I found the best cheese shop in Northern Ireland, tucked away in the charming village of Bushmills. Just minutes from the Giant’s Causeway, Maegden is a cheese lover’s dream, a cheesemonger and grilled cheese haven that celebrates small-batch, artisan Irish cheeses with soul. All personally curated by passionate owners Emma Brown and Jo Moore to showcase what they believe are the best and one-of-a-kind local specialties.
Maegden: A Cheese Lover’s Dream on the Causeway Coast
Behind the counter are Emma and Jo, two longtime friends whose unlikely path to cheesemongering began not in kitchens or dairies, but in classrooms. Both spent more than a decade teaching in England before deciding to follow a shared dream: opening a shop that celebrated good food, community, and craft.
What began in 2017 as a humble grilled cheese food truck parked in a field near the Giant’s Causeway has since grown into one of Northern Ireland’s most beloved artisan food shops. Back then, grilled cheese was a novelty, and word quickly spread. Locals and visitors queued for up to two hours for one of their oozy, golden sandwiches. “If we were going to do it,” Jo recalls, “we were going to make it the best version you could get.”
The food truck’s popularity grew and grew until it was too hard to sustain, so after four years, Emma and Jo took the leap to bricks-and-mortar, opening Maegden in the heart of Bushmills. While their legendary toasties are still on the menu, the shop now presents the cheeses themselves, alongside chutneys, crackers, and thoughtful pairings that highlight Northern Ireland’s thriving artisan food scene.
A Curated Counter of Irish Cheese Greats
Step up to the counter at Maegden and you’ll quickly discover that it’s an experience to learn about Ireland’s artisan revival. Emma and Jo now share the stories behind each wheel. From pioneering cheesemakers who helped reignite farmhouse traditions in the 1970s to new-generation producers experimenting with smoke, ash, and raw milk.
Their philosophy is simple: stick to Irish cheeses, made in small batches, from people they know and trust. “Ireland makes a version of just about every great cheese there is,” Emma explains. “So why not support local farmers and makers, and keep that independent artisan economy alive?”
Here are just a few of the standouts you’ll find on Maegden’s counter—each with its flavour, character, and story.
St. Tola – Goat’s Cheese – County Clare
One of Maegden’s most popular cheeses—so popular it often sells out by the weekend—is St. Tola, an award-winning goat’s cheese from County Clare. Its story begins with Siobhán Ní Gháirbhith, a former teacher who swapped the classroom for life on a goat farm. Each morning, her goats are milked, and by afternoon, that milk is transformed into a fresh, creamy log of cheese.
St. Tola is prized for its delicate balance of flavours, soft and creamy with a clean, lemony tang. Their ash-rolled log is coated in edible charcoal. The ash slows down the natural maturation process, helping the cheese ripen without developing a thick rind. The result is a smooth-textured, elegant cheese with a slightly firmer paste and a deeper, more pronounced flavour than the fresh variety.
The visual contrast alone is striking: the pale interior against its slate-gray exterior. Slice into it and you’ll find a cheese that is at once subtle and complex, evolving as it matures. Typically made with raw milk, though it can be produced pasteurized to order, St. Tola embodies the care, patience, and innovation of Ireland’s new wave of farmhouse cheesemakers.
Durrus Cheese – West Cork
Down in the fridge at Maegden sits one of Ireland’s most pioneering farmhouse cheeses: Durrus, a semi-soft washed rind cheese from West Cork. “This one is really quite buttery,” Jo tells me, “with a cidery, almost fermented flavour.”
Durrus has an essential place in Irish cheesemaking history. In the late 1970s, farmhouse cheesemaking in Ireland had nearly died out. Then, an Englishwoman, named Jeffa Gill, moved to West Cork, bought a few cows, and began experimenting with small-batch cheeses on her farm in the valley of Coomkeen, just outside Durrus village. What started as an effort to support her family soon evolved into a revival of the farmhouse cheese tradition.
By 1979, Jeffa had perfected her recipe: a washed-rind cheese with a mottled pinkish skin, developed slowly by washing with specific dairy cultures in curing rooms. Today, the business is run by Jeffa alongside her daughter, Sarah Hennessy and a small, dedicated team of dairy staff.
