There are few things in this world that I love more than breakfast and sandwiches. And by few, I mean one: breakfast sandwiches. Nothing stands up to the experience of eating a breakfast sandwich—the taste of anything and everything breakfast-related crammed into one bite is unparalleled. So if you feel the same type of way, here's where you need to be getting your breakfast sandwich if you want the best of the best in your state.
Alabama: Big Bad Breakfast
As if biscuits were not delicious enough, Big Bad Breakfast puts a Southern twist on a classic. Their Big Bad Breakfast sandwich has eggs, cheese, and your choice of meat between two ridiculously good looking biscuits. On par with their mouthwatering sandwiches, they have a menu that will satisfy any breakfast craving.
Alaska: Kava's Pancake House
Giddy on up for the Saddle Bag Sandwich at Kava's Pancake House. This monster has two sausage patties, two bacon strips, shaved ham, and three scrambled eggs piled between sourdough toast with Swiss and American cheese. And if you still have room, it's served with hash browns, home fries, or grits—quite literally a mouthful.
Arizona: Ollie Vaughn'
I'm a sucker for a DYOBS (design your own breakfast sandwich), and Ollie Vaughn's lets you do just that. Choose either a biscuit, croissant, or a bolillo roll, and any combination (or all?) of egg, meat, cheese, and veggies that your heart desires. It's a nonstop trip to breakfast sandwich heaven.
Arkansas: The Root
Can you tell I can't get good biscuits where I live? A local cafe called The Root serves up incredibly fresh food for college student-affordable prices. Get the Sausage or Ham, Egg, and Cheese Biscuit – a buttermilk biscuit sandwich with a sausage patty or smoked ham, farm-fresh egg, yellow cheddar or Wisconsin Swiss, and homemade muscadine wine jelly or seasonal jam for just $6.00.
California: Eggslut
This one came down to 1) the name and 2) the amount of time I spent drooling over their pictures (I haven't stopped). Eggslut reigns supreme. With brioche bun jam-packed combinations like house-made turkey sausage, cage-free over-medium egg, cheddar cheese, and honey mustard aioli, how can you resist?
Colorado: Denver Biscuit Company
I don't know what biscuit French toast is, but I need to. Check out the Dahlia at Denver Biscuit Company – it's a biscuit sandwich that has a house made sausage patty, APPLE BUTTER (the GOAT of condiments), fried egg, and maple syrup. You can choose the build it on biscuit French toast option if you so desire (not sure who wouldn't). Get me to Denver, pronto.
Connecticut: Goldberg's Bagel Cafe
With over twenty bagels to choose from (sun-dried tomato, I'm coming for you), Goldberg's Bagel Cafe has you covered. If the Ultimate Burrito Sandwich, made with choice of bacon, sausage, or ham, double egg and cheese, grilled onions, roasted peppers, hash brown, and chipotle mayo doesn't sound like heaven on bagel to you, you're crazy. But don't worry, they make more than 15 other insane combinations.
Delaware: Drip Cafe
When a menu has a whole section devoted to breakfast sandwiches, you know you found a gem. Drip Cafe serves unique breakfast sandwiches, like this scrapple waffle-wich – with scrapple, egg, and waffles in sandwich-form. Or the Piglet, which seems to have everything but the oink.
Florida: Blue Collar
Blue Collar in Miami is coming in hot with their sandwichy stuff packed brunch menu. From huge breakfast burritos with chorizo and smoked gouda, to a braised brisket, jus, latke, and applesauce filled Portuguese muffin, this place knows their breakfast sandwiches. So grab a 'wich and hit the beach.
Georgia: Cafe + Velo
In addition to selling bikes, Cafe + Velo has mastered the art of the crandwich: a sandwich on a croissant. Feeling savory? Opt for the Penny Farthing crandwich, which has eggs, bacon, and cheddar. Got a sweet tooth? Try the Motobecane with strawberries, brie, and honey. Or the Stella with Nutella and strawberries. Or get both. And then hop on a bike.
Hawaii: Lox of Bagels
Another state, another ridiculously good bagel shop serving up over twenty different bagel flavors. With flavors like Hawaiian (a gimme), strawberry guava, spinach, and taro, Lox of Bagels has your bagel fix covered. They also serve breakfast all day, which includes New York style bagel sandwiches that look like this.
Idaho: Wild Root Café & Market
Wild Root Café & Market had me sold with their grilled PB&B (peanut butter and banana) sandwich. And with the Frenchy, a genius concoction of egg, Kurobuta ham, Gruyère cheese, and maple syrup shoved between French toast. With their plethora of unique and delicious, as well as vegan, breakfast and brunchy options, there's a sandwich for everyone.
Illinois: Nini's Deli
Did someone say plantains on a breakfast sandwich? Nini's Deli did with their El Cubanito, a savory and sweet combination of eggs, cheese, black beans, sweet plantains and avocado on a baguette. They also serve a unique sandwich called the Media Noche with turkey, melted swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, sweet guava jelly, and eggs. Chicagooooo, here I come.
Indiana: Rosie's Place
As a current inhabitant of California, it is only right that I honor a restaurant that serves a California Egg Sandwich. It helps that Rosie's Place is doing it right with two eggs any style, spinach, tomato, avocado, and herb cream cheese on grilled challah. Give me challah the challah breakfast sandwiches.
Iowa: Pullman Bar & Diner
I'm always into a bar that doubles as a diner. Pullman Bar & Diner serves a ridiculously delicious-looking croque madame – a sandwich of ham, Gruyère cheese, sunny side egg, sauce mornay, and chives on Pullman loaf. A classic French breakfast sandwich that seems too good to be true. Bon appétit or bust.
Kansas: Dagwood Cafe
Had to go with my Irish roots on this one. Under the breakfast sandwich section on the Dagwood Cafe menu is a list of drool worthy sammy's, but one stood out to me: the Irish Dagwood. It has egg, two slices of swiss cheese, and corned beef hash on grilled marble rye bread. Get in my belly.
Kentucky: Tolly-Ho
This next sandwich gets me. The Hot Mess – bacon, sausage, two scrambled eggs, and American cheese piled between two buttery pieces of heaven in the form of Texas toast – is served at Tolly-Ho ALL DAY. So don't worry if you sleep through breakfast. Oh, and forget KFC, because they also make a fried chicken and egg sandwich. Cluck yeah!
Louisiana: District Donuts.Sliders.Brew.
District Donuts is everything I love and more. What could be better than donuts, burgers, booze? Donuts, burgers, booze, AND breakfast sandwiches. Dibs on this monstrous biscuit sandwich overflowing with chicken fried pork belly, white gravy, and pickled cabbage. You'll find me with this sandwich next Mardi Gras.
Maine: Palace Diner
I have a soft (and spicy) spot for funky diners and jalapenos. The Deluxe Sandwich at the Palace Diner is a glorious combination of an omelet square, melted cheddar cheese, jalapeno, and mayo. I wish I was the hand behind this sandwich's banging cross-section view.
Maryland: Miss Shirley's Cafe
Had to capitalize on my home state's foodie claim to fame – crab. Miss Shirley's Cafe take the breakfast sandwich game to the next level with their Crab Happy Chesapeake Chicken Sammy: jumbo lump crab cake, local Chesapeake chicken sausage, fried egg, Cheddar cheese, sliced red tomato, and fried pickles on a jumbo English Muffin with a side of something starchy smothered in Old Bay, of course.
Massachusetts: Mike & Patty's
The Mike & Patty's Breakfast Grilled Crack sandwich may or may not go bacon your heart with fried egg, two times the bacon, and three kinds of cheese (American, Cheddar and Gruyère) on buttered sourdough. Along with the Fancy and the Breakfast Torta, this place has your breakfast sandwich needs covered, and then some.
Michigan: Mudgie's Deli
I might be a little too excited about this next one, but how can you not be hype about a turkey breast, smoked bacon, strawberry cream cheese, baby spinach, strawberry preserves, fried egg-topped sandwich on multi-grain bread and served warm? Mudgie's Deli is serving this – the Sho’ Nuff – along with other loaded breakfast sandwiches like the Gutty.
Minnesota: Golden's Deli
Another deli, another incredible breakfast sandwich. Snag this Market Favorite Bagel of fried egg, cream cheese, and a choice of ham, turkey, bacon, or smoked salmon, with optional additions of Swiss, cheddar, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, black and green olives, or jalapenos from Golden's Deli stand at the St. Paul Farmer's Market. Commencing munchies.
Mississippi: In and Out Breakfast
Who knew just a ham, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich could take your breath away in the best of ways? These deliciously monstrous concoctions are served at In and Out Breakfast. Choose this, or maybe Harry's Hashbrown Special –hashbrown, choice of meat and cheese on a Kaiser roll, and a friendly note of "No Lunch Needed."
Missouri: The Mud House
In need of some veggies after that last one, so The Mud House has me covered. The Veggie has egg, goat cheese, cukes, tomato jam, while the Egg + Cheese has egg, white cheddar, and a maple-mustard sauce. Add some meat, like bacon, ham, or "chorizo" to your Ciabatta-bound sandwich if you're feeling it, and get your side of greens in.
Montana: Uptown Hearth
As a microbakery with a food studio, Uptown Hearth knows how to do breakfast sandwiches. Nothing beats eggs sandwiched between the freshest of biscuits, breads, and croissants. You know you found a good one when the sandwich is so massive it requires two industrial-sized toothpicks to keep it together. Sometimes I bake mistakes, but this is not one.
Nebraska: Jimmy's Egg
I have to give it a place where the chefs wear shirts that say egg whisperer and serve burgers for breakfast. Jimmy's Egg makes a mean burger with melted American cheese, bacon, one fried egg over medium, and hash browns on a toasted ciabatta bun. Burger lovers unite with this cranked up breakfast sandwich.
Nevada: Squeeze In
All hands on triple deck with the Garth Breakfast Sandwich at Squeeze In. It has scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, mayo, and your choice of ham, bacon, sausage, turkey sausage, or chorizo on three slices of sourdough toast. Add the avo and tomato if that's not enough for you.
New Hampshire: Maddie's Bagel and Eatery
This next cute little gem of a breakfast sandwich haven has a breakfast on bread section. Maddie's Bagel and Eatery has a variety of yummy eggy sammys like the McBrit, with spinach, tomato, basil pesto, and Swiss on breakfast ciabatta, and the McFoxy, with sausage and cheddar grilled on a French toast bagel. Yes, a French toast bagel. Dreams do come true.
New Jersey: Frank's Deli and Restaurant
Jersey girls pump their fists, not their gas. And Frank pumps out the breakfast sandwiches. Feeling true to my Jersey roots, I have to hand it to Frank's Deli and Restaurant for their pork roll and egg. Add ham, bacon, cheese, or all three to this already jerseylicious sandwich. Enjoy this bad boy by the beach, and you're Jersey shore bound.
New Mexico: The Farmacy
As a current resident of the (Stanford) Farm, I appreciate the name of the joint – The Farmacy – but I appreciate their breakfast sandwiches even more. The El Diablo is a delicious combination of egg, carmalized onion, cheddar cheese, and a spicy Diablo sauce. Or forget McDondald's and go for the Not McMuffin, which has fried egg, cheddar cheese, house made Mississippi Comeback sauce, and veggie sausage. Yeeee YUM.
New York: Ess-a-Bagel
This bagel sandwich ess-a, issa vibe, brought to you by Ess-a-Bagel in the top dog foodie city of NYC. You can order eggs with essentially anything – lox, onions, peppers, sausage, etc. –on your choice of bagel. Good luck, because with flavors like Pump Raisin, Garlic, and Pumpernickel, how can you pick just one?
North Carolina: Sunflour Baking Company
Per bakery standards, this fabulous breakfast sandwich eatery lets you pick your own bread: sourdough, rosemary sourdough, whole grain, butter roll, cheddar biscuit, or croissant. Sunflour Baking Company has eight phenomenal combinations to choose from, like the #3 with egg, cheddar, and avocado. Sunny and yummy.
North Dakota: BernBaum's
BernBaum's is talking my language with the bagel plate section of their menu. And this trendy little place is cooking up some pretty banging bagel sandwiches, like the beauty in this photo. Don't forget about the egg + brick cheese, or some glorious combination of brisket, lox schmear, and carrot horseradish.
Ohio: DK Diner
Do *nut fight me on this one – glaze and eggs belong together, and DK Diner agrees. Their Donut Sandy breakfast sandwich has two over hard eggs, melted American cheese, and bacon on a grilled glazed donut. I have no words, other than I adough this sandwich.
Oklahoma: Foolish Things Coffee Company
I love when coffee companies double as bomb breakfast sandwich makers. Foolish Things Coffee Company serves three breakfast sandwiches served on house-made English muffins. I'm going for the #3, which has egg, ham, cheddar, and grilled veggies. Coffee, sammy, and chill.
Oregon: Pine State Biscuits
Can confirm that you can take the biscuit out of the South and still get a damn good biscuit. Pine State Biscuits is serving up some ridiculously good biscuit breakfast sandwiches, like the Reggie Deluxe with egg, fried chicken, bacon, and cheese topped with gravy. Or the Regina with and egg over easy, braised greens, and Texas Pete Hot Sauce. South who?
Pennsylvania: Mac Mart
If you think mac & cheese can't be incorporated into a) breakfast, b) a sandwich, and/or c) a breakfast sandwich, then Mac Mart proves you wrong. They serve the Mac 'n Hash Sammy, which has homemade buttermilk ranch, bacon, egg alternatives, and macaroni and cheese jammed between two crispy hash browns. Un-real.
Rhode Island: Bagel Gourmet Olé
Bagel Gourmet Olé is dishing out the cheese-pull photo-op of your social media dreams (and the hangover cures to your Saturday mornings) with their bagel breakfast sandwiches. Start with the classic ham, egg, and cheese, and add as many extra toppings as your now complete heart desires. Olé to RI.
South Carolina: Baguette Magic
Breakfast and baguette belong in the same sentence together, and Baguette Magic gets that. They serve loaded breakfast sandwiches on homemade baguettes, like the Recovery: two eggs, bacon, ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato and Sriracha. So take a day for some R,R&R: rest, relaxation, and a Recovery.
South Dakota: All Day Café
Brunch all day at All Day Café? They have three stellar breakfast sandwiches, including the Northside with a sausage patty, scrambled egg, and maple drizzle, on a croissant, and the California Club with shaved ham, avocado, tomato, haystack onions, scrambled egg, and cheddar on a grilled hoagie. Hello brunch