London Cheese Crawl & Walking Tour

London’s best feature on this tour is not a grand landmark but a series of excellent bites. You move from Fortnum & Mason’s cheese counter to an old-school cheesemonger, an Italian deli, and other food stops while tasting five or more styles of cheese.

I like the generous range, from truffle cheese and Stilton to matured goat cheese and baked Camembert. I also like the guides’ playful approach, with cheese trivia, quizzes, and plenty of jokes from hosts such as Jack, Nick, and Monterey Jack.

The main caution is group size. The tour is advertised for no more than eight people, but some past departures had 12 or even 24, which meant smaller portions, waiting outside, and less personal attention. Confirm the group size before booking, especially during busy periods.

Key points to know before you book

• Five major cheese styles are included: Expect truffle cheese, Stilton, drunk cheese, matured goat cheese, and baked Camembert, with additional tastes possible along the route.
• The walk links four central London areas: You begin near St. James’s, visit Mayfair and Soho, then finish around Covent Garden before returning to the meeting point.
• The guides make or break the experience: Jack, Nick, Perla, and Monterey Jack are praised for humor, cheese knowledge, and keeping the walk lively.
• The advertised group limit is eight: Larger groups have appeared on some departures, so ask about the current size if a quiet tasting matters to you.
• All tasters are included in the $63.98 price: You are paying for the food, guide, and themed walking experience rather than buying cheese separately at each stop.
• The pace can vary: Most people found the walk manageable, but one departure moved too quickly and another ran long enough that a participant had to leave early.

A cheese-first way to see central London

This is a food walk with London scenery between the tastings. You are not spending two hours inside a single shop or sitting at one table. Instead, you get a guided route through some of the city’s most polished central districts, with cheese as the reason to keep moving.

The meeting point is the Constance Fund fountain of Diana, near St. James’s, and the tour begins at noon. That timing works well for a late breakfast or an early lunch, but you should not plan a large meal before joining. The tasting can amount to several portions of cheese, and the food is the point of the outing.

At $63.98 per person, this is not a bargain snack stop. It can still offer fair value if you want several guided tastings, food background, and a walk through central London without paying separately at every counter. The value drops if the group is large or if you expect a formal meal rather than samples.

The experience is offered in English and includes a mobile ticket. Most people can take part, and service animals are allowed. You should tell the provider about allergies or special dietary needs before the tour, since cheese selection and food handling matter here.

St. James’s and the start at noon

The opening section in St. James’s sets the tone. You meet near the Diana fountain, then begin a walk toward the food stops. The first half hour is listed as an introduction to the cheese crawl, so expect the guide to explain the plan, introduce cheese terms, and get the group moving rather than settle in for a full tasting at the fountain.

You may hear the word turophile, meaning someone who loves cheese. That small bit of cheese vocabulary captures the mood: this is meant to be light, social, and a little silly. The guides use jokes and wordplay, and a cheese quiz adds a game to the walk.

That humor is more important than it may sound. A cheese tasting can become a dry lecture if the guide focuses only on production methods and origins. Hosts such as Jack, Nick, and Monterey Jack have been praised for keeping the subject friendly and entertaining. Perla also received credit for making the most of a difficult day with heavy crowds.

The start is also practical for sightseeing. St. James’s and nearby Mayfair are easy areas to combine with a day of central London exploration. Since the tour returns to its meeting point, you do not need to plan around a distant finish, though you should allow flexibility if the walk runs longer than two hours.

Fortnum & Mason: truffle cheese and Stilton

The first major tasting is at Fortnum & Mason in Mayfair. This famous department store is a fitting stop for a food tour because the cheese counter gives you a polished London retail setting rather than a plain café or casual takeaway.

Here you taste truffle cheeses and Stilton. The truffle selection gives the tasting a strong opening, with a distinctive flavor that is easy to remember. Stilton brings a classic British note, and the tour connects it to a cheesemonger that has occupied the same spot since the early 18th century.

