Food

April Is National Grilled Cheese Month; Here's Where to Eat One

Eleven destinations for a gooey, melty sandwich with which to mark the occasion.

An entire month of celebrating the grilled cheese? This is something we can get behind.

Here on the Best Bites Blog, we have a serious sweet spot for grilled cheese sandwiches. So when someone (and by someone we mean the many someones who pen press releases) tells us April is grilled cheese month, we’re going to pay attention. Herewith, some tasty places for taking advantage of the occasion. If we missed your favorite, feel free to scold us in the comments.

Who knew Fiola served grilled cheese? Washingtonian contributor Nevin Martell recently rounded up five favorite grilled cheese around town. Among his picks: a buffalo mozz and basil sandwich from the aforementioned high-end Italian eatery, plus a GC with spiced ham and another featuring that bright orange staple of Southern cuisine, pimiento cheese.

In addition to the melties on that lofty list, we suggest you sample the sandwiches at CheesetiqueJill Erber’s two temples du fromage (in Del Ray and Shirlington Village) offer riffs on the classic bread-cheese-butter recipes, with enhancers like Black Forest ham, apples, and peppered bacon.

If you like to eat your grilled cheese late night, allow us to direct you to the Hamilton. A highlight of the massive menu is the Swanky Grilled Cheese, a mashup of Vermont cheddar cheese, apple butter, and Surryano ham smooshed between slices of brioche. It’s the sort of indulgent snack that tastes exactly right after you’ve overindulged in alcohol–a lucky thing, since this massive restaurant/music venue is open round the clock.

Speaking of foods to eat when you’ve got a buzz on, Stoney’s on P Street is the place to go for a “super” grilled cheese–a greasy delight with bacon, onion, and tomato.

As if melted Gruyère, garlicky chopped mushrooms, and roasted Vidalia onions weren’t a rich-enough combo, Michel Richard eatery Central serves its house GC with a cheese dipping sauce. It’s $16, but come on–a grilled cheese with cheese sauce? You must eat this.

When seeking grill-y satisfaction on the go, your best bet is the Big Cheese food truck. Because what’s not to love about the Mt. Fuji, featuring Mt. Tam Brie, fuji apple, and honey on multigrain? Nothing, that’s what.