In the wrong hands, The Cheese Bar might have been a single-punchline gimmick. Considering the success that rainbow grilled cheese sandwiches and #cheesepulls are currently enjoying on Instagram, it could easily have become the kind of restaurant that caters more to smartphone lenses than diners.

How good to discover, then, that The Cheese Bar is a restaurant of serious, cheesy substance. With its sleek design, knowing staff, and menu of decadent, globe-trotting dishes, it’s mastered the art of indulgence with the ethics to match (its menu eschews “mass-produced cheese made for money rather than love”).

Sidle up to the marble bar and order yourself a range of cheese-centric small plates. London-made burrata doused with basil oil and tomatoes was a passport to Puglia, while the marmite malakoff with romesco added a tongue-in-cheek Brit twist to the Swiss fried cheese balls. Before it went brick-and-mortar, The Cheese Bar was a truck that slung grilled cheese sandwiches; you’ll want to order one of those as well (the number with goat’s cheese, honey, walnuts, and rosemary butter was sublime).

Our only criticism? One staffer scoffed when asked about cheese plates, and told us they were boring and predictable. But surely The Cheese Bar, with all of its culinary creativity, is perfectly positioned to revamp the classic cheese board into something innovative and interesting. We can only hope they change their minds.