That context adds value. You are not simply handed a piece of cheese and told whether it is mild or strong. You get a little sense of how cheese fits into London’s long food-shopping traditions, and you can look at the counter for ideas about what to buy later.

The drawback is space and crowding. Fortnum & Mason can be busy, especially around Christmas and other peak periods. In a crowded departure, you may end up tasting on the street rather than in a calm corner of the shop. That does not erase the quality of the cheese, but it can make the stop feel rushed and less polished.

Portions have also varied with group size. With a small group, the tastings can be generous, with enough for roughly two servings per person at each stop according to one account. Larger groups have produced more modest portions. If you want time to browse, keep your own shopping plans separate from the tasting schedule.

Soho’s Italian food stop and the drunk-cheese tasting

The route then heads into Soho, including the area’s old Italian connection. Lina Stores Soho Delicatessen is listed as a stop, and the focus here is drunk cheese, a style associated with cheese matured with wine or other alcoholic flavors.

This is one of the more distinctive parts of the tasting. Truffle cheese and Stilton are familiar names to many people, but drunk cheese gives you something less predictable. The wine-and-cheese pairing idea also makes sense in Soho, where the Italian deli setting helps shift the mood from grand department store to neighborhood food shop.

The tour’s references to London’s Little Italy should be taken as a food story rather than a full cultural walking tour. You are not getting a detailed history of Soho’s Italian community. You are getting a brief connection between place, deli culture, wine, and cheese.

This stop is useful if you like trying foods you would not select on your own. The sample menu includes matured goat cheese and baked Camembert as well, so the overall tasting moves across different textures and strengths instead of repeating similar hard cheeses.

Food handling is worth noting. One negative account described waiting while the guide bought and cut cheese, followed by concerns about hand washing. That does not appear to have been the experience on every departure, but it is a fair reason to ask about how tastings are handled if hygiene is a major concern for you. A small group should also make it easier for the guide to serve everyone efficiently.

Covent Garden and the route’s final stretch

The final section takes you toward Covent Garden, another strong setting for a food-focused walk. The stop gives the outing a sense of completion, since you finish in one of central London’s best-known areas for shops, restaurants, and street activity.

The exact route can vary. Some departures have included Whole Foods as a tasting stop, which divided opinion. The cheese itself could be unusual and worthwhile, but a supermarket visit felt less special to people expecting a tour of independent cheesemongers. If the current route includes that stop, you should see it as a practical tasting location rather than a major London food attraction.

The final tastings may include matured goat cheese and baked Camembert. Goat cheese gives the selection a sharper, more earthy edge, while baked Camembert provides a soft, warm-style finish in contrast to the firmer cheeses earlier in the afternoon.

You return to the starting point when the activity ends. The advertised duration is about two hours, but timing has not been identical on every departure. One person found the tour ran long and had to leave early for another appointment. Build in extra time if you have theatre tickets, a reservation, or a train to catch.

What the guides add to the tasting

The strongest part of this experience is often the host. Jack is described as entertaining and well-informed, with strong cheese choices and jokes throughout. Nick is praised for making the tasting fun while explaining the history and origins of the cheeses. Monterey Jack adds a particularly playful style, including cheesy jokes and games such as service station or cheese.

That style suits this tour. You do not need to be a cheese expert, and the quiz gives beginners a way to join in without feeling tested. If you already know your Stilton from your Camembert, the unusual selections and shop visits give you enough variety to stay interested.

The guide also helps with vacation planning. Food recommendations for the rest of your London stay are included, so you can ask about places to eat after the walk. The usefulness of that advice depends on the individual host, but it is a good reason to come prepared with a few questions.

The host matters even more when the route is crowded. A strong guide can keep a group together, explain what is happening, and make a supermarket or street-side tasting feel intentional. A larger crowd limits that advantage, so the advertised maximum of eight is important.

Is $63.98 a fair price?

