Mike's Fancy Cheese opened as a retail shop at 41 Little Donegall Street in the Cathedral Quarter in 2018, run by Michael Thomson, who trained in cheesemaking in England before returning to Belfast. The shop sells artisan cheeses from small producers across Ireland alongside its own Young Buck, a Stilton-style raw milk blue cheese matured for a minimum of twelve weeks using milk from a small group of local farms; it is understood to be the first raw milk cheese made in Northern Ireland. The counter also stocks charcuterie, bread, butter, eggs and condiments, and puts together cheese boards and hampers for collection or delivery. Young Buck has appeared on menus at Michelin-starred restaurants in Britain and Ireland. The shop hosts occasional beer-and-cheese tasting nights and features on local food tours. Opening hours are Monday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm, closed Sunday. Young Buck itself is made at a separate dairy in Newtownards.
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