For most people that enjoy food in Edinburgh (or in fact any city in Scotland that has one of their six shops), I.J. Mellis Cheesemongers is a well known institution. Providing the best quality cheeses from Western Europe in their small, damp and cave-like shops, this is the place to come for anyone that enjoys top quality produce. I regularly head to the Stockbridge branch - mainly because it's close to where I stay, but also because of a wee secret it holds in the back.. A café.
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| Blink and you'll miss it - Mellis Stockbridge is a tiny Edinburgh institution. |
First, let's talk about the shop itself. When you walk in you are presented with a bench positively crammed with about 40 cheeses. Ranging from a variety of goudas from the Netherlands, through French mainstays like Tomme de Savoie, Comté and the hugely interesting Mimolette. Then you hit a few blues - the ever brilliant Colston Basset Stilton nestled next to its orange sister, Shropshire Blue. As you bypass the till (which often has amazing homemade tablet cleverly placed next to it), we come to slates of soft French and English goat's cheeses. Behind this, you'll find a great selection of hard Scottish cheeses. If you enjoy a strong, gritty cheese, the Isle of Mull Cheddar is for you - however they also have more mild ones, such as the Wensleydale-esque Anster from Anstruther or the fantastically nutty Bonnet, a goat's cheese from Ayrshire. If you prefer softer cheeses, they have a great selection in an open fridge by the front door - along with a selection of Italian meats, ready to be freshly sliced by the rather intimidating meat slicing machine. If you're not sure what you want, the attentive and knowledgeable staff are there to assist you, letting you try before you buy and wrapping and labelling your cheeses individually.
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| A spectacular selection. |
So the shop is excellent, and it pretty much has been for over 15 years now. However the café is a very new addition. Opening about six months ago, this small, rustic room (known as the 'tasting' room) emulates the traditional feel of the shop. With terracotta tiled floors, metal tables and French bistro chairs, this café is unique to Edinburgh and what they have to offer, food wise, is incredibly exciting. The menu is not extensive - which is more often than not a good thing. Their main offer is a variety of cheeseboards - from a French 'peasant's' plate to a carefully selected Scottish 'Pictish' plate, and each platter comes with traditional accompaniments - however, I opted for a toastie. Now this was no ordinary warm sandwich - this toastie is made with Parisian sourdough bread and and your choice of handmade artisan cheese. I went for the Ragstone (a relatively tangy goat's cheese) with red onion chutney (£5.50) and, I'm deadly serious when I say this, it was the best cheese toastie I have ever had. It even came with a small ramekin of gherkins, which went perfectly with the flavours in the sandwich. Sour, sweet and salty - the combination had clearly been carefully thought out and it was perfectly balanced. The sourdough also added another level, with a slight charcoal tang finishing off every bite. It cannot be beaten.
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| A lunch to die for. |
I also thought I'd give the coffee (£1.70) a go. Now, I know what you're thinking, a cheesemonger that serves coffee? Yes, and it'll be one of the better coffees you'll have. It matches the competition of the area which, as a lot of Stockbridge regulars will know, is very high. A free piece of tablet with my flat white certainly capped off an excellent mid-week lunch.
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| A tasty and well made coffee. |
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| A traditional setting for a cosy café |
So, if you fancy a delicious lunch in a nice setting (they also do takeaway, so make sure to pop in even when you're in a rush) make sure to try the relatively unknown Mellis Stockbridge café. It's ridiculous that it isn't more popular with what they have to offer, at a reasonable price too. So give it a go, and let me know what you think!
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