6 of Charlotte’s best spots for grilled cheese, reviewed
There’s such beauty in the simplicity of a grilled cheese sandwich: take bread and cheese, heat until melted, serve. However, when tasked with sussing out the top grilled cheese sandwiches and melts in Charlotte, a concern popped into my head: how much of my favorite food can I stomach in two weeks without starting to hate it?
Thankfully, I’ve emerged from this culinary experiment relatively unscathed, and I’m ready to report my findings. While my favorite grilled cheese will probably always be one I make myself, there are many local spots that I’ll be sure to revisit.
So who has me reaching for seconds, or just the check? More importantly, who might I have overlooked and need to check out in the future? Let’s get comfortable with the most comforting of comfort foods, tomato soup optional.
Common Market
2007 Commonwealth Ave.
Disclaimer: while Southern born and bred, I was woefully late to the pimento cheese game. Thankfully, I’ve made up for that lost time. However, if you were to ask me who arguably has the best pimento cheese in town, I’d reflexively answer with Common Market (FūD on the MūV is close behind). Elegantly simple, containing just two cheeses, pimentos, peppers and mayo, it’s hard to go wrong here.
The stuff’s delicious on its own, but how does it fare spread between bread? More importantly, which of the six bread options do I choose for my Pimento Deluxe masterpiece?
While I believe I could’ve picked a better bread selection than honey wheat, everything else fell deliciously into place. Melted morsels that dripped onto the deli paper were greedily swept up. Even if I had just eaten a five-course meal, I’d still make room for this sandwich.
Orrman’s Cheese Shop
224 E 7th St.
French Toastie via Orrman’s Instagram
You’d expect a cheesemonger like Orrman’s to serve a solid grilled cheese, and you’re not mistaken. For this experiment, I opted for the #6: a simple Basic Cheddar on Sourdough ($5.50). Oh, the bread – the lactic bite was sublime, and really raised the bar for what sourdough means to me.
I’m a big fan of Orrman’s, and have a hard time not ordering the same things repeatedly. Its Cheddar & Gouda ($6.50) bravely (and successfully) incorporates pickles and mustard, and the Smoked Mozz & Prosciutto ($8.50) is hard to top. Haven’t had it yet, but just reading about the Raclette & Rosemary Ham ($8.50) is enough to get me back in soon.
Pike’s Old Fashioned Soda Shop
1930 Camden Rd #2001
When I saw both a grilled cheese ($5.99) and a grilled pimento cheese ($6.99) option on the menu, I did the only responsible thing and ordered both. Why waste time on making a decision?
Great news for fans of rye bread, Pike’s defaults to a wonderfully chewy exterior option, albeit a bit butter-laden. Sinking my teeth through the bread and into the melted three-cheese goodness of the grilled cheese was quite a joy. American, jack and cheddar have solid interplay with the spicy rye notes.
On the flip side of the coin, there’s the pimento cheese. Rye bread still wins the day here, but the pimento cheese itself was largely forgettable, aside from the questionable (regrettable?) inclusion of capers. To each their own, but this wasn’t my speed in the least.
Workman’s Friend
1531 Central Ave.
via Scallion Pancake’s Instagram
Ordinarily, I’m a function-over-fashion person, but even my utilitarian sensibilities had to marvel at the presentation of The Irish American Grilled Cheese ($8). The mere sight of two carefully sandwich halves, stacked confidently next to a small ramekin of tomato bisque, was enough to get a little drool going.
Sourdough bread is the default, beautifully toasted to an even light brown without noticeable buttery residue. I wisely opted for bacon, which had a wonderfully satisfying chew to it. Dubliner white cheddar brings big flavor up front, and the gooey American works well with it.
Later that night, I’m pretty sure I dreamed of the tomato and basil bisque. It was quite good on its own, or solid as a dipping option. Its acidity was pleasant, with a touch of smokiness. I’d crush a bowl on its own.
Dandelion Market
118 W 5th St.
via Dandelion Market’s Instagram
While the grilled cheese & tomato soup ($8) is a strictly a lunchtime affair, it’s enough to warrant a future trip uptown for me. The buttery exterior had me thankful for a napkin, but the rewarding crunch of the toasted sourdough bread made multiple small bites my new normal.
Three cheeses intermingle inside – Tillamook cheddar, provolone and Boar’s Head white cheddar. Well-melted without being stringy, the crisp bread and warm cheese was nearly unbeatable.
Yes, my fingers ended up a bit greasy, though considering I barely put this sandwich down, that’s not as much as a knock as it would be elsewhere. Sure, comfort foods should be inherently comfortable, but eating this was a new level of satisfaction.
Papi Queso Food Truck
Uptown Charlotte or Sycamore Brewing
via It seems predetermined, almost trite, that Papi Queso finds itself mentioned in every list of the best grilled cheeses in town except for one simple fact – the reputation is well-earned.
Seriously, find me a better bang for your buck than the triple-cheesed Lil’ Cheesy ($6). Go ahead, I’ll wait. No fancy bread, no unpronounceable ingredients, just a pitch-perfect medley of cheddar, American and provolone.
Don’t get me wrong, the Pig Mac ($9.50) and Mushroom & Gruyere ($8.50) have a special place in my heart (and probably my arteries), but it’s hard to beat the basics sometimes.
Featured Photo: Jonathan Wells
This story was originally published April 2, 2018 at 12:00 AM with the headline "6 of Charlotte’s best spots for grilled cheese, reviewed."