Cheshire cheese is the oldest named cheese in England. Recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, it was being made in this county before Roman times, and for hundreds of years Cheshire was more famous than Cheddar. The mineral-rich salty pastures of the Cheshire Plain give the cheese its uniquely complex flavour, and the tradition of hand-making cheese on Cheshire farms has been passed down through generations of farming families.
Applebys Dairy at Hawkstone Abbey Farm is the last family making traditional handmade clothbound raw milk Cheshire cheese. Founded by Lance and Lucy Appleby in 1952, the cheese is still made in the original dairy by a team that learned from Lucy herself. Neal Yard Dairy has sold Applebys Cheshire for over thirty years and calls it the benchmark of the style. H S Bourne in Malpas has been hand-making Cheshire cheese since 1750, making it one of the oldest continually operating cheese farms in the country, with an unpasteurised clothbound cheese and a farm shop. Joseph Heler on Laurels Farm in Nantwich has been producing classic British cheese to time-honoured recipes since 1957.
Nantwich is the epicentre of Cheshire food culture. The town hosts the International Cheese Awards, one of the most prestigious cheese competitions in the world, and the surrounding countryside supports a remarkable concentration of dairy and food producers. Cheerbrook Farm Shop near the M6 has been a finalist for Local Produce Shop of the Year. The Hollies near Tarporley champions local Cheshire producers. The Lambing Shed near Knutsford is a working farm selling its own meat and eggs with full traceability.
The drinks scene combines heritage and innovation. Weetwood Brewery has been producing exceptional beer since 1992, including the beloved Cheshire Cat ale, and now distils Cheshire first single malt whisky. Bollington Brewing near Macclesfield, RedWillow (also Macclesfield), Beartown in Congleton, and Tatton in Knutsford all add depth. Forest Distillery operates from a 17th century barn 1,200 feet up in Macclesfield Forest within the Peak District. Three Wrens near Chester and Spitting Feathers in Waverton complete a county that takes its food and drink heritage seriously.
Enter your postcode and discover what is near you.
