The Big Cheese Shop in West Somerset

We love the big cheese, in fact I have just finished the delicious cheddar purchased from their deli on our holiday in Porlock last week. It's also a great place for your morning coffee and cake, located in the centre of this delightful seaside town with comfortable seating and a very genial host. Thank you to the staff at the big cheese - we will be back soon.

Exceptional service. What a fabulous little shop/cafe. I cannot recommend this place highly enough. It’s become a firm favourite to us and our extended family.

We loved this place. We just wanted a light lunch and were not disappointed. Beautiful cheese scone and perfect cup of tea ( and a pot of boiling water without asking! ) Directions to our destination thrown in too. Lovely owner. What’s not to love?!

We hebben hier een heerlijke baguette gegeten. De koffie was de lekkerste die we in Engeland hebben gedronken. Er werd ook veel werk aan besteed en verse bonen gemalen. We hebben nog wat jam gekocht en een heerlijk stukje kaas. Dat mag natuurlijk niet ontbreken in deze kaaswinkel

Lovely coffee, cakes and cafe! Spotlessly clean cafe. Excellent service. A man who takes real pride in his cafe and work. Highly recommend. If I lived closer I would go often. Gluten free cake option. Bought eggs which were delicious.

We popped in a couple of time to order from the deli (cheese, meat, and olives). Efficient and friendly service, and the cheese is great.

We popped in for a cuppa and some cake one afternoon in Porlock. Lovely friendly service from the gentleman in the shop, great coffee and delicious cakes. The cheese and deli looked great too. Would recommend.

Having recently moved to Porlock and with my daughters wedding coming up in Surrey I asked the lovely proprietor if he could possibly supply cheese rounds in order for me to make a cake of cheeses for the occasion. We discussed the best options and went for a mature cheddar, Cornish yarg, Stilton and a Brie. The price was very competitive, and he kindly gave me a red waxed love heart for the crowning glory. The cheese was ready for collection the day we needed to travel within a cooling box. I have to say the cheeses we’re all amazing and widely commented on with much appreciation. I decorated the rounds myself with fresh peony, lavender and rosemary which was fairly easy. I can’t recommend the shop enough and if you have your own occasion, whatever it may be give it a go. Your guests will be delighted! Lisa Porlock

A delightful escape on a busy narrow High Street in the small town of Porlock. It looks attractive on the outside, and within you will find limited seating in a delicatessen, but a delightful setting with beautiful food on display and much of it on offer via the limited menu Service is excellent. and friendly and willing to talk you through the cheeses and deli options available. The food is straight forward and wholesome, and mostly homemade. Chutneys and various dishes are focused on local produce and the experience is one of savouring nice food in a delightful setting Very much a pace worth stopping for

Nice and clean the member of staff very friendly and helpful and coffee tea and snacks excellent all round value for money

Lovely fresh baguettes, cake and the coffee is first class. Will definitely visit again. Really relaxed place, super friendly staff.

They don't do breakfast here as such; but I had a cheese pasty sitting at one of the tables, plus a very nice coffee; and this was my last refreshment till I reached Lynmouth hiking along the Coleridge Way. The fellow behind the counter was friendly and efficient and inspired instant confidence. The Cornish pasty tasted spot on, as did the coffee. This looked an excellent shop, clean and with an impressive array of quality produce on display.

A group of 10 descended to get lunch to take away before starting a walk to Porlock Weir. The selection of local cheeses was impressive and the cheese or pate baguettes were delicious. We popped around the corner and ate under the tree in the churchyard.

A lovely pit stop for a cream teas both the fruit and savoury options were fab teas and coffee also great, staff were extremely polite and professional - Well recommend. Thank you.

Great coffee, plus a very good coffee and walnut cake. Who needs more.. There was also an array of deli foods, pastries and more. Very good.

Love this place - first visited a few months ago and as it was so good, visited again last week. Small, only 3 tables, but yummy snack lunch again, and great service too. Lots of tempting deli goods on sale, good for take outs too.

Lovely little place. Made very welcome . Very clean. Lovely snacks. Wish I lived locally so I could use regularly.

