseboard. A bit of interaction never hurt anyone and if you are a cheese novice still, this is a great way to explore your taste preferences, not to mention expand your knowledge. If the idea frightens you, there are experts on hand to help your work out which cheese harmonise with each other. They can also help with pairing wine, biscuits and other accompaniments. There are set cheeseboards to choose from, and every Friday there’s a cheese and wine tasting. Part of the La Fromagerie group (there are other sites in Bloomsbury and Highbury), this casual café has won the hearts of locals. 

Name one thing that goes perfectly with bread and wine. Yeah, that’s right. Cheese. And lots of it. This Splitafields bakery, wine shop and dining room (the more casual sibling of the mighty St John) changes its menu daily to fit with the seasons, but it often showcases British cheeses as part of it. Think Eccles cake and Lancashire cheese for dessert, or Welsh rarebit for starters. The cheese, oatcakes and raisin bread starter sounds divine, too.

As the name suggests, this place is dedicated to giving Londoners the very best France has to offer – cheese and champagne. The offering of the former is pretty conventional so expect your Roquefort, Comté, Brie and Camembert. If you’re feeling adventurous, there’s a nutty Fumaison from Auvergne (made with raw ewes’ milk), which is not likely to be found on cheeseboards elsewhere in London. There’s also lots of charcuterie to accompany the cheese and the champagne offering is wide.  

This Islington pub might look gentrified, but the feel and food is still very much traditional. The Georgian features are left well alone, allowing the classic pub design to shine. Food is in the comfort department, helped greatly by a large cheese profile. From the cheeseboard (where Neal’s Yard Dairy cheeses with crab apple jelly features) to baked Camembert, cheese also makes its way onto several of the menu’s dishes.

There is much to be admired at this Michellin-starred Euro-inspired restaurant in Wandsworth; pleasing food, professional service, an intimate atmosphere and egalitarian prices. Its magnificent cheeseboard definitively contributes towards it, too. In fact, head chefs Matt Christmas and Bruce Poole take it very seriously and say it forms an integral part of the restaurant’s offering. The all-encompassing wine list further offers diversity, style and quality, ensuring you’ll have a wonderful time here.