The Cheese Shop of Williamsburg on Duke of Gloucester Street in Merchants Square
Bread ends and house dressing. Yummm. Find out why thousands of College of William and Mary alums come back year after year. The Cheese Shop of Williamsburg hasn't change the house dressing recipe since ... forever. One time I asked Mary Ellen Power, one of the owners, what people came to the Cheese Shop to buy most often and she said the Cheese! Well, really, now that our taste buds have grown up we might agree. The cheese is wonderful and the Power family owners of the Shop do take their cheese and everything else at the Cheese Shop very seriously.
So, may we recommend the cheese? While you're tasting and picking one, grab a bag of bread ends and some house dressing. But if you're there for lunch, I'll make another recommendation ... or two. My favorite used to be smoked turkey and provalone with sprouts on whole wheat. The Cheese Shop uses French loaves cut on an angle to make a perfectly sized sandwich. (The bread ends mention above are the ends of the french loaves that can't be made into sandwiches.) Unless you ask, all sandwiches come with house dressing. (The house dressing is a secret recipe stirred together by Mr. Power himself every morning --- mayo, but not too greasy, with mustard, but not too sour, and spices, but not too hot.) There are all of the usually types of meat and cheese, but of the best variety, of course. Cheese Shop of Williamsburg sandwiches do no come with lettuce and tomato. PULEASE! You can ask for watercress or sprouts. My favorite sandwich these days (I became a vegetarian about 3 years ago) is a Veggie. The veggie mix is flavored with a delicious sweet and spicy oil and vinegar sauce. I get mine with cheese and it is served on foccacia bread.
CALL AHEAD! 757-220-0298. There is always, always a line. But they are fast, so don't don't go because I told you this little secret. Take the extra time to look at the other package foods lovingly chosen by the Powers and tastefully display for you. Or visit the wine cellar. Always something new and they know what to recommend. If you're in a big hurry, there's always the salad case. I'm a big fan of the spanich orzo salad. The also sell the small hunks of cheese that result from selling through most of the larger wheel at a low, low price. Grab a piece to have with your house dressing and bread ends.
