Owners of Queen West’s Delight Chocolate open new cheese store in the basement

Building on their success with chocolate and cheese lovers in the Junction, Jeff Brown and Jennifer Rashleigh, co-owners of Delight Chocolate and Junction Fromagerie, have taken their show on the road to Queen West. The husband and wife team opened up a second location of Delight last March in the two-story space that once housed the Spice Trader and the Olive Pit. Last Saturday, they opened the door to a second cheese shop, Le Caveau—only this time, it’s in the chocolate shop’s basement.

The concept is the same: all Canadian, with a focus on Ontario and Quebec artisanal cheeses from small producers, breads and charcuterie from Thuet Fine Foods, dairy from Harmony Organic and house-made preserves made from Niagara fruits. Rashleigh and Brown are keeping the look local as well, with neighbourhood artists brightening up the tiny basement space (there’s only enough room for a church pew, harvest table and two display fridges). Right now, paintings by a 13-year-old local artist, Theo Gallaro, are hanging on the walls, and come May, Le Caveau will be hosting an exhibit as part of the Contact Photography Festival. We’re guessing there probably won’t be cubes of Cracker Barrel marble cheddar at that opening.

Le Caveau, 805 Queen St. W. (at Manning Ave.), 647-349-4984.