Continuing on from my organic veg supplier list, I want to carry on shouting about Independent shops and suppliers in Manchester. Next stop… cheese!
The British Artisan cheese industry has been through a tough year, with restaurants closed a lot of producers found they had a huge surplus. However, one upside has been the increased interest from individual consumers in buying high-quality artisan cheese! In Manchester we are blessed with many places to find great British artisanal cheese, I’ve listed a few here but if there are any I’ve missed please let me know.
Wintertarn Dairy
Altrincham and Levenshulme market
A wonderful family-owned dairy that is a mainstay at Altrincham market and where I get all my cheese for Konoba. They stock a really great range of British cheeses with lots of organic and raw milk options. My personal favourite is the flower marie, a deliciously soft and fudgy raw ewe’s milk cheese from Golden Cross. Make sure to grab some of their famous butter too! You can also find them at Levenshulme market.
New Market Cheese
Altrincham Market
Owned by Martin from St James Cheese in Cumbria, New Market dairy champions independent family run farms and producers. Stocking some divine cheeses, I love their parmesan and charcuterie.
The Cheese Hamlet
Didsbury
Serving specialist cheese to Manchester since 1960, The Cheese Hamlet sources the best cheeses from the UK and worldwide. Stocking around 200 cheeses, you’ll definitely not be able to leave empty handed!
Chorlton Cheesemongers
Chorlton
Another great cheesemonger, with a dedication to bringing customers the best artisanal and farmhouse cheeses around. You’ll not only find a great range of raw milk and pasteurised cheese, but an extensive knowledge of the farmers, helping you to feel closer to the people making your cheese.
The Butcher’s quarter
Northern Quarter
Despite the name, The Butcher’s Quarter offers a great range of cheeses from the artisan producers in the UK and worldwide. Partnering with the famous IJ Melis in Edinburgh to ensure you will only get the best. Pricer than some of the other options around, but that comes with city center rents! Top tip – don’t leave without getting the Primadonna cheese, it’s sensational.
Littlewoods Butcher
Heaton Chapel
As well as having some of the best meat in Manchester, you can find an amazing range of cheeses from the best in the UK at Littlewoods. Including the likes of Court Yard Dairy, Hafod Cheese and Fen Farm Dairy.
3 Hands Deli
Deansgate
A haven of artisan cheese, sourdough, craft beers, natural wines, British charcuterie,2B coffee and much more. They do some pretty stunning sarnies and the sourdough is from the lovely Holy Grain, make sure to check them out if you’re in town
Isca
Levenshulme
A wonderful space from the lovely Izzy and Caroline, with natural wine, organic food and much more! They have a small but divine selection of artisan cheeses.