GET READY!

THE BIG CHEESE RETURNS
APril 10-26, 2026

TEAM SIGNUP

2026 LOCATIONS

2025 Champions
The Market on Marsh

DagS & WILLOW

Thornbury Bakery

BRUCE WINE BAR

Culinary Designs

The Corner Cafe & Grill

The Mill Cafe

Thornbury Craft

THE CHEESE GALLERY

Venti Venti

Jakes Grab & Go

Heavenly cafe

PENNY’S MOTEL

Georgian Hills Winery

misfits BODEGA

GORDON’S Market & Cafe

Brightside deli

And more to come…

the ultimate comfort
food battle!

The Big Cheese Smackdown: a friendly but serious grilled sammie smackdown is back! Bringing together the most creative culinary minds in our area to compete in the cheesiest challenge of the year. Each sandwich is a unique creation, limited only by the chef's imagination and the basic rule: it's gotta be a grilled cheese.

BIG CHEESE PASSPORT

BIG CHEESE PASSPORT

As you visit each participating restaurant, use your passport to rate their sandwich, jot down tasting notes, and track your favorites. Will you find the perfect balance of crispy, gooey goodness? Only your taste buds can decide! Complete your passport by visiting multiple locations, then cast your vote to help crown this year’s ultimate grilled cheese champion. Passports will be available at all participating restaurants.

2024 WINNER

A huge congratulations to Georgian Hills Vineyards for taking home the title of Best Grilled Cheese in the 2024 competition! Their winning creation, “Major Yum Meltdown” , wowed the community with its incredible flavor, creativity, and perfectly melted goodness.

We also want to extend a big thank you to all of the amazing restaurants that participated, as well as everyone who came out to taste, vote, and support local businesses. This event wouldn’t be possible without you!

Follow us on Instagram for updates!

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View fullsize And the winner is…… 🥇 First Place: Market on Marsh Sandwich: Clarky’s Roasted Rider This perfectly balanced bite of sweet heat, creamy melt, and bold flavour stole the show and takes the crown! Cheddars, cream cheese, coppa
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View fullsize 🥈Second Place: Culinary Designs Sandwich: The Inside Out Crunch Bold, brash, and totally unforgettable - this one crunched its way to second place A melty, golden twist on the croque monsieur: ham, Gruyère, honey kettle chips, Dijon aioli,
View fullsize What you’ve all been waiting for - The top 3 contenders as voted by you! Someone is about to be crowned The Big Cheese! 🥉 Third Place: Georgian Hills Sandwich: The PEAR-suit of Happiness Sweet, savoury, stunning—and no surprise from
View fullsize Big Cheese Smackdown Award: The High Achiever When it came to the number of sandwiches leaving the kitchen, this team didn’t just perform - they excelled 435 times. 🏆 The Award Goes To: The Corner 🥪 Sandwich: The Tandoorner Tender tandoor
View fullsize Big Cheese Smackdown Award: The Cheesiest Cheese There was one sandwich that took the concept of the grilled cheese all the way, it was go big or go home. 🏆 The Award Goes To: The Cheese Gallery 🥪 Sandwich: The Hail Mary An unapologetically exces
View fullsize Big Cheese Smackdown Award: The Hidden Gem Not everyone knew about it… but those who did? Obsessed. 🏆 The Award Goes To: Franny’s Mercato 🥪 Sandwich: Duck Egg Carbonara Inspired by their cult-favourite pasta dish, this grilled chees
View fullsize Big Cheese Smackdown Award: The Most Unique This one stopped people in their tracks—and made them say “wait, WHAT?” 🏆 Winner: Heavenly Café 🥪 Sandwich: chocofromage A grilled cheese like no other: tangy Parmesan meets ric
View fullsize Big Cheese Smackdown Award: The Heavy Hitter (aka the most generous portion award) This one won on size alone - and yes, it was as delicious as it was massive. 🏆 Winner: Culinary Designs 🥪 Sandwich: The Inside Out Crunch A next-level croque mons
View fullsize The votes are in… and we’re almost ready to reveal who is The Big Cheese 2025! After 17 days of melty, toasty, ooey-gooey glory, the 2025 Big Cheese Smackdown has officially wrapped! While the crumbs settle and the cheese cools, we&r
View fullsize What a ridiculously cheesy 17 days!!! You cheese folks SHOWED UP for grilled cheese and we couldn’t be more excited! We’ve extended voting until 8 pm tonight! Then we’ll get to tallying all those votes & comments, run some com
View fullsize It’s the final day in our friendly but serious grilled cheese sammie smackdown for 2025 This is your last chance to try as many epic sandwiches as your appetite allows. Find your favourites, support local, and taste your way through grilled ch
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View fullsize We conducted this study and stand behind its completely unscientific results. #TheBigCheese #CheesePower #WhoWillBeTheBigCheese #GrilledCheeseWars #TheBigCheesePlease #TheBigCheese2025 #BlueMountainEats #GrilledCheeseGoals
View fullsize And finally, Introducing the 2025 entry from last year’s Big Cheese Champions “The Pear-suit of Happiness” from the team at @georgianhills A decadent twist on a classic, this gourmet grilled cheese sits between slices of rustic p
View fullsize Introducing the grilled cheese from our sponsor and organizer @thecheesegallery with their sandwich “The Hail Mary” - a last-minute attempt to save their sandwich after their original sandwich had to be scrapped A generous, almost ridic
View fullsize Introducing a surprise 25th entry into our competition with “Smoked Brightsider Grilled Cheese” from @brightside_deli Stacked with tender Montreal Smoked Meat and loaded with melted Applewood Smoked Cheddar, Swiss, and Provolone, this s
View fullsize Another outstanding sandwich by a freshman team - introducing The Gordon’s Mac & Grilled Cheeese from @gordonscollingwood This sandwich features Caramelized onions, Bacon Jam, Gordon’s own Mac & Cheese, Black River Pepper Jack &
View fullsize Introducing the Sweet & Sassy from the team @thornburybakerycafe The Sweet & Sassy features a Chef Patrick croissant filled with local gala apples, double cream brie cheese and our house made hot honey! Sweet, sassy and delicious! #TheBi