Penny's Cheese Shop

Forget your standard grilled cheese. Those trailing the scent of toasted raclette through the Cross know exactly where it leads—a pint-sized fromagerie slinging the most aggressively delicious toasties in Sydney. The daily count is ruthlessly capped—barely 30 on weekdays. Securing one feels like winning the culinary lottery. Thick slices of 36-hour fermented PiOik sourdough. Blistered inside and out with a proprietary, rotating blend of seven cheeses—think smoked scamorza mingling with Rhamtaler and Oaxaca—plus a weekly wildcard like jalapeño salami or ham and onion. Beyond the hotplate, Penny and her fun-loving crew curate a serious retail lineup. Fridges stacked with pristine wheels, artisanal condiments, and gorgeous pottery. Perfect provisions for a harbour-view picnic at the botanic gardens. Otherwise, take your brown paper bag across the street to devour by the El Alamein Fountain. Serious curd nerds and passing celebrities alike count this cute, homey spot as an absolute essential.