How or where do you buy decent English cheese in the EU now post-Brexit?

[PatellaBella789]

We are having guests at Easter and I fancy serving them some English cheese for a change. Whereabouts do you buy the good stuff nowadays post-Brexit?

I can already get a good Stilton and a reasonable cheddar, but I would love some really good Lancashire or Cheshire or Caerphilly for example.

I am based in Belgium but happy to drive to Northern France, Luxembourg or anywhere within a couple of hours for a really good selection of English cheeses. Thank you.

Edited to say that I know I have probably left it too late to order on-line and tbh with the postal services and customs and vat charges being what they are now, I'm reluctant to order on-line anyway!

[FestiveAuntFanny]

Le Grand Frais, closest to you probably Lille, has a reasonable selection - Shropshire blue, some cheddars, don't remember seeing Lancashire but a lot more foreign cheeses than usual for France.

There's a great cheese shop on the rue esquermoise in Lille centre which has English cheese too, called Phillipe Olivier.

Wouldn't a big Delhaize or Albert heijn in Belgium have some too though??

[PatellaBella789]

That’s a brilliant recommendation, thank you very much indeed FestiveAuntFanny! We often visit Lille as it’s very accessible from where we are!

Delhaize has a good Stilton and ok cheddar but less good since Brexit imho. I will check out Albert Heijn thank you!

[Butwhataboutthesealions]

Second the recommendation for Grand Frais. Only place we could ever find halloumi in France (yes, I know that isn't an English cheese!).

[PatellaBella789]

Thank you Butwhatabouthesealions

[FestiveAuntFanny]

Funny really as we often go to Belgium for what we see as English style supermarkets with stuff we can't get in France.

[PatellaBella789]

@FestiveAuntFanny

Funny really as we often go to Belgium for what we see as English style supermarkets with stuff we can't get in France.

I agree that, compared with France, there’s a lot of UK or UK “style” food in Belgium, especially Brussels. There wasn’t when I first arrived but there is now. And of course there are many more Irish products on sale now post-Brexit.

It’s such a shame about English, Welsh and Scottish cheeses though as they are amazing products and they don’t seem to have much reach in to Europe, not where I travel to anyway. To be fair that was always the case before Brexit, but at least you could order direct from UK then without much hassle!

[amyboo]

There's a pretty big English supermarket just outside Brussels, in a small town called Everberg. They used to have a cheese counter Pre-Brexit - but I'm not sure they do any more... They used to be affiliated to Waitrose, but they now mostly stock big brands and Irish own-brand stuff. But they should still have a pretty big selection of cheese I think. You could always give them a call? Home | Stonemanor

[PatellaBella789]

@amyboo

There's a pretty big English supermarket just outside Brussels, in a small town called Everberg. They used to have a cheese counter Pre-Brexit - but I'm not sure they do any more... They used to be affiliated to Waitrose, but they now mostly stock big brands and Irish own-brand stuff. But they should still have a pretty big selection of cheese I think. You could always give them a call? Home | Stonemanor

Edited

Thank you v much Amyboo. We visit Stonemanor from time to time and they have some nice things but I’m looking for something a bit more specialist.

[Oriunda]

My local Monoprix sells Wykes Farm extra mature cheddar, and their own brand cheddar isn’t too bad, either.

[belge2]

I live in Belgium too and haven't found anywhere other than Delhaize /Stonemanor to get English cheese (at vastly inflated prices!) I still buy cheese when I visit the UK (yes I am aware of the rules about importing post Brexit .... but ...)

[MollyRover]

Lidl have mature cheddars in during their British week and around Easter and Christmas. Twill do in a pinch, I normally buy it all up and freeze it. Outside of a Stilton or a plasticky cheddar I've never found decent English/ Irish cheeses in the speciality cheese shops.

[Caspianberg]

We are further away, but our local Billa sells a variety of Wykes cheddar. Billa is Rewe in Germany, so if you head that way at all I Suggest looking in Rewe.

Also, this is a few years back, but Edeka in Germany used to sell Marmite!

[PatellaBella789]

Thank you very much for all of these replies.

I don't think the UK Cheese marketing board, or whatever it is called, is doing a very good job is it? I wonder why they aren't making a better job of exporting some truly spectacularly good UK cheeses?

If you think about it in reverse, you go to any UK supermarket and there is a huge choice of dairy products from all over Europe. I know the French are generally more conservative in their choices than the Brits but it is such a wasted opportunity. And apart from all of that, I want to buy some for my own consumption over on this side of the channel!

[MollyRover]

Completely agree @PatellaBella789, don't understand it at all!! Brexit is an excuse now I don't doubt but I've been on the mainland for 20 years and apart from Cathedral Cheddar it's always been rare to find British cheeses

[StamppotAndGravy]

Kazerij Stalenhoef in Utrecht often has Lancashire fruitcake cheese and Stinking Bishop, but may be a bit too far! I would expect there to be British cheese available in specialist stores in Den Haag too. Jumbo sometimes has Black Bomber and port Stilton. Kelly's Expat Stores have a reasonable selection of Irish cheddars, but the choice isn't great.