Taste London: Cheese Tasting & Walking Tour

London’s cheese scene is the star here. In about two hours, you move from the polished food halls of Fortnum & Mason toward Little Italy and Covent Garden, tasting creamy Stilton, warm Camembert, and the less familiar drunken cheese with sparkling wine. The range of flavors gives you a quick education in how milk, aging, heat, and pairings change a cheese.

I like the small group of no more than 10, since that gives you a fair chance to ask questions. I also like the route itself: it links Mayfair, Little Italy, and Neal’s Yard Dairy instead of keeping you in one shop. The main concern is reliability. One person waited more than 30 minutes after the guide failed to arrive and could not be reached, so confirm the meeting details and keep the operator’s contact information handy.

Key points at a glance

• British cheese with unusual pairings: Taste Stilton, Camembert, and drunken cheese with sparkling wine.
• A walk across three London districts: The route connects a Mayfair meeting point, Fortnum & Mason, Little Italy, and Covent Garden.
• A genuinely small group: The maximum is 10 people, which leaves room for questions.
• A two-hour afternoon plan: The tour begins at 3:00 pm and returns to the starting point.
• Good for food-focused sightseeing: You learn how cheese is made while sampling it.
• One practical warning: A reported no-show makes it wise to verify the tour on the day.

What the $63.90 price buys you

At $63.90 per person, this is not a cheap snack stop. You are paying for a guided tasting, several food venues, and the convenience of having London’s cheese story arranged into a short walking route.

The value depends on how much you enjoy guided food experiences. If you already plan to visit Fortnum & Mason and Neal’s Yard Dairy on your own, you could see some of the same places without paying for a tour. But tasting several cheeses while someone explains how they are made is a different experience from simply browsing a counter.

The unusual pairing helps justify the price. Stilton and Camembert are familiar names, but drunken cheese with sparkling wine gives the tasting a more playful edge. You are not just sampling one type of cheese and calling it lunch. You are comparing textures, strengths, and pairings across different stops.

The tour is also short enough to fit into a busy London day. You can spend the morning at another sight, meet at 3:00 pm, and still have the evening open. Since the average booking happens 44 days ahead, this experience appears to attract advance planning. If it fits your schedule, booking early is sensible, especially if you want a particular date.

Meeting Diana at W1J 9DZ

The meeting point is in front of the Statue of Goddess Diana at London W1J 9DZ. This matters because a statue in a busy central district is easier to identify than an ordinary street corner, but you should still allow time to find the exact spot.

The tour starts at 3:00 pm. Arrive early enough to orient yourself rather than arriving at the last minute with cheese on your mind and no idea where the group is standing. The activity ends back at the same meeting point, which makes the return simple.

The area is near public transportation, so you do not need to build the day around a difficult transfer. The ticket is mobile, another small convenience for a walking activity. Keep the ticket and contact information easy to access on your phone.

The most important practical point is the no-show warning. One account describes waiting with other people for more than half an hour while the guide did not appear and did not answer calls or messages. The operator responded that it would contact the guide, but that response does not solve the immediate problem for someone standing at the meeting point.

I would check your confirmation before leaving for the tour and make sure your phone can receive messages. If anything looks unclear, contact the operator before 3:00 pm rather than assuming the group will sort itself out.

Fortnum & Mason and London’s polished food culture

The formal tour activity begins in Mayfair at Fortnum & Mason, one of London’s best-known food stores. Even if you have passed the building before, a cheese-focused visit gives you a reason to pay attention to the food side of the store rather than treating it as just another famous address.

Fortnum & Mason works well as the opening food stop because it places cheese within London’s grand retail tradition. The setting is more polished than a neighborhood market, and the contrast is useful. You begin with an established department store before moving toward specialist cheesemongers and the Italian quarter.

The scheduled time here is about one hour. That is enough time for the food portion to feel substantial without turning the visit into a long lecture. You can expect the guide to connect what you taste with the way cheese is made, though the supplied details do not name the guide or provide a full tasting list.

That missing list is worth noting. You know to expect Stilton, Camembert, and drunken cheese, but not the exact producer, number of samples, or serving size. If you have a serious appetite, treat this as a tasting walk rather than a full meal.

The stop also sets up one of the tour’s best ideas: cheese changes meaning depending on what surrounds it. A strong blue cheese in a grand food store feels different from a local specialty sampled in a small specialist setting. You get a little food education and a little London orientation at the same time.

Walking toward Little Italy

After Fortnum & Mason, the route heads toward Little Italy and other London cheese shops. The tour description presents this part as a chance to sample cheeses while wandering through the area, rather than moving directly from one tasting room to the next.

That walking section is important. A food tour is more useful when it gives you a sense of place, and Little Italy adds a cultural layer to the cheese theme. You are not only learning which cheese is creamy or sharp. You are also seeing how London’s districts reflect different food traditions.

The route is still compact, with the full experience lasting about two hours. That keeps the pace manageable, but it also means the walk cannot cover every cheese shop in central London. Think of this as an introduction, not a complete survey of the city’s food stores.

Wear comfortable shoes. The activity involves walking between stops, and the experience works best when you can focus on the samples and conversation instead of worrying about your feet. Specific walking distances are not provided, so I would not assume the route is entirely brief.

A small group helps here. With up to 10 people, the guide can answer questions about how cheese is made, how it is aged, and why two cheeses with similar appearances can taste so different. In a larger group, those exchanges tend to get lost.

Neal’s Yard Dairy in Covent Garden

The final named stop is Neal’s Yard Dairy in Covent Garden. This is a strong finish for a cheese walk because the destination is specifically associated with cheese rather than being a general department store.

