Ten Favorite Metro Phoenix Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

The grilled cheese sandwich -- the ultimate comfort food. The G. C. can make you feel better when you're super sick, it can chase away the homesickness blues, and it can even be your best food friend during a bad break up. Plus, it's delicious. Here's a list of our...

By Shannon Armour

March 29, 2012

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The grilled cheese sandwich -- the ultimate comfort food. The G. C. can make you feel better when you're super sick, it can chase away the homesickness blues, and it can even be your best food friend during a bad break up. Plus, it's delicious.

Here's a list of our favorite grilled cheese sandwiches from around the Valley. Enjoy!

10. Just Grilled Cheese from Wedge & Bottle Cheese Shop -- The Valley's only specialty cheese shop makes a mean grilled cheese for an obvious reason: They use the very best cheese. Wedge & Bottle's version of the G.C. pairs fancy Barber's Cheddar with creamy gouda on perfectly toasted sourdough. Pair it with a glass of red for a perfect afternoon meal.

9. Arizona Sky from Liberty Market -- Available on both the lunch and dinner menus, the Arizona Sky is piled high with smokey ham and creamy fontagne cheese and then topped with fresh mixed greens and a tangy roasted poblano aioli. All that good stuff is pressed panini style between two slices of amazing bread and served with a side of your choice.

8. Triple Grilled Cheese from Switch -- Fez and ReBar/Bliss' sibling Switch serves up a Triple Grilled Cheese that will remind you of your favorite childhood meal without the kiddie-menu stigma. The sandwich is made with Provolone, Cheddar, and American cheeses on buttery grilled Texas toast, and you can add avocado, tomato, or bacon if you desire a little more then cheese and bread. The sandwich comes with a Caesar salad on the side, but you can substitute wedge fries or, for a super cheesy experience, a small side of their signature mac n' cheese.

7. Grilled Cheese from O.H.S.O -- Arcadia's newest eatery and brewhouse combines Welsh Red Dragon cheddar with creamy fontina on toasted Italian bread and adds thick slices of tomato and crisp applewood smoked bacon to the mix for a pretty tasty G.C. Ditch the fries and cough up the extra buck for a cup of the restaurant's smokey tomato soup. The two were made to be together! Pricey, but worth it -- and one of your best bets at this hit-and-miss spot.

6. Griddled Cheese from The Main Ingredient -- Havarti, Munster, and cheddar all come together with thick slices of locally sourced tomatoes and golden grilled sourdough. It's simple but hits the spot when the grilled cheese craving hits. Plus, we get to eat it while enjoying a great Phoenix patio and listening to awesome music.

5. Truffled Grilled Cheese from Cafe ZuZu -- Only on the lunch menu, Zuzu matches melty fontina cheese with peppery arugula and oven-roasted tomatoes bursting with flavor. The bread is always perfect, and if you happen to be there during happy hour, you can snag a bare bones version of the sandwich with a cup of comforting tomato soup for just $5.

4. Croque Monsieur from Hillside Spot -- This Ahwatukee cafe serves up an open-faced version of our favorite fancy grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Served on a thick slice of our very favorite grilled MJ bread with a generous portion of ham and gruyere cheese, then topped off with a velvety bechamel sauce, this sandwich is worth the drive. If you like your sandwiches more ladylike, add an egg for no extra charge to turn it into a madame.

3. Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Combo from The Roosevelt -- Nothing goes better with a toasty grilled cheese then a nice warm bowl of tomato soup -- except for a cold beer and a cozy bar. At The Roosevelt, the golden toasted bread with tangy sharp cheddar is just hot enough to ooze slightly out the sides; dip it in the velvet soup, and it's perfection on a plate. Just like we would make at home but better because someone else made it.

2. Halloumi Cheese from Citizen Public House -- This is far from your typical sourdough and cheddar grilled cheese, which is why we love it so much. You won't find another one like it anywhere in town. Halloumi cheese is a smooth Greek cheese made from a mixture of goat and sheep's milk with a slightly smokey flavor and a very high melting point -- which means you can grill it. CPH grills up giant hunks of the stuff and combines it with a delicious chickpea puree, tahini, ripe tomatoes, and mixed greens all on top of a soft roll. No bacon needed!

1. Beckett's Original Grilled Cheese from Beckett's Table -- Chef Justin Beckett may be a pork product wiz, but he also makes an outstanding grilled cheese sandwich. Crispy, cheesy, and totally indulgent, the four cheese blend oozes out from between buttery, cheese-sprinkled brioche. Toss a couple of pancetta strips on deck for a nice meaty crunch, and combine it with a bowl of silky roasted red pepper and tomato soup for a decadent comfort food meal.

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