Two slices of bread and some cheese might sound simple but, to many, finding the perfect grilled cheese is an endless (if very tasty) mission. There are the purists, who like theirs with handfuls of Cheddar and finished under the grill. Some prefer a sandwich with several types of cheese, while others might want all the loaded extras. Read on for the ooziest, most delicious options from every state to eat this National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day (April 12) and beyond.
Click or scroll our edit of the best grilled cheese sandwiches in every state – have you tried the best near you?
Our selections are based on genuine user reviews, awards and accolades, and the first-hand experience of our well-traveled (and well-fed) team. They're also regularly checked and updated.
Paramount is a favorite Birmingham hangout thanks to its well-mixed cocktails, cool industrial décor, and fun arcade games. But the most remarkable thing about it, according to many devotees, is its incredible grilled cheese. It's packed with three types of cheese – Cheddar, goats', and mozzarella – layered up with a tangy tomato chutney and packed between slices of sourdough. It goes well with a warming bowl of chili.
The grilled cheese at Spenard Roadhouse, a casual local joint in the Anchorage neighborhood of Spenard, has legendary status for many customers. It’s as delicious as it comes and can also be jazzed up with grilled apples and/or bacon, both of which are highly recommended. The real secret? A blend of sharp Cheddar and Havarti cheese, which results in a delicious, melt-in-the-mouth snack.
Perfect Pear Bistro has not one grilled cheese but a whole menu section dedicated to them, which goes some way to showing how seriously they take the toasted sandwich here. There’s a Mushroom Melt, an Italian-inspired sandwich with pesto and tomatoes, and one with bacon and jalapeños. It’s their signature Perfectly Grilled Cheese that gets the most attention, though, thanks to a blend of four cheeses served with crisp bacon in spiced cinnamon pear bread. There are two locations in Tempe.
One would hope a place with grilled cheese in its name would have some pretty decent, erm, grilled cheeses, and Hammontree's Grilled Cheese doesn’t let diners down. A whole host of takes on the classic include one with brie, Gouda, and fig jam, and even a blueberry grilled cheese, made with mascarpone and cream cheese and sandwiched in pound cake. They’re all good, but the Pig Sooie, packed with pulled pork, sharp Cheddar, and jalapeños, is the standout.
Rated number three in Yelp’s Top 100 US Restaurants 2024, Escondido’s Sunny Side Kitchen certainly lives up to the hype. The menu is stacked with dreamy hot sandwiches, including the famed Gourmet Grilled Cheese Panini. Expect melty Havarti and muenster cheeses between two Italian-seasoned sourdough slices, complete with a crispy Parmesan topping. It’s no wonder people return again and again.
Grilled cheese and craft beer – it’s a winning combination. In fact, The American Grilled Cheese Kitchen has won several awards for its lauded sandwiches. There’s a range of options from a Cubano-inspired grilled cheese with several meats to a kids’ version with milder Cheddar, but how could anyone resist a grilled cheese stuffed with mac ‘n’ cheese? Two American favorites – and double carbs – rolled into one sensational sandwich, with garlic butter to boot.
With an Uptown restaurant and a food truck, Steuben’s regularly draws long queues (and waits for tables) thanks, at least partly, to the fact it serves the best grilled cheese around. Some people like it as it comes, with an oozy mix of American and provolone, sandwiched in thick sourdough.
Grilled cheeses and food trucks go hand-in-hand like grilled cheeses and hungry bellies, and The Whey Station serves one of the best anywhere. Its menu includes the Ella, with brie, prosciutto, and fig, and an avocado melt. The signature sandwich is the Monger, with a blend of five – yep, five – cheeses that are also the basis of the other sandwiches.
Dogfish Head eschews the typical grilled cheese for a different take with Cheddar and brie, melted together on sourdough and topped with bacon, crisply sweet Granny Smith apples, arugula, and a drizzle of honey. The balance of textures and flavors is perfect, while some customers say it’s the best grilled cheese they’ve ever tasted and simply to die for.
The name is fun to say, and the food is fun to eat, too. Ms. Cheezious started as a food truck, often named Miami’s best, and now has a restaurant on Biscayne Boulevard. The praise is, at least partly, down to this unbelievably delicious BBQ Pulled Pork Melt, which is a sandwich worth traveling thousands of miles for. The BBQ pulled pork is made in-house and is beautifully tender, with the sweetness perfectly balanced by sharp Cheddar and all melted together in one gooey and gorgeous package.
Cooks & Soldiers may call it the Bikini, but others call it the best grilled cheese – ever. The restaurant serves Basque food, with perfect tapas like patatas bravas and grilled octopus. Yet, it’s the Bikini, made with white Cheddar, Jamón Ibérico, and black truffle, that really gets people talking. In fact, these bite-size sandwiches are so good that those who have tried them often can’t stop raving about them. It’s one of the few mainstays on the menu.
Porky’s, which started as a food truck on the island of Kauai, is famous for its grilled cheeses loaded with extra toppings. At least, it’s famous with anyone who’s ever bitten into one of those sandwiches. Because, once someone has tried the Hawaiian-style grilled cheese with provolone and Havarti cheeses, pulled pork, and a choice of pineapple, grilled onions, and spicy sauces, no other sandwich will ever compare.
Meltz Extreme isn’t only famed for excellent grilled cheese sandwiches – it’s famed for some of the best sandwiches in the USA, period. Often named among the best casual eateries in the country, this spot has cheese and bread down to a fine art. The Ultimate Meltz is a time-perfected blend of six cheeses – white Cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, fontina, goats', and Gorgonzola. It’s got a satisfyingly strong flavor and is deliciously gooey.
A grilled cheese restaurant. We repeat: a grilled cheese restaurant. Chicagoans are famously ravenous, which is why the city has such a rich and eclectic food scene. Cheesie’s always offers a grilled cheese of the month, while regulars include a mozzarella-based sandwich and one with mac ‘n’ cheese. The OG is, of course, the best. A blend of American and Cheddar cheeses in extra-thick Texas toast, and with tomato soup to dip it in, this is comfort food at its most delicious.
It’s hard to work out just how this tiny takeout spot manages to cram so much into such a small space. Pretty much everything at Subito is made in-house, including the biga, an Italian-style bread, that makes the grilled cheese so delicious. This simple dish can be added to any menu order. It’s super affordable and filled with oozy goodness.
Everything about Cheese Bar is cheesy, in the best, ooziest, most delicious ways. The popular Des Moines spot is known for its mac ‘n’ cheese and raclette, but the grilled cheese – with rotating specials showcasing different local cheeses and complementary ingredients – is always pretty perfect, too. People praise the unique flavor combinations and general tastiness.
The Wheel Barrel has a huge chunk of its menu dedicated to grilled cheese sandwiches. In fact, it makes up roughly half of the food offering, alongside salads, soups, and craft beer. Seasonal specials are offered along with a core menu of sandwiches, including The Classic, with a choice of two cheeses, and the best of the lot: The Monte Cristo. It’s an unusual but very delicious combo of brie, Swiss cheese, ham, turkey, and grape jelly, all layered in country white bread dusted with powdered sugar.
Filling, comforting, and packed with smoky, tangy BBQ flavor – that description applies to pretty much everything at Momma's Mustard Pickles & BBQ, including the grilled cheese. This ever-popular diner stuffs its grilled cheese sandwiches with a choice of meats, including turkey, pulled pork, smoked sausage, and even meatloaf. The grilled cheese with brisket is especially delicious, with melt-in-the-mouth meat and gorgeously gooey cheese, from a choice of white Cheddar or Havarti.
With two locations – in Uptown and the Warehouse District – St. James Cheese Company has become the big cheesy of the Big Easy. The stores sell artisan cheeses and charcuterie, while the attached restaurants serve gooey goodies including the most delectable grilled cheese. It’s the quality of the ingredients that really makes this one stand out from the rest. The perfect sourdough is filled with a two-year aged Cheddar and toasted to achieve the optimum crunch.
This is Maine, after all – so what else would a grilled cheese be elevated by but a load of lovely lobster? The Lobster Grilled Cheese at The HighRoller Lobster Co. is so delicious you won't be able to stop thinking about it. It’s an irresistible combination of Cheddar and Swiss cheeses with claw and knuckle meat, all sandwiched between slices of buttery toast. People describe it as the best lobster dish in Portland (which is saying something).
This small regional favorite is located in Catonsville, and has bagged itself the domain name 'ilovegrilledcheese.com.' They really do love grilled cheese at Grilled Cheese & Co. – and so do its customers. You'll regularly find special menu items popping up, but its specialty is the trademarked Crabby Melt, with a deliciously creamy house-made crab dip and Monterey Jack cheese.
Made with muenster cheese, applewood smoked bacon, and house-made guacamole, the Green Muenster is named for the left-field wall at Boston’s baseball field, Fenway Park, which is known as 'The Green Monster.' It’s also just a very delicious twist on the typical grilled cheese. Roxy’s serves this and other grilled cheese sandwiches from its roving food truck and two restaurants. It's the best around, according to fans.
The Madtown Grilled Cheese at this sports bar chain is so good, some would pick it as their very last meal. It uses a blend of dill Havarti, smoked Gouda, and muenster cheeses, sandwiched in sourdough with apple slices, garlic aioli, and a drizzle of honey – and it really does live up to the hype. HopCat has several locations in Michigan, including in Detroit and Grand Rapids, and has taken its crave-worthy grilled cheese to other states, too.
The selection of gourmet grilled cheeses at this cute spot is always on point, with specials often created by staff members. The runaway favorite of the core menu is The Jerk, which comes layered with mild-spiced Jamaican jerk seasoned chicken and mozzarella cheese, plus a little kick from guava jam. Customers love that it has a satisfying hit of heat. All Square is a place with a purpose too: the restaurant is a social non-profit that invests money to help formerly incarcerated people become future leaders.
It turns out that lump crab, provolone cheese, and remoulade sauce is a match made in comfort food heaven. That’s how fans of the famous grilled cheese at Depot Kitchen & Market feel, anyway, and it’s hard to argue. Specials stuffed with meatloaf and their classic grilled cheese, with choices from Tillamook Cheddar to smoked Gouda, are all pretty good, too.
Pitched as an 'adult grilled cheese' and made with a secret blend that includes white Cheddar, mozzarella, and sliced apple on whole grain, the Royal Grille lives up to its rather grand name. In fact, this sandwich at The Fountain On Locust has been described as one of the best ever and 'to die for.' It pairs well with the soup and, for a truly adult experience, the bar’s well-mixed cocktails.
This cozy little coffee shop serves up a sandwich that’s two (or possibly three) comfort foods in one: a Chicken Nacho Grilled Cheese. This ingenious creation at 1889 Coffee House is a tender chicken breast topped with Cheddar, pepper Jack, and nacho cheeses, with crushed tortilla chips added before it’s perfectly crisped on the grill. No wonder it’s been described as one of the best ever. The portions are generous, too.
The grilled cheese at Kitchen Table is made with three different varieties of cheese, all melted into deliciously airy and just-so chewy levain sourdough. The bread, especially, is exceptional, and people love the fact everything is freshly made with the best local ingredients. It comes with an equally delicious soup – choose from classic tomato or smoked ham and barley.
Perhaps 'yo mama' does make a mean grilled cheese, but is it loaded with brisket, bacon jam, sautéed kale, chipotle ranch, and Cheddar? Yes? Well, lucky you. For most of us, though, the only place to get a grilled cheese stuffed with all this deliciousness is Truffles N Bacon. It’s described as juicy, packed with flavor, and just phenomenal.
Black Mtn. Burger Co. clearly takes its grilled cheese seriously – they’ve even named it with the restaurant’s acronym, and they’re right to, because this unusual but ingenious combination works beautifully. The BMBC Grilled Cheese takes a grilled pretzel roll as its base and fills it with crumbled goats' cheese, brie cheese, hickory smoked bacon pieces, and house-made sweet blueberry jam.
American Melts is a 'build your own' grilled cheese bar and the possibilities are both seemingly endless and definitely delicious. Filling options include classic American cheese, bacon, pesto, pickles, sliced apple, and portobello mushroom, and diners can choose from different sandwich bases, from country white bread to whole grain. Customers describe the results as the best sandwiches they’ve ever had, and just a great grilled cheese. There are gluten-free and vegan options, too.
The Grove Cafe & Market does a classic grilled cheese with a difference, combining white Cheddar, Havarti, and mature provolone, and melting it all between slices of crisp, chewy sourdough. It’s absolutely delicious and packed with flavor. Diners at this artisanal café recommend the additions, too, with caramelized onion, green chile, and house-made pickles available to give the grilled cheese extra oomph.
The Cheese Traveler serves up a grilled cheese that really is worth taking a journey for. Its take on the old-school classic is called the Simple Pleasure, and indeed it is, thanks to a glorious gooey blend of Cheddar from Shelburne Farms in Vermont and Havarti from Edelweiss, Wisconsin. The bread, sliced from a freshly baked sandwich loaf, is pretty delicious, too, and diners can add extras including bacon and ‘nduja.
Murray’s Cheese Bar, located in Long Island City, has legendary status. Devoted to all things cheese, the restaurant-bar has become renowned for its Murray’s Melt. This hot grilled sandwich features a signature blend of three cheeses, all melted to perfection on two Pullman slices. For an even more comforting meal, add on a bowl of rich tomato soup.
Starting out as a food truck, Papi Queso now has a permanent home and continues to dish out the best grilled cheese sandwiches not only in the state, but anywhere. At least, that’s how its many devotees feel. The cleverly named Pig Mac is the top-seller, stuffed with slow-smoked pulled pork, mac ‘n’ cheese, and caramelized onions. It’s a firm favorite, and we can see why. The real secret? Pain de mie, a pillowy soft white bread with a fine crumb that toasts beautifully, especially after being brushed with a mix of butter and mayonnaise.
A Theodore Roosevelt–themed restaurant in Downtown Fargo, Teddy's Eatery is all about warming, satisfying comfort food – and there's nothing more comforting than Teddy's Best Grilled Cheese. It's a classic recipe: sharp Wisconsin Cheddar, toasted sourdough, and a crispy pickle, partnered with tomato and basil soup for dipping. Diners love its ooziness.
The people at Melt Bar & Grilled don’t approach grilled cheeses the traditional way. Instead, they stuff as much deliciousness in as the bread will take before toasting it all to golden, gooey perfection. There’s a breakfast version with bacon and eggs, one with spicy sausage and potato hash, and – best of all – the Mighty Macaroni. Homemade mac ‘n’ cheese is battered and deep-fried before being layered with a cheese sauce and extra melted cheese on top. Yep.
The Mule specializes in Moscow mules and grilled cheese sandwiches. For many people, that’s basically all they need. Alongside rotating specials, its core menu of 'sandies' includes the Macaroni Pony, basically a grilled cheese with macaroni stuffed in. It also contains BBQ pulled pork and pickles, and comes sandwiched between slices of jalapeño cornbread. It also uses three different cheeses in the mac, giving it a satisfying sharpness.
It's easy to find a great lunch in the City of Roses, especially at this hip spot serving 'grown-up' grilled cheese sandwiches in Northeast Portland. The house favorite is the Raconteur – French bread is layered up with brie, blue cheese, mustard, ham, and blackberry preserves. Customers say every bite is amazing.
Philadelphia may be known for another meat and cheese sandwich, the Philly cheesesteak, but fans of the Short Rib Grilled Cheese at Huda reckon it holds its own. The meat is beautifully tender, the pepper Jack cheese wonderfully oozy, and the sourdough bread grilled to perfection. This Rittenhouse spot opened in September 2020 and already has a devoted following.
The 'from scratch' ethos of this comfort-food spot means that there isn’t one particular grilled cheese that gets customers’ pulses racing – it’s just any grilled cheese that happens to be on that day’s menu. The rotating Gourmet grilled cheese at Scratch Kitchen ranges from classic melted cheese with ham to chicken parm and duck confit, and they're described as simply 'incredible' by those who have tried them.
If it’s a classic grilled cheese you’re after, Columbia’s Midwood Smokehouse can do no wrong. Two slices of thick Texas-style toast come loaded with Cheddar, white American cheese, and smoked red onion. To make it even more indulgent, you can add on a rich brisket, chopped pork, or chorizo filling. You’ll also find this small chain across North Carolina.
Sickies Garage specializes in burgers with a difference – and the twist with the Twin Cam is that it’s sandwiched between two grilled cheeses rather than a bun. The patty is also topped with peppered bacon and nacho cheese, and it’s generally excellent. There are two South Dakota locations – in Rapid City and Sioux Falls – plus a handful in other states.
The Grilled Cheeserie has a Nashville restaurant and a food truck, and both of them serve up some of the most inventive and flavorful grilled cheese sandwiches around. There's a Harvest Melt with triple cream brie, white Cheddar, and roast turkey, or diners can build their own. The customer favorite is the Pimento Mac & Cheese, which combines the comfort food favorite with bacon bits on country white bread. It's wonderfully indulgent.
It stands to reason that the best grilled cheese in Texas should be beefed up with some good old barbecue. Barrio Barista uses tender chipotle-infused barbacoa and layers it up in (of course) thick-sliced Texas toast with avocado and cheese. Diners should be prepared to crave more as soon as they’re finished, because it really is that good – and goes perfectly with the tomato soup.
Cravings Bistro has a tempting array of grilled cheese fillings including the ever-popular Mac ‘n' Cheese and its Monte Cristo, which has turkey, ham, Swiss cheese, Dijon mustard, and house-made mayonnaise, all on French bread. It’s grilled to the most beautiful golden crisp and comes with raspberry jam, which may sound odd but takes the taste to another level.
Vermont is famous for great cheese, so you’d expect to find some gorgeously gooey creations. The perfectly cooked grilled cheese at the tucked-away Hyde Away Inn doesn’t disappoint. It's made with Waitsfield Common sourdough and a mix of Vermont cheeses, and comes served with a freshly made tomato soup. You can't go wrong here.
Big things are expected of you when you have a name like this, and thankfully The Grilled Cheese Bistro in Norfolk delivers. The team offers a brilliant selection of flavor-packed grilled cheeses, but the most indulgent – and delicious – option has to be the Hangover. Two slices of sourdough are jammed with black truffle mac 'n' cheese and topped with extra Cheddar.
It really is the cheese that makes the sandwiches doled out at Beecher’s such a rare treat. Its grilled cheese is made with its very own flagship cheese, featuring a blend of Cheddar and Gruyère cultures for a unique nutty flavor. It’s all grilled to a glorious golden gooeyness in crisp artisanal bread, and it’s utterly delicious. There are a few locations nowadays, including an airport café.
With a bountiful selection, it’s hard to say no to anything on the menu here. You can't beat the signature dish, though: the Beale Street. This delicious sandwich features hot pepper cheese, Gorgonzola, bacon, apple slices, and kale. Crispy on the outside and oozy in the center, it’s packed with saltiness from the bacon, a hint of spice from the cheese, and fresh bitterness from the greens.
The Stuffed Grilled Cheese sandwich at Alchemy comes filled with broccoli, roasted carrots, red onion, and a cilantro pesto. It comes highly recommended, described by diners as 'amazing.' The rich Cheddar is what makes it so delicious, along with the perfectly baked and toasted sourdough bread.
This elegant Jackson spot is loved for its large outdoor patio – and, according to many customers, for serving the best grilled cheese ever. Café Genevieve makes its with white Cheddar and basil, sandwiched in wheat bread that’s buttered before toasting for a perfect crisp. It comes with a comforting cup of tomato soup, too, and diners can add bacon, tomato, and/or avocado.
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Last updated by Lottie Woodrow.