You are paying $63.98 for about two hours, with all tastings included. There are no surprise cheese charges at each stop, and that makes the price easier to judge. The tour also includes a guide, a themed walking route, food background, and the chance to sample items from places you might otherwise pass by.

For a cheese lover, the price can be sensible if the portions are generous and the group stays small. Several tastings in central London can add up quickly, especially when you are trying specialty cheese rather than supermarket basics. The included quiz and recommendations also give the outing more shape than a simple self-guided snack crawl.

The value is weaker if you mainly want a filling lunch. This is a tasting experience, not a substitute for a full meal. You may receive a lot of cheese, but the amount depends on the group, and larger departures have produced smaller samples.

I would also compare the price with your interest level. If cheese is one of the foods you actively seek out, the focused route is worthwhile. If you are only mildly interested, you may find the walk expensive for two hours, particularly if a crowded day forces tastings outside or includes a standard supermarket stop.

Group size, pace, and practical planning

The advertised maximum is eight people, which is the right size for a food walk. A small group makes it easier to hear the guide, ask questions, see the counters, and receive a fair share of the tastings.

However, accounts from past departures describe groups of 12 and 24. That is a major difference, not a minor detail. Large groups can lead to waiting while cheese is purchased and cut, standing outside in cold weather, reduced portions, and a less personal experience.

Ask about the expected group size when booking or shortly before the date. If the answer is close to eight, the experience is likely to feel more like a guided tasting. If the departure is much larger, decide if the food alone justifies the price.

The walk itself is generally manageable. One account described a comfortable pace and an easy route, while another said the guide walked too fast. Wear comfortable shoes, but you do not need special hiking gear. Keep your schedule open after noon, since the tour may run longer than the two-hour estimate.

Bad weather can cancel the experience. If that happens, you are offered another date or a full refund. You can also cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes made inside that 24-hour window are not accepted, and the cut-off uses London local time.

Who should book this London cheese crawl?

I would recommend it first to people who plan trips around food. You get named cheese styles, specialty counters, an Italian deli, and a guided walk through central London. The quiz and jokes make it suitable for friends, couples, and families with older children who enjoy trying unfamiliar foods.

It also works well near the end of a London visit. The route gives you a pleasant final afternoon, and the food recommendations can help with the rest of your stay. Just remember that the activity returns to its starting point and may not finish exactly at the two-hour mark.

You should think twice if you dislike strong cheese, need a full meal, or have strict dietary needs that the provider cannot accommodate. Tell the provider about allergies or special diets before booking. You should also avoid scheduling this directly before a time-sensitive event.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a social, cheese-heavy walk with jokes, trivia, and a broad tasting list. The best departures combine generous portions, a small group, and a host such as Jack, Nick, Perla, or Monterey Jack who can make each stop feel connected.

Before paying, confirm the current group size and ask if the route includes a supermarket stop. That one check will tell you a great deal about the likely value. With eight people or fewer, this can be a tasty and memorable way to see Mayfair, Soho, and Covent Garden. With a very large group, it becomes a less personal tasting and a weaker deal.

FAQ

How much does the London Cheese Crawl cost?

The price is $63.98 per person. All cheese tastings are included, so you do not pay an extra tasting fee at each stop.

How long does the cheese tour last?

The tour lasts approximately two hours. Some departures have taken longer, so leave extra time if you have another booking afterward.

Where does the tour begin?

The meeting point is the Constance Fund fountain of Diana, London SW1A 1RN, United Kingdom.

What time does the tour start?

The scheduled start time is 12:00 pm.

Where does the tour finish?

The activity ends back at the meeting point.

What cheeses are included?

The listed tastings include truffle cheeses, Stilton, drunk cheeses, matured goat cheese, and baked Camembert. Additional cheese samples may be included along the route.

How many people can join the tour?

The advertised maximum is eight travelers. Past departures have included larger groups, so confirm the expected size before booking if that matters to you.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted, and poor weather or failure to meet the minimum group size may result in a different date or a full refund.