The cheese itself is supple and semi-soft, with flavours that range from mild and buttery when young to stronger, more cidery, and complex as it matures. Durrus also makes a younger version, known as Durrus Óg, which has won multiple awards, including a three-star Great Taste Award, offering a gentler entry point for those who prefer less intensity.
It’s no exaggeration to say that Durrus is one of the cheeses that helped restart Ireland’s artisan cheese movement. Four decades later, it remains a benchmark for farmhouse cheesemaking—rich in flavour, steeped in history, and handcrafted with a sense of place that comes through in every bite.
Coolea Farmhouse Cheese – West Cork
An Irish take on a very old Dutch Gouda recipe, Coolea Farmhouse Cheese is fudge-like, caramelly, and smooth, but with more time it develops crystalline, parmesan-like textures. It’s a pasteurized cheese, which has helped it reach global acclaim. It’s one of the cheeses most closely tied to the revival of Irish farmhouse cheesemaking in the late 1970s and 80s.
The Willems family, Dick and Helen, who emigrated from the Netherlands, brought their Gouda-making traditions to a small farm in the Gaeltacht of West Cork. By 1987, the Willems had built a small cheese plant and introduced varieties like Coolea Matured, Herbs & Garlic, and Cumin Seed.
Now sold worldwide, it remains a revered farmhouse cheese. In recognition of their four decades of dedication, Dick and Helen received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024. Today, their son Dicky Willems continues the craft, still working with their Montbéliarde herd and producing cheese in small batches.
Maegden sells hand-selected cheeses supporting independent artisans from Ireland and the UK.
Drumlin Smoked Cheese
“Do you like smoked cheese?” Jo asks me, before introducing one of Maegden’s most intriguing finds: Drumlin, a traditional cheese from County Cavan.
Made by German-born cheesemaker Silke Cropp and her son Tom, Drumlin is instantly recognizable for its unusual donut shape, though the cut-out center has little to do with its flavour. Silke began cheesemaking at her kitchen table, producing small batches for neighbours. Word spread, demand grew, and today she still makes cheese by hand, producing less than 10 tonnes a year across goat, sheep, and cow’s milk varieties.
The smoked Drumlin on Maegden’s counter is crafted from raw cow’s milk collected fresh each morning from Silke’s three neighbouring farms. The cheeses are aged for two to three months, developing a smooth, nutty profile beneath a natural rind. For the smoked version, each wheel spends eight hours over beechwood, resulting in a dense, lactic cheese with a deep, earthy smokiness.
Jo shaves back a sample: the paste is firm but creamy, with a tangy sharpness that lingers. “It’s one of the best cheeses to pair with whiskey,” she explains. “It can even stand up to a peated one.” That balance of lactic tang and woodsmoke makes Drumlin feel both Irish and Scottish in character.
Drumlin’s scarcity adds to its allure. You’ll mostly find it at Dublin’s Temple Bar Farmers’ Market, a handful of delis, and specialty counters like Maegden. Silke also runs cheesemaking classes at Corleggy Cheeses, where visitors can learn the art behind her award-winning raw milk creations.
Maegden sells hand-selected cheeses supporting independent artisans from Ireland and the UK.
Young Buck Blue Cheese from Mike’s Fancy Cheese – Newtownards, County Down
It’s no surprise that Young Buck is one of Maegden’s top three best-selling cheeses and probably the one most people in Northern Ireland know best. Made by Mike Thompson, an urban cheesemaker who began in his early 20s.
Young Buck is a raw milk, Stilton-style blue cheese that’s lighter and less intimidating than its English cousin. Mike doesn’t own a farm; instead, he sources his milk fresh each morning from a local dairy. The result is a cheese that’s crumbly and creamy, malty and biscuity, with a gentle balance of salt. Unlike traditional Stilton, it’s less aggressively blue, making it an approachable entry point for those still unsure about blue cheeses.
Emma and Jo have a special connection to Young Buck. “When we first started out, Mike helped us along,” they explain. “We even worked in his Belfast shop at Christmas, and we learned so much about cheese and about the people who make it through him.”
