Cheese on Toast, Hold the Humble: Is Fitzrovia’s “Golden Gruyère” Worth the Gilded Crust?
Move over, avocado toast, there’s a new contender for the king (or rather, queen) of cafe crowns in Fitzrovia. Forget your cheddar slices and supermarket sourdough; nestled amongst vintage typewriters and artisanal kombucha is “The Toastery,” a haven for gourmands where cheese on toast isn’t just a snack, it’s an artisanal masterpiece – and a potential dent in your bank account.
Their pièce de résistance? The “Golden Gruyère,” a symphony of carbs and cheese priced at a cool £50. Yes, you read that right. Fifty crisp pounds for a single slice of bread adorned with melted cheese. But this isn’t your average cheddar on white. We’re talking about 24-month-aged Gruyère from a picturesque Swiss Alp, hand-shaved onto sourdough baked with Himalayan pink salt and infused with saffron. Each slice, according to the menu, is “a whisper of luxury on a buttery cloud.”
So, the question begs: is it worth it? We ventured into The Toastery, hearts aflutter and wallets trembling, to find out. The ambiance was undeniably chic, the air thick with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and (faintly) melting Gruyère. Our “Golden Gruyère” arrived on a rustic wooden board, the cheese glistening like molten gold under the cafe’s soft lighting.The first bite was… well, it was cheese on toast. Delicious, creamy, undeniably luxurious, but… £50 delicious?
The Gruyère was undoubtedly top-notch, its nutty sweetness singing its Alpine origins. The sourdough, with its saffron whisper, was a perfect textural canvas. But was it £50 worthy? That’s the million-dollar (or rather, fifty-pound) question.
For some, the “Golden Gruyère” is more than just a snack; it’s an experience, a conversation starter, a social media flex.For others, it’s a ludicrous indulgence, a slap in the face of the humble cheese sandwich. But one thing’s for sure: The Toastery has sparked a debate that’s hot enough to rival their oven.
So, the verdict? Is it worth it? That, dear reader, is up to you. If you’re a cheese gourmand with a deep wallet and a penchant for culinary theatrics, then the “Golden Gruyère” might just be your golden ticket to foodie nirvana. But if you’re a cheese purist who finds joy in a simple cheddar on white, then perhaps your fifty pounds are better spent elsewhere. After all, there’s a certain charm in the unpretentious comfort of a classic cheese sandwich, a charm that even the most gilded Gruyère can’t quite buy.
Just remember, whatever your side of the toast-debate, there’s one thing we can all agree on: in Fitzrovia, even cheese on toast doesn’t come cheap. But hey, sometimes, a little bit of luxury (and a whole lot of Gruyère) can be the tastiest rebellion against the ordinary.