We only stopped for 2 coffees in this delicatessen with 3 tables. This was definitely the best coffee we had enjoyed in the Porlock area during our week here. It was a smooth roast, not bitter, and when I asked if it was a South American blend the owner confirmed it was from Colombia. Wish we had discovered it earlier in our week.

Great cafe and sandwich shop. I came in every morning for our lunch to go walking. Tasty baguettes made with local ingredients- Brie and Cranberry and Pate and Chutney particular favourites. Great service

The second year my wife and I have visited The Big Cheese for a cream tea. And we were not disappointed. The scones were excellent and had been warmed through which is very rare in our experience for a tearoom. My wife just loved the Whortleberry jam which came as a very generous serving as did the cream. I find jams too sweet for my palate so, sadly, I left most of it plus I couldn't manage all of the cream. (I hate waste and felt guilty for leaving it.) Nevertheless, it is one of the best cream teas in the South West if not THE best. The proprietor and the young lady who served us were extremely friendly which added to our enjoyment. We will certainly revisit the next time we are on holiday in this part of the country.

Quick stop to get lunch, coffee and pasty. Pasty was the best I have ever eaten (and I'm not young). Highly recommend.

A lovely little deli/cafe. We had amazing sausage rolls, pasties and a delicious soup. We took away cheeses which were great. We would definitely go back. Oh and the children’s hot chocolates were scrummy!

Called in for a quick coffee & cake on recent visit to Porlock. It was a very welcoming place, service very good & reasonably priced. We had a latte each, the coffee was excellent and so were the pastries we ordered. I can defo vouch for the raspberry frangipani slice, it was delicious.

What a wonderful shop, so much choice, takeaway or eat in, and very reasonably priced. Can recommend the smoked salmon baguettes, which were exceptional. Worth getting off the Exmoor Explorer bus for (hop on hop off), just for lunch and a quick look round Porlock. The bus is good value too.

From a distance this place looks like it might be serving burgers, but it's basically a deli which also serves tea, coffee, etc. We shared a cake, which was good, and our coffees were exceptionally good. Service fine, decor fine.

Called in this fantastic place, whilst on holiday in the area, had been to Minehead, and saw signs for Porlock, so parked up and decided to stretch our legs . Walked up from car park, looked in the small independent shops ,spotted the big cheese, went in and had three beverages and a toasted teacake, brilliant and then bought some cheese and chutney and bread for our tea .Fantastic value and cheese etc very good, service and staff were helpful and friendly

A little gem in the middle of sleepy Porlock❤️…. Everything very fresh and so reasonably priced , very very high quality! As a coffee drinker best coffee in the area!

We nipped in to the Big Cheese to grab some snacks before a days mountain biking…and then went back again and again!Although we didn’t actually buy much cheese, their pasties were amazing and the peppermint slice is clearly Somerset’s answer to Kendall mint cake for that key energy boost

This is a great shop highly recommended for the cheese selection and other food items sold here the owner stuart is a good friendly chap and his staff are very friendly I would highly recommend this delicatessen and cafe

This cafe does made to order baguettes. I bought them daily to take walking. They were great value and very tasty. Smoked salmon and cream cheese and pate and chutney were particular favourites!

Popped in here for a couple of pasties to take on our walk. They were tasty and full of ingredients. Great value and lovely friendly staff.

Stopped here for a quick bite and cup of tea. The proprietor was working alone but was so efficient, taking details for track and trace and making an excellent pot of strong tea, with extra hot water and complimentary biscuits. We had a baguette, Made to order and a hot sausage roll with local chutney. Everything was presented nicely with a surprising attention to detail, a rare quality in a lot of food places. We were in Porlock house hunting, I hope we find a house and can make this our go to cafe.

Not only does the Big Cheese have a fabulous range of interesting and delicious cheeses it serves the best coffee in Porlock. Also a great place to pick up your lunch to take with you on one of the local walks or a National Trust adventure. Plus great friendly service.

We visited twice – once for breakfast and again for coffee and cake another day. All food/drinks and the service were excellent. Without doubt, the best coffee and walnut cake we’ve found around Porlock. The name refers to the deli part – the eat in tables are more traditional café. Cream teas and various cakes offered, plus a wider menu of light snacks (surprisingly un-cheesy ones). Deli goods looked fabulous but we did not buy. Very well worth a visit – we certainly come again.

