There are some things that really get me going, cheese toasties being one of them. It probably doesn’t help that I count the dairy by-product as an integral part of my personal food pyramid, but I find the gratification of biting into a golden plateau, oozing with melted cheddar, or mozzarella, or better… a combination of the two, along with a tertiary ingredient of choice, second to not much else.

So it was something of an epiphany to find out that August has newly, unofficially, become cheese toastie month around NZ. Formally called the Great New Zealand Toastie Tour, the inaugural affair has charged 20 cafes and eateries across the country with the task of serving up their own unique take on the perfect toastie. Whether it’s a nostalgia-inducing traditional iteration or a truly gourmet creation, fans of this quintessential snack are in for a treat.

Wellington Baker Gramercy has conjured up a cheese toastie featuring gruyere, stout-braised onions, béchamel sauce and pickles on kumara thyme sourdough, while Auckland’s Federal Delicatessen has opted for a mouthwatering toastie of ‘Fed’ curds, gruyere, Swiss cheese and McClure’s pickles. In Christchurch, Terra Viva Café has gone for an indulgent carnivorous option with a delicious roast duck and pickle toastie, while Supreme Supreme has a special savoury mince toastie on their menu complete with smoked cheese and pickles.

What’s great is that it isn’t an exclusively lactic affair, vegans are also catered to at Devonport’s Vondel eatery where a toastie filled with pickles, plant-based cream cheese and cheddar cheese, and a house-made vegan pastrami is set to delight taste buds.

Lord knows this nationwide celebration of the humble toasted sandwich is our cup of tea. If you, too, are passionate about the grilled sarnie, you can take a look at the full list of participating cafes here.

The Great New Zealand Toastie Tour has been brought to us by Supreme Coffee and McClure’s pickles.