Neal’s Yard Dairy, Borough Market, London
Neal’s Yard Dairy is a London landmark for cheese-lovers where the emphasis is on ‘taste before you buy’. Located next to the city’s famous Borough Market, foodies flock here at the weekend to stock up on farm cheeses from around the British Isles.
Taste British cheese at the Neal’s Yard Dairy Shop near Borough Market
For Londoners, Neal’s Yard Dairy kicked off the trend for artisanal cheeses when it opened its first shop in Covent Garden back in 1979. Since then, it has remained the destination of choice for many. There’s no cheese snobbism here. Their tasting policy has encouraged many people to discover new flavours, textures and cheeses they love.
- Taste British cheeses before you buy
- Cheese-making classes & specialist talks
- Visit Borough Market
Visit Neal’s Yard Dairy at Borough Market
When you visit a shop like Neal’s Yard Dairy, it makes you realise what a soulless experience it can be walking down a supermarket aisle and choosing a pre-packaged cheese. In their light and airy shop at Borough Market which is situated in an old warehouse, the cheese display is a work of art. The place hums with the anticipation of shoppers all mulling over the difficult decision of which cheeses to buy.
Buy Cheese Matured in Railway Arches
They source from around seventy cheesemakers from farms all around Britain and Ireland maturing some in their own Bermondsey rooms. These are in brick railway arches under the main line from London Bridge to Dover. The insulation provided by the Victorian brickwork helps maintain a humid and cool environment in which to turn and wash the cheese.
Taste British Farm House Cheese
You’ll find familiar names to try – blue cheeses like Colston Bassett Stilton and Shropshire Blue and hard cheeses such as Cornish Yarg and Westcombe Cheddar but how about tasting some of these:
- Lincolnshire Poacher – A hard cheese with a rich, long lasting flavour with sweet, nutty notes and a sharp tang that sometimes tastes a bit like pineapples
- Waterloo – Rich, slightly salty buttery flavours from the edges cut by the fresher more lactic centre
- Childwickbury – A delicate, moist, smooth, fresh goat’s cheese whose flavours are primarily milky and lemony but with a light floral note
Tips
- They run monthly ‘hands on’ cheese-making classes which always sell out quickly so plan ahead
- Look out for their programme of special events. Recent ones have included ‘Whisky and Cheese’ and ‘The History of British Cheese’
- Visit in the autumn and you can buy apples from the orchards at the Brogdale Collection in Kent which houses the national heritage collection
- Looking for a gift? Check out our guide to the Best Gifts For Cheese Lovers
Cook’s Tip
If you store artisan cheese in the fridge, keep it in the salad drawer where the salad vegetables will create a bit of humidity and stop the cheese from drying out.
Where to Stay in London
The Hotel Zetter
Clerkenwell, London,
The Zetter Hotel is a quirky, award-winning boutique hotel located in fashionable Clerkenwell, London.
Rooms from £135 a night.
Dogs
Please check with Neal’s Yard Dairy.
How to Find Neal’s Yard Dairy Borough Market
Neal’s Yard Dairy Borough Market Shop, 6 Park St, Southwark, London SE1 9AB
Website: www.nealsyarddairy.co.uk
The Foodie Travel Guide
Sally is the founder and editor of The Foodie Travel Guide. She travels around the UK and beyond in search of the best foodie days out, tasting experiences and delicious places to stay. She loves a glass of English sparkling wine, afternoon tea with friends and escaping London for gastronomic adventures.