Probably the best cream tea I've ever had. Friendly service and good covid measures in place as well.

Just walked from Minehead to Porlock. Stopped at this cafe for a lovely cup of coffee. Great selection of local cheeses

We happily returned to The Big Cheese, post ‘lockdown’.The arrangements and layout had been altered and we felt safe.We were welcomed by cheery, masked smiles,. The eyes told us!The range of cheeses were, as usual, tempting and coffees (cappuccino & Americano) delicious. The chat in new ‘friendship’ bubbles very pleasurable.Welcome back open BG.

The proprietor 'knows his cheeses' and it's a great place to try and buy local cheeses that are in tip top condition. It's also a good place to enjoy morning coffee or afternoon tea. Great fresh bread and lots of delicious 'foodie' things.

We stayed in the area, in a cottage just at the back of the High Street, so this establishment was very local.This year was our second visit as a family, and we knew the Big Cheese had an excellent selection of cheeses - of course - but more local produce besides, including beers, ciders, jams and chutneys.On our first visit last year, my daughter and I discovered the delights of Godminster cheese, one of the many types stocked here, and we now look forward to returning to the place where we found it, and to bringing this and a few other cheeses back home. You can also buy bottles of Ex-Press Cider, produced in the village, and a handful of local bottled ales.The cafe is usually pretty busy, and the shop.cafe's proprietor is usually around serving customers. On our latest visit, my wife had a cream tea, and said the scone was one of the best she tasted - this in an area where such teas are a speciality, of course.

We stopped for a teacake and tea/coffee with my young son and loved this cafe. Delicious teacakes and really friendly service, made us feel very welcome. And amazing coffees too!

Little bit slow but coffees, savouries (sausage rolls in this case) and brownie were delicious. Excellent range of local eats from jams to gin and a fine selection of cheeses. All served by friendly and knowledgeable staff

Small, lovely shop on the High Street of Porlock Village, with a great selection of British products, mainly local products: cheeses, crackers, chutneys, homemade cakes, Exmoor Gin, local ciders and beer. They sell some hampers of different sizes with a mix of these products, and also sandwiches and pasties to eat in or take out. I had a traditional pasty with some chutney and bought a jar of the local Whortleberry Jam. The service was good and friendly.

The Big Cheese in the centre of Porlock is the perfect for a coffee break or light lunch. The welcoming owner Stuart provides excellent coffee & a range of cakes and treats. He also stocks a large, wide range of lovely cheeses and locally produced jams, pickles gin & cider.

Walking in the area and needed a snack/drink, we came across The Big Cheese and our first impression was how clean the shop/cafe looked.We ordered toast with a preserve (Whortleberry) and coffees plus a scone etc for our grand daughter.The place is clean, very clean and a nice atmosphere despite being small, the coffee/ toast etc was good (as toast can be) and the chap who served us was pleasant and chatty. Well worth a visit, they sell preserves etc as well.

A tiny little shop cum coffee house but my goodness do they do a great raspberry frangipane slice. I would go back again just for that, even if the coffee hadn't been great too - which it was!

We went for a mid-morning cuppa and snack.One son had a cream tea and the other a savoury scone with Somerset brie and chutney. Both enjoyed them very much, and we ended up buying some brie and chutney to take home!We had a good cup of tea and a Danish pastry.There are only a few tables here, so you feel slightly overlooked by the staff at the counter while you eat, but the food is delicious and the staff friendly and attentive. Well worth a visit.

A great place for lunch or a cup of tea with good quality fare and friendly service and a delicatessan with a variety of cheeses hence the name.

We moved to the area around six months ago and had walked past this shop in the past and thought that we must try it out. We did today and will definitely be going back. What a great idea to have a cheese shop with a tea room that is also licensed. Some great craft beers, ciders and gins. We had both savoury and sweet cream teas and enjoyed it so much we the bought a pot of the jam and Somerset brie we had eaten. Staff were very welcoming and friendly. We would recommend a visit if you are in Porlock.

