Cheese please! Blessed Cheese in McLaren Vale

Cheese.

It’s one of my most favourite things in the whole entire world. No joke.

So when I finally had the chance to check out this winner in McLaren Vale I was oh so excited.

This winner is also commonly known as Blessed Cheese

Blessed Cheese has been around for ages, snuck away next to some other delicious foodie haunts on the Main Street of Mclaren Vale. A providore of sorts, also offering fabulous all day breakfasts and lunches, locally roasted coffee and of course, cheese.

In recent months this cafe has changed hands, but have no fear, the vibe is still super friendly, upbeat and cosy. You’ll be greeted with keen and vibrant staff, a huge menu on crafty blackboards and a infectious orange on the walls that will make you feel all types of warm and fuzzy. When it comes to seating there is plenty available inside as well as out the front, perfect for those with kids in tow or the keen lycra-clad cyclists who are after a caffeine fix after a Willunga Hill ride. If you are starting your day in the Vale then these guys will be your go to- they have McLaren Vale maps, tour ideas and plenty of pamphlets to plan your day (over coffee of course!)

Blessed Cheese is perfect for foodies and those who are new to the region and want to see what it has to offer. I’ve popped into this place twice now and on both occasions I was left feeling super full and chuffed with what was on the plate. On the first visit a friend and I ordered the Ploughmans Platter which was gigantic- never a bad thing. It was filled with locally sourced produce like hard and soft cheeses (a incredible brie), ham and salami, olives, pickles, relishes, greens and plenty of bread to mop it all up with.

The second visit consisted of lots of coffee- always a given- and a long breakfast. I’m usually a bit of a dud when ordering breakfast but on this occasion it was hard to order anything bad on the menu. It looks after the hungriest of eaters serving up big breakfasts- even offering reasonable priced additions like avo, cheeses and house made beans, to a simple brekky like rye with goats curd (a firm favourite with the locals).

I opted for the Spanish Baked Eggs with house made beans, manchego cheese, chorizo and sourdough whilst the other half decided on the Blessed Benny- poached eggs with hollandaise, avo, wilted baby spinach on rye.

Now these beans. Seriously. Some of the best house made beans to grace this mouth. The chorizo totally made it- rich, thick sauce and full of flavour. The eggs were cooked perfectly for me (not to runny) and the cheese was a nice addition adding a salty taste. There was plenty of bread as well- perfect to mop up all the delicious sauce. The other half was stoked with his meal- eggs again cooked perfectly, creamy hollandaise, spinach just wilted and plenty of avo- I’m talking almost a whole avocado.

Given it’s a cheese place you can also expect a cheese cabinet filled to the brim with artisan cheeses from the local area as well as plenty of crackers and extra additions- perfect for those who want to stop in and fill up a picnic basket. They also stock sweets, cold drinks and are a stop on the popular ‘Mclaren Vale Cheese and Wine Trail’.

If your in the Vale and looking for a place where the meals are bang on, then give this beauty a go.

You can find Blessed Cheese at 150 Main Road, McLaren Vale.