Where to find the best cheese boards in Edinburgh

Set on the Ormeau Road, Shed Bistro is a friendly neighbourhood bistro offering great food, friendly service, and a warm and welcoming atmosphere. With large windows, pale wood, and exposed brick interiors, this spot offers a relaxed vibe, making it perfect for dining at any time of the day.

First opened in 2012, Shed Bistro was taken over in 2018 by husband and wife team Jonny and Christina Taylor and has since won numerous awards including Bistro of the Year for Northern Ireland at the NI Food Awards 2019 and Casual Dining of the Year in County Antrim in NI Hospitality Awards 2019. For the perfect way to end your meal, you can choose either a three or a five cheese cheese board with a selection of the finest cheeses, accompanied by Nairn’s oatcakes and homemade spiced pear chutney.

Arguably the number one cheese deli in the city, I.J. Mellis Cheesemonger has a long and loved reputation among locals. Its vintage-style shops loaded with wheels of deliciousness are found in the most salubrious enclaves of Edinburgh, including this one, on the shopping strip of Morningside. In 2018, the shop expanded into the back, opening The Cheese Lounge, a sit-in eatery, where Mellis fans could while away a few hours with a brew or a natural, organic vino (on tap) surrounded by metro tiles and dark wood bistro furniture evocative of a 1940s Parisian cafe.

It’s separate from the counters, but you can still see through to the bustle of the deli. The cheese board is a steal at just £13.00 and comes with five cheeses, quince, cornichons and rustic oatcakes. Pop in with a friend or lover between noon and 3 pm any day of the week and you can nab a nifty lunch deal comprising the cheese board for two and a bottle of Gran Cerdo red or white wine for only £25.

The third on our list is an award-winning venue named as one of The Sunday Times’ Top 25 wine bars in the UK. The independently owned Le-De-Vin is in the West End, housed in a quirky period building and, as the name would suggest, is French in theme. With over 100 wines by the bottle and more than 30 by the glass, you’ll have an abundance of options when it comes to something you can wash your fromage down with. Les Planchettes include a cheesy plate of 

Chaource, Comte, Reblochon, Brie de Meaux, St Nectaire and Tome de Savoie. Francophiles will also love the oven-baked camembert, croques (madame and monsieur) and renowned raclette for two, the aroma and flavour of which is sure to transport you to the Alps in an instant. 

Another of cheese’s natural bedfellows is the pickle. And for some these tart and sour nibbles are an essential component of any cheese-based plate. This cosy emporium on Broughton Street celebrates all things vinegary, so of course, cheese is a mainstay of the small plate menu. Pickles serves platters designed for two, or one very hungry fromage connoisseur, with bread, oatcakes, pickles and a range of Scottish cheeses, for £20.00. Dogs — also famously fromage-loving beings — are also very welcome in the bar. Do be aware that Pickles has a no-booking policy. So you may have to take your chances at peak times.

Enjoy a cheese board as the finale to your meal, or as a tab nab to accompany a tipple in the bar, at Whiskers Wine Bar & Bistro. Head Chef and proprietor, Jonathan Cook is at the helm of the family-owned venue in Stockbridge, serving a menu of British food that’s inspired by classic French cooking. The cheese board comes in at £16 and consists of George Mewes cheese (a local artisanal and farmhouse supplier), homemade chutney and sourdough bread. The twice-baked cheese souffle is also amazing.