Having moved from a big city to Porlock Weir the thing that has been most missed is a quality coffee shop... until now. The big cheese offers fabulous coffee with a soya milk alternative ,unheard of around here, and the best savoury scones I’ve ever tasted especially as I rarely eat cake/pastry/ bread . Everything sold in the big cheese is top quality from the cakes to the preserves to the cheese to the drinks all top notch. Service is gentle, professional and prompt and the place is spotless, a welcome and refreshing change from most of the places I have tried. Please give this business your custom we need small independent quality offerings if we are to preserve England’s unique high street charm.

Friendly atmosphere , prompt cheery service & good coffee, we only had coffee, but there is limited food available & a good selection of cheese's & gin/cider/beer for sale. What more could you ask for .

This is a great place. I wrote a rather woeful review on my last visit, but am really cheered by the fact the Big Cheese is under new management, which has obviously brought a most welcome refresh. Great products (local honey a must) and great service. Thank you!

Popped in for some cheese they have a good selection of cheeses and other local products like jam,chutney, bread, ciders,gins,beers and other deli products. It is also a coffee shop. Service was very good as was the cheese I purchased.

We recently stayed in Porlock and popped in for some cheese, bread etc for our picnic. Our 6 year old daughter was kindly offered a little piece of cheddar to try...….she loved the Wookey Hole!! The young man who served us said very little but took his time and wrote the name of the cheese on the wrapping as we had purchased a few types. A little over priced but nonetheless quaint little shop.

Was looking forward to a visit here. But was disappointed. Lacked any customer contact or dialogue or offer of help.

Visited to buy local produce (cheese, bread, pickles etc.) - excellent choice and good service . All products bought were very fresh and tasty - worth a visit.

We had a great lunch here today. Presented well by nice friendly staff. We would defiantly recommend this place

Always head for this place when on holiday. Love the range of cheeses on offer. Excellent service and advice given to help us decide which cheese to choose. Spoilt for choice.

Really tasty, freshly made sandwiches and ploughman’s, beautifully presented. Loved the homemade chutney! Great service too,we recommend you stop off here!

Lovely selection of food to eat in or take-away with, as expected, a nice range of cheese. The Somerset brie is excellent and though moderately priced, the various chutneys and in my case, the marmalade's are exceptional.

Visited and purchased some cheese while staying in Porlock. Had some really nice artisan cheese which we all really enjoyed.

This is a nice little tearoom to go and have a cup of tea and a slice of cake. The tea & coffee they use is Miles tea and coffee which is produced and sold in the village. They also have a selection of jars of jam and alcohol and a deli counter which sells mainly - you'll be surprised to know - cheeses - hence the name.

We had tea/coffee and sticky buns here last week, very impressed as I was asked how strong I wanted my coffee (very). Excellent selection of cheeses, pastries and charcuterie as well as a wide range of preserves, beers and ciders (not locked in a cabinet by the way). Staff were very friendly and the prices were reasonable. Would thoroughly recommend. Reviewers need to understand that it is important we keep these independent coffee shops going otherwise we get the American conglomerates in their place so let's try writing some honest reviews.

Decided to try a coffee here as they advertise a flat white (Australian). Although the coffee was good, it wasn't actually a flat white like I am familiar with in Australia. England doesn't really do a proper flat white, except in one or two rare places I have come across. It usually takes a barista to do the correct preparation.

Great selection, good value and excellant service. We bought both items for ourselves and gifts to take home for friends,

We visited Porlock on a rainy, cold day. Not many shops were open however this tearoom was lovely. Friendly service by the owner. Well worth a visit when you visit Porlock. It also appeared to be frequented by the locals which is always a good indication.

Fab delicatessen on the high street where you can sit in for lunch or cake or just coffee. Huge selection of cheeses and chutney and jams and internet order is available. Porlock is a quiet, sleepy place so it's great to have somewhere like this to grab a tea cake and a coffee when all else there was shut or rammed.

Lovely little shop offering tea,coffee and snacks. Also excellent range of jams, chutneys and pickles and a section of cheeses. The beverages are from the local suppliers innthe village. Can recommend the hot chocolate.

We visited The Cheese Box Coffee Shop

My husband and I stopped at this little cafe the other day and had a thoroughly lovely afternoon tea. Friendly staff, delicious scones, and the cafe itself is adorable. Would definitely recommend!

We enjoyed our snack and drink served by very friendly staff; our coffee was well made as was the food.