Jo explains that this cheese pairs beautifully with cider or whiskey, and for many visitors, it’s the gateway cheese that sparks a whole new appreciation for blues.
Alongside their Irish collection, Maegden also showcases a rotating selection of Scottish artisan cheeses from IJ Mellis Cheesemongers, expanding the tasting journey even further across the Celtic Isles.
Must Try Maegden Grilled Cheese and Hot Chocolate
Grilled Cheese, Reimagined
Even though Emma and Jo have expanded Maegden into a full artisan deli, their grilled cheese sandwiches remain the star attraction. Built on Zac’s Bakehouse sourdough crafted by Ricky Hay, a former chef who was one of the very first in Northern Ireland to pioneer sourdough baking, these sandwiches are crisp, golden and perfectly balanced. “We use his bread because it’s not too sour; it’s just right,” Jo explains.
The fillings rotate daily but always feature a blend of cheeses from Maegden’s counter. Expect cheddar and mozzarella from Cork, along with a surprise cheese that Emma deems too good to waste, but not quite the “showcase” wheel for the case. This creativity keeps the menu dynamic and the toasties indulgently unique.
Whether you go classic or adventurous, these toasties are the perfect pairing for a cheese tasting or a reward after exploring the windswept Causeway Coast. When I went, this hot commodity was sold out. After raving about this Maegden, my daughter, Stephanie, put this on her list of don’t miss places along the Giant’s Causeway. She tried Toons Bridge. See her photo below.
Maegden’s Famous Grilled Cheese Menu (changes regularly)
- Maegden Mix (£7.50) – Their original blend of proper farmhouse cheeses from Ireland and the UK. Add Ispini fennel salami +£1.50.
- Blue Mix (£8.00) – Young Buck Stilton-style blue cheese meets the Maegden Mix for a creamy, tangy punch. Add Ispini fennel salami +£1.50.
- Cool Orange (£9.00) – A bold combination of creamy blue, Fior di Latte mozzarella, and Hegarty’s Cheddar, paired with maple and sage-roasted squash. Add Ispini fennel salami +£1.50.
- Toons Bridge Buffalo Mozzarella & Hegarty’s Cheddar (£10.00) – Layered with truffled mortadella (garlicky ham) and finished with a drizzle of Wilderbee hot honey. Ispíní Chorizo for +£1.50.
- Smoked Scamorza (£10.00) – Aged mozzarella with Fior di Latte, Hegarty’s Cheddar, Clonakilty black pudding, and a side pot of Single Variety jalapeño jam.
- Toons Bridge (£10.50) – Smoked scamorza (mozzarella) and Hegarty’s cheddar with ‘nduja (spreadable spicy salami and a drizzle of Wilderbee hot honey.
On the Side: Sheridan’s Fruit Chutney, extra pickles, Single Variety chilli jam, Wilderbee hot honey, and their own Ranch dip and sesame kimchi. Ranges from +£1.50 to +£2.50
Sweet Finish: The Hot Chocolate
At first glance, cheese and chocolate may not seem like natural companions—but at Maegden, it works. Their organic honey hot chocolate has developed a cult following, not just for its flavour but for the craft that goes into it. Emma makes the marshmallow fluff from scratch, torching it to caramelized perfection before topping the drink with homemade salted caramel.
“It’s that salty-sweet hit,” Jo says, “and the torched effect that makes it special.” The result is a decadent, comforting drink that pairs surprisingly well with a grilled cheese.
Northern Ireland’s famous Maegden grilled cheese and hot chocolate is a must-try when visiting Bushmills. Photo: Stephanie Carr©
Why Maegden Matters
More than just a cheese shop, Maegden is a labour of love. Emma and Jo built it from scratch—first with a dream, then a caravan, and now a beloved deli that champions Irish makers, small farms, and sustainable food culture. Every product is personal, every cheese is a connection to the land and the people behind it.
Looking for more ways to explore Northern Ireland? Check out the best Causeway Food Tour or my complete Belfast Travel Guide for places to stay, things to do, and where to eat.
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Travel Writer Wendy Nordvik-Carr participated in a press trip hosted by Discover Northern Ireland, which did not review or approve of this article before it was published.
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