I love discovering new shops on familiar blocks and recently, I’ve found a very special cheese shop in the Inner Sunset: Willow on the Green. Located right next to Arizmendi and in front of the N train Muni stop, Willow on the Green is a perfect place to drop in although you may be surprised to not find your usual parmesan block or Swiss cheese. Instead, you’ll find incredibly delicious and unique British and Scottish cheeses.
Owner Alex Sinclair moved from London to San Francisco in 2014 and is a man of many talents. A chef in the Butler’s Wharf Pier in London, Alex has worn many career hats from the food and film industry to the advertisement field. He opened Willow on the Green a few months ago with an important vision.
“The real purpose here is to bring Scottish and British cheeses to the public eye and support those cheese farmers".
I soon learned about the 23 styles of cheeses in the shop and it was refreshing to learn about new cheeses like Leicester, Stilton and Wensleydale than the usual brie and burrata (as much as I love those as well).
If you look around Willow on the Green, you’ll notice there aren’t just cheeses around but an entire collection of British and Scottish goods. Scottish and Essex jams line one side of the store along with Northern England honey, soaps and balms. On the other, a plethora of differently flavored crackers line the shelves.
What really caught my eye however, was the creative front of the store that is facing the street. What is sitting in the window display is a beautiful scenery of a picnic basket with props like breads and a spinning cheese wheel that really entices a picnic. In fact, one of the items sold at Willow on the Green is a picnic blanket. A one stop shop for the perfect Golden Gate Park day, Willow on the Green has it all.
“For new people, I want my shop to feel like being transported without travel and for British people, I want it to feel like coming home” Alex states.
A passion project well executed, Willow on the Green is a lovely addition to the Inner Sunset. Come and check it out!