Had the cheese tasting board - excellent and best hot chocolate I've had in ages. Can eat in or take away.

whilst camping in Porlock we decided to stop and have a cream tea, and i am very glad we did it was delicious, lovely jam and a pot of clotted cream with a delicious warm scone. my patterned had the savory cream tea and loved it. we were unsure of the two ladies though they were bordering on being rude but the man was very pleasant and helpful which made up for it. If in the area again we would defiantly return.

Popped in for coffee so we could take a look at the menu, they offer lots of good things to eat. We decided to go back the next day for a cheese taster plate. So glad we did, we tried 3 different cheeses each and 2 chutneys. Came home with 2 of our favourites and a jar of chutney. They also offer gluten free crackers. If you are a cheese fan definitely pop in. We loved the cheeses and can't wait to go back. The staff are really friendly and welcoming

Delicious selection of goods including a great range of cheeses - as you would expect from a shop called The Big Cheese! What an asset to pretty Porlock.

Esta es una casa de primera clase, delicatessen y sala de café en la calle principal de porlock. Tiene calidad de café, pan, pasteles, chutneys, encurtidos, conservas y bocadillos para llevar. Paramos un descanso para tomar café después de ser dejado en la iglesia con...

Tienda que venden una asombrosa variedad de excelentes quesos, además de cervezas, sidras y productos horneados. Personal amable y servicial.

Tienda de queso y un delicioso pan. Servir un buen té de calidad y café con una selección de panes, tartas y otras delicias. Es sólo un pequeño lugar dirigido por un equipo de marido y mujer así amable podrá disfrutar de un buen servicio personal. También es utilizada por los lugareños como un lugar parando cuando compras así que está seguro de ser una buena señal. Visita con confianza. Visitó en varias ocasiones en diferentes visitas a Exmoor.

Prefiere apoyar empresas locales así mientras pasea por la ciudad, vimos este café y decidí cheesmonger pop. Personal muy amable y gran selección de locales y otros quesos. Elegimos uno y un rollo de salchichas (aleatorios sé) no me decepcionó. Ambos muy sabroso, tanto que un salto atrás más adelante en la semana para más queso (diferente) y también un rollo llevar baguette/salchichas. De nuevo, el personal es servicial y la comida era impecable.

Visited Porlock on a drizzly day, and stopped for lunch. Had a sandwich and panini, both very tasty the accompanying salad was a work of art, with sliced apples, salad and chutney. Service was ok but not very fast, but once you saw the amount of work on presentation you know why!Would go again if in the area

Arrived on a rainy lunch time, very friendly staff. Nice coffees and local Brie and chutney baguette was good and the side salad was superb. Wife's sausage roll was good. Little pricey perhaps. But overall a very pleasant experience.

A very welcoming coffee shop , deli and lunch stop. Food is delicious and they really know what they are doing. Under new management in 2016, this one is worth putting into the itinerary without a doubt.

We had morning coffee and toast and marmite as we sheltered from the rain before beginning our walk. The selection of cheese and pickles in the deli looked great and the menu also looked decent although can't comment on the food other than to say our toast was fine. Nice warm welcome, good atmosphere (had a lovely chat with the couple next to us) and good value. Worth a visit.

On the way to Porlock Weir so picked up 2 pasties from here on the way past. Wish I hadn't bothered, they looked lovely in the window but had 3 mouthfuls of pastry before getting to the insipid tasteless mix in the middle which included lots of carrot!

Stopped off in this lovely little coffee shop for a light bite and a coffee. I ordered a cheese dish and I have to admit that it was more than I was expecting with the attention to detail as slices of tomato and cucumber took turns to dress the side of the plate, a small delicious dish of Apple and Exmoor Ale chutney, (of which we purchased a jar to take home), served with what I assume to be locally fresh grown salad greens. They had a garden fresh taste to them, nothing like the supermarket greens, thankfully. My wife had the creamed tea with scone, clotted fresh cream and whortleberry jam, (berrys from the moors, and a jar of which we purchased to take home with us). Certainly a pleasant little stop off with attentive and polite staff.Definitely worth a visit and one that I would visit again myself.

Enjoyed a fantastic ploughman's lunch over bank holiday weekend. Service was great and enjoyed a browse in the shop after lunch too; looking forward to trying the chutney and jam when we get home.

