London's Only Cheese Conveyor Belt Serves Up A Parade Of Perfectly Paired Artisan Delights And Wine

If you've ever wanted to eat cheese off a conveyor belt, now's your chance. Located in the iconic Seven Dials Market in London's Covent Garden, Pick & Cheese is a sushi conveyor belt-style restaurant where plates of cheddar and tomato chutney, gouda and clotted cream fudge, and the singular whipped goat's cheese donut whiz past diners. The restaurant features a carefully curated selection of local British cheeses with artisanal pairings. While this London version seems to be the first of its kind, the concept is gaining popularity. Amsterdam Kaasbar, Amsterdam's own cheese train bar, also offers a uniquely cheesy dining experience.

When visiting Pick & Cheese, remember that the cheeses and their decadent accompaniments can get filling quite fast, and you don't want to miss out on something that looks particularly good or end up wasting a lot of cheese. Thus, it's advisable to go with company and share plates so that you get to sample a good chunk of the cheese conveyor belt's offerings. Each plate is color-coded depending on price, but Pick & Cheese also has an all-you-can-eat option on Wednesdays for 29.50 British pounds (about $38 at the time of writing) that includes all but the priciest (yellow) plates and gives you an hour and 15 minutes at the belt. Reservations (which require a credit card) are recommended, and the restaurant opens at midday on weekdays and 11 a.m. on weekends. Pick & Cheese closes at 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and closes early on Sundays. Seven Dials Market is a foodie's paradise, so when you visit, be prepared to get distracted by its other offerings, which include everything from fried chicken and bao buns to jollof rice and Indian kati rolls.

The over two dozen different types of cheese that populate Pick & Cheese's 131-foot conveyor belt are curated and regularly changed by the restaurant's owner, Mathew Carver, who owns multiple cheese-centric eateries as well as an artisanal cheese shop. Carver's reasoning behind the restaurant, which he started in 2019, is to get people to sample cheeses that they otherwise wouldn't. Buying an expensive block of artisanal cheese that you've never tried isn't an appealing idea for most people. However, with plate prices beginning under $10, people might be more open to experimenting with fromage, both stinky and otherwise. Bread, crackers, and salami are on hand if you want a break from exotic pairings, and there's a selection of small-batch European wines.

While it's unlikely you'd even get to them on your first visit, Pick & Cheese also has off-the-belt options like grilled cheese sandwiches and sharing plates. The decadent dessert offering is Port & Stilton Affogato, which consists of gelato made from Stilton, a type of British blue cheese, and caramelized walnuts, served with a shot of port wine.  

If London seems far, the good news is there's now a similar eatery stateside as well. Culture + Co. in Nashville is a cheese and charcuterie conveyor belt restaurant that pairs artisanal American cheeses with seasonal fruits and natural wines. Cheese lovers can also check out the award-winning cheeses at America's oldest cheese shop in California, which dates back over a century, or head to Sugarcreek, the "Little Switzerland of Ohio," with cheese and wine galore.