In April 2026, Speciality Food published its guide to 22 of the best cheesemongers in the North of England — and George & Joseph was very pleased to be included.
Lists like this matter to us because specialist cheese retail is a small world full of brilliant people. Being named alongside respected shops from across Yorkshire, Lancashire, Manchester, the North East and beyond is something we don’t take for granted.
What makes a good cheesemonger?
For us, it isn’t simply about having lots of cheese.
It is about knowing what is on the counter, looking after it properly and helping customers navigate it without making the whole thing feel intimidating.
It is also about relationships. With customers, certainly, but with cheesemakers too. The more we understand about who made a cheese, how it was made and how it changes through the seasons, the better we can explain it and sell it well.
More than the shop
The feature also highlighted the wider parts of George & Joseph: our in-person and virtual tastings, G&J Cheese School, UK delivery, wedding cheese cakes and monthly cheese boxes.
Those things have grown over the years, but they all come back to the same idea — helping people find cheese they love.
You can read Speciality Food’s full guide here.
Or come and see what’s on the counter yourself: visit George & Joseph in Chapel Allerton.
This article was added retrospectively to the G&J Journal archive to record the people, milestones and stories that have shaped George & Joseph.