Stopped for some freshly made baguettes and takeaway coffee. All freshly prepared and great value to.

While I enjoyed The Big Cheese before, the new Owner runs what was a very good, professionally run business in his own way and this place has become even better! He has a more gentle, charming approach and you are relaxed from the minute you walk through the door? The food is superb, the service is perfect and nothing is too much trouble, whether you want just a very good coffee or a wonderful taste experience in a very ambient atmosphere. There are a wide range of indulgences for sale as well, not forgetting the fabulous cheeses of course! The perfect place to wile away some time, eat good food, beautifully presented and just relax!

We stopped off in Porlock during a one day visit to this area. Called at the big cheese and the staff prepared us a lovely cheese roll and a gluten free snack of cheese and crackers to take out. A lovely shop and beautifully equipped. If I lived in that area I would be daily customer and would love to try and savour the huge selection of cheeses on offer.

Popped in for morning coffee - best I've had in a long time. Chatting to the staff it seems that they take great pride and care in their coffee, and judging by the massive Gaggia machine on the counter I see what they mean☺

Small 'deli' with, cheese counter, coffee, a large selection of jams, chutneys and sauces, pastries and cakes, and three tables to eat in from a small menu.We took out some delicious pastries and a brownie, good coffee and a fresh take out baguette with ham and mustard, which clearly lacked inspiration.

As locals, we're fairly frequent visitors; The Big Cheese has become a favourite for a coffee or light lunch - always delicious & beautifully presented. Selections of cheeses is great too, with the owner clearly 'knowing his stuff'!! - and creating a friendly, relaxed atmosphere; offers an interesting selection of other deli products too.

Lots of picking bits to try, not just cheese! I enjoyed an excellent baguette, Pop in and have a look!

Really great range of cheese - even Old Amsterdam, which is hard to find! Lovely coffee and gluten free cake. Small establishment so not much room to sit, but an elderly gent offered us a seat with him at a table - plenty of conversation ensued, what an interesting chap!

Called in for a cool drink and a nibble. We had local homemade lemonade and elderflower presse, lovely. The scones were very good indeed, cheese or fruit. Nice little place with a deli to buy some quality foods. Pleasant friendly staff too.

We were camping nearby and when seeing the cheese shop could not resist. I am a big cheese lover and ordered a cheese taster board for one, 3 cheeses with crusty bread and two types of chutney. My husband ordered the soup of the day and we ordered two types of coffee. The coffee was tasty but not very warm, which we both found very off putting. I got to select my own cheeses and asked for advise which was great and the cheeses were very good and so was the chutney served with the cheese, but it was not as advertised chunky fresh bread, but half a baguette that was clearly shop bought and just reheated. Not what I expected on a £ 12.99 cheese board. My husband also found his soup, which was served with the same bread, lacking in flavor. The shop is nice and the service was also great and I would go back to buy cheese and chutney, but probably not to have food again.

We had several time a pleasant break in this restaurant for a cup of tea or coffee. The food is fresh and well tasty.

The cream tea came with a still warm large scone,whirtle berry preserve & clotted cream. The tea was brilliant, but ,service slow, staff were nice & personable plus the cafe was clean if small. They also sold preserves local wine & cider.

Lovely warm and relaxed atmosphere along with wonderful service. We enjoyed a lovely cream tea with whortleberry jam ...... Which is definitely a must !! With locally made produce on sale too ,which makes great gifts to take back from holiday ...... This shop is definitely a must to visit in Porlock.

We came across this fantastic place whilst on holiday - a large range of great and beautifully kept cheeses , pastries to die for , bread , deli items and lovely coffee for those with time to dawdle and enjoy.The owner was equally delightful ,knowledgeable about his stock and most helpful and friendly.

We stumbled on this excellent cheese shop by luck. They serve top quality coffee, wonderful cakes, a selection of local produce and hold a range of cheese to match the best in Borough Market. The service is friendly and the owner was knowledgeable and helpful when we enquired about the cheeses.I would disregard the negative earlier reviews as since March it has been under new ownership. The ambiance is friendly and welcoming it is an excellent place for coffee and to buy cheese from, well worth a visit.