Love Cheese?

These days, there is no shortage of places to find cheesy dishes and elaborate cheese boards, but there's nothing quite like purchasing a few quality wedges of hand-picked fromage, freshly sliced charcuterie and a matching bottle of wine to enjoy with friends.

Wine and cheese are old friends, with a strong affinity going back many thousands of years, so when the owners of The Artisan Cheese Room in Manly decided to open their new Cheese Bar at the iconic Mount Pleasant Wines in Pokolbin, they could not have wished for a better location than Hunter Valley Wine Country – where the joys of wine and food are celebrated daily.

But this is no ordinary cheese shop. This delightful cheese haven and licensed café bar has been created for cheese lovers by cheesemongers who are passionate about sharing their knowledge and providing their customers with a cheese experience they aren’t going to easily find anywhere else.

For owners, Paul and Joanna Thompson, opening the new Cheese Bar in the Hunter Valley was a natural progression after opening The Artisan Cheese Room in Manly about four years ago.

“Over the years, we have worked closely with so many Hunter Valley winemakers and have made so many tiered Cheese Wheel Cakes for Hunter Valley brides, that it made sense to have a shop in the Hunter Valley to expand on these great relationships,” said Paul.

Inside the Cheese Bar are around 50 cheeses on display, sourced from all over the world as well as locally, which you’re encouraged to taste before buying. Whatever you’re looking for, or even if you’re not looking for anything at all, you’ll leave with a cheese that is your new favourite.

The Daily Tasting Board is a great place to start and consists of cheeses that are great for tasting right now – making it so much easier to find a cheese you like.

Open for breakfast, brunch and lunch; the seasonal cheese focussed menu includes cheese boards, charcuterie, fondue, raclette, cheese flights and much more – including small-batch coffee from Sydney-based roasters, The Little Marionette. You can also pick up a picnic hamper or grazing box to take away with you.

Aside from the service and the cheese, the cheese flights and regular cheese pairing masterclasses are another reason you’ll return to the shop again and again.

Visit the Cheese Room at 401 Marrowbone Road, Pokolbin or find out more at www.theartisancheeseroom.com.au