This Triangle cheese shop made a splash with its pop-ups. Now it’s opening a restaurant
These days, if you see a spread of cheeses you know you’ve found a party.
Building on the momentum of all things cheese, a Carrboro Cheese counter is set to expand with its first full restaurant.
The Cheese Shop, one of the Triangle’s top cheese evangelists, will open a new 1,800-square-foot restaurant next year in Carrboro.
Currently, The Cheese Shop exists as an 80-square-foot counter inside the Carrboro wine bar Glasshalfull.
Owned by married couple Steve and Michelle Webb, the new Cheese Shop space will be built in the Carolina Car Wash building at 100B Brewer Lane in Carrboro, near Chapel Hill. The space also includes Belltree Cocktail Club.
“We are especially excited about this location inside the Carolina Car Wash Building, which puts us in a part of Carrboro with a very rich history,” Michelle Webb said in a release. “Most importantly, it puts us squarely next to one our strongest partners and supporters — Belltree Cocktail Club — where we intend to continue fostering one-of-a-kind events and opportunities for cheese-lovers.”
Originally from Great Britain, Stevie Webb moved to the United States in 2006 and has a background training as a cheesemonger at Brooklyn’s Greene Grape and as a chef at Leiths School of Food & Wine in London.
In general, cheese is having a bit of a moment, with lavish spreads of bloomy, funky, gooey, sharp and salty cheese varieties beamed across social media by people who appear to be dining like royalty.
Opened as a pop-up in 2022, The Cheese Shop has stepped into that excitement and delivered cheese experiences with perspective. The Webbs started the brand selling cheese at the Pluck Farm Farmer’s Market and created a cheese-based supper series. Now you can find curated Cheese Shop packs at a half dozen Orange County breweries and wine bars.
“Opening our first standalone location is a dream realized for us,” said Stevie Webb, co-founder and head cheesemonger in a release. “It’s not just about expanding our business; it’s about creating a haven for cheese lovers where people can explore, savor, and celebrate the rich world of artisanal cheeses.”
The new restaurant will feature a massive cheese counter where wheels and blocks can be sampled and cut to order. The menu will include rare and odd cheeses, worldwide favorites and local standouts, plus sandwiches, soups and snacks. The space will also feature a 15-seat cheese bar for tastings and special meals.
The owners say to expect the new and expanded Cheese Shop to open summer 2024 and that the Glasshalfull residency will continue indefinitely, at least until next fall.
This story was originally published November 1, 2023 at 9:58 AM with the headline "This Triangle cheese shop made a splash with its pop-ups. Now it’s opening a restaurant."
