The Cheese Bar | A brick-and-mortar upgrade from a foodtruck
The Cheese Bar in Camden, London celebrates and promotes the best of British cheese by making irresistible grilled cheese sandwiches. After a successful crowdfunding campaign (reaching the funding target of £130,000 in 5 days), Mathew Carver has opened his first permanent restaurant located in the historic Camden Market on the 23rd of March. Mathew has been selling his sandwiches from The Cheese Truck (a converted 1970’s ice cream van) named ‘Alfie’ since 2014. From foodtruck to a real restaurant.
The Cheese Bar | The menu
The full cheese focused menu features ‘Alfie’ classics such as festival favourite the Cropwell Bishop Stilton, Bacon & Pear Chutney sandwich; alongside new dishes, including Queso Fundido, a Mexican version of fondue; and a Breakfast Poutine (bacon gravy, candied pancetta, Gringa dairy cheese curds and a fried egg). For those with a sweet tooth, desserts will include a dark chocolate ice cream sundae made with honey and creamy ewes milk cheese, Beenleigh Blue.
The restaurant’s menu makes a point of championing a new breed of urban cheese makers, crafting produce within the M25, including La Latteria, Gringa Dairy in Peckham and Kupros, who produce 100% English sheep’s milk Halloumi. The restaurant itself will feature a large marble topped bar, exposed brick walls and floor to ceiling display fridges housing over thirty of Mathew’s favourite British cheeses, as well as a changing selection of twenty craft beers.
The Cheese Bar | Sandwich amnesty as charity initiative
On the 2nd of March, Mathew opened The Cheese Bar’s takeaway hatch as a sneak peek before the official opening. To mark this occasion he teamed up with local Camden charity SHP for a sandwich amnesty, offering Londoners a chance to upgrade their lunch.
Only during this day, hungry Londoners were able to head to this takeaway hatch to upgrade their shop-bought, pre-made sandwich for one Mathew’s signature grilled cheese sandwiches. At the end of the day, SHP collected the donated sandwiches, which their teams of willing volunteers distributed to soup and street kitchens across the Camden area.
Before the official launch, founder Mathew Carver said: “I can’t wait to be opening The Cheese Bar, it’s a dream come true! ‘Alfie’ and I have had some amazing adventures over the last three years; from the fields of Glastonbury to the deserts of the Middle East, we’ve served over 150,000 sandwiches and melted over 20 tonnes of British cheese. Now we’re ready to leave the trucks at home and set up shop in Camden Town.”
Website: The Cheese Truck