The scheduled time in Covent Garden is about 30 minutes. That is enough for a focused stop, but not enough for a long wander through every corner of the district. You should expect the visit to stay centered on cheese tasting and discussion.

The contrast with Fortnum & Mason gives the itinerary shape. Fortnum offers a broad, refined food-shopping setting. Neal’s Yard Dairy narrows the focus to specialist cheese. Together, the two stops show you different ways London presents food: one through a famous department store, the other through a dedicated cheese business.

This is also the point where you may want to ask practical questions. Which cheeses are best for a picnic? How long can a cheese stay at room temperature? What should you serve with a blue cheese? The small group gives you a better chance to ask, although the exact amount of discussion depends on the guide and the pace of the day.

The tour returns to the original meeting point after Covent Garden. That is convenient, but it also means the route is not designed as a one-way journey to a final dinner reservation. Plan your evening with the return to W1J 9DZ in mind.

Stilton, Camembert, and drunken cheese

The tasting list includes both familiar classics and a more unusual specialty. Stilton brings a creamy blue cheese profile, while Camembert offers a soft, gooey texture. The drunken cheese adds a talking point because it is paired with sparkling wine.

The description does not specify every cheese or explain the exact method behind the drunken cheese. You should treat it as a distinctive sample rather than assume it is a single fixed style with the same flavor everywhere.

The useful part of the tasting is the comparison. Cheese is shaped by the milk, aging process, rind, moisture, and serving temperature. A soft Camembert and a blue Stilton do not simply provide different tastes. They show you how texture and production methods affect the way food feels in your mouth.

The guide is also meant to explain how the cheese is made as you taste it. That makes this a better choice for someone who likes context with a sample. If you want only a generous plate of cheese and no commentary, this may feel too structured.

Food restrictions need to be communicated before the tour. The operator specifically asks for information about allergies and special diets. Do not wait until the first tasting to mention a serious allergy. The available details do not promise substitutions, so you should ask what can be accommodated before booking.

How the small group changes the experience

The maximum group size is 10. That is small enough for a guide to keep the tasting conversational and for you to hear explanations without competing with a crowd.

For a food walk, this matters more than it might on a standard sightseeing route. You may want to ask why one cheese tastes stronger than another, how to spot a ripe soft cheese, or which pairing works best with sparkling wine. A compact group makes those questions more natural.

The tradeoff is that the tour depends more on the guide’s preparation and attendance. A small group does not help if the guide fails to arrive. The reported no-show is the clearest weakness in the available information, and it should not be brushed aside.

I would book this with realistic expectations. You are getting a guided tasting route, not a guaranteed private lesson with a named cheese expert. No guide name is provided, so you cannot assess an individual guide’s style in advance.

Timing, transport, and food planning

The 3:00 pm start gives you a useful middle-of-the-day option. It is late enough to follow a morning museum visit and early enough to leave room for dinner. The tour lasts about two hours, so plan on finishing around 5:00 pm, allowing for small changes in pace.

The activity is near public transportation. That makes the start easier to reach, especially if you are staying outside central London. Since the end is back at the meeting point, you can use the same transport area for your next plan.

Do not count on the tasting as a full dinner. The available information mentions samples and pairings, but it does not give quantities. If you are hungry, eat something light beforehand or have a dinner plan after the tour.

The activity requires good weather. If poor weather cancels it, you are offered another date or a full refund. That condition makes sense for a walking tour, but it means you should keep some flexibility in your London schedule.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before 3:00 pm are not refunded or accepted. The cut-off uses London local time, so check the clock carefully if you are booking from another country.

Who should book this cheese walk

I would recommend it most to food-focused visitors who want a compact introduction to London’s cheese shops. It suits you if you enjoy tasting while asking questions, like walking between neighborhoods, and want a planned afternoon rather than a self-guided search.

It is also a good fit for couples, friends, and small groups with different levels of cheese knowledge. You do not need to be an expert. The familiar Stilton and Camembert give you an easy starting point, while the drunken cheese provides something less expected.

This may not suit you if you need a guaranteed guide, have severe dietary restrictions, or want a full meal. The food restriction policy asks you to communicate your needs, but it does not promise that every diet can be handled.

The price is fair if you value the explanation and the route. It is less attractive if you mainly want to shop at Fortnum & Mason or Neal’s Yard Dairy, since you can visit those places without a tour fee.

Should you book Taste London: Cheese Tasting & Walking Tour?

Book it if you want a short, social food experience with three London districts, several cheese styles, and a small group. The route has a clear personality, and the mix of Stilton, Camembert, and drunken cheese keeps the tasting from feeling repetitive.

Before paying, confirm the meeting details, report allergies or special diets, and make sure you can reach the operator if needed. The no-show account is a serious caution, even though the operator said it would address the problem.

For a cheese lover who wants food, conversation, and a little sightseeing in one afternoon, this is a promising choice at $63.90. For anyone seeking certainty, a large meal, or a fully specified tasting menu, ask questions first or choose a more formal food experience.

FAQ

Where does the cheese tour start?

It starts in front of the Statue of Goddess Diana at London W1J 9DZ.

What time does the tour begin?

The tour begins at 3:00 pm.

How long does the activity last?

The activity lasts about two hours.

Where does the tour finish?

It ends back at the original meeting point.

What is the price?

The price is $63.90 per person.

How many people can join the tour?

The maximum group size is 10 people.

Which places are included in the route?

The route includes Fortnum & Mason, Little Italy, and Neal’s Yard Dairy in Covent Garden.

What cheeses and pairings can I expect?

The tasting includes Stilton, Camembert, drunken cheese, and a glass of sparkling wine paired with the drunken cheese.

Can I report an allergy or special diet?

Yes. You need to communicate any food restrictions, allergies, or special diet requirements.

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 refunded or accepted.