Melt Shop, a Manhattan-based grilled cheese chainlet, will open its first location outside New York at 1901 L Street, Northwest, on Wednesday. The shop was set to debut Tuesday, but pushed back the opening due to the snowstorm. Thankfully, the place is still planning to celebrate by offering the whole menu at half-price.
The all-day menu is made up of sandwiches, shakes, tater tots, and, of course, tomato soup, plus a few salads for the health-minded. Diners can go classic with American cheese on white bread, or spiffed-up combinations like three cheeses and roasted tomatoes on sourdough, grilled chicken and mozzarella, or a burger melt with caramelized onions and aged cheddar “brick spread” from Wisconsin. For comfort fare, there are two kinds of fried chicken grilled cheeses (we’ve got our eye on the spicy Buffalo-style). Gluten-free bread is also available.
Another big perk of the DC location: beer*. Ask for Melt Hops along with your sandwich, a custom-designed brew from Abita Brewing Company. There’s also a line of shakes for non-alcoholic indulging, including flavors like Nutella fluff and Oreo, for truly eating like a kid again.
Melt Shop. 1901 L St., NW; 202-794-8400. Open daily 11 to 8.
* This post has been updated from an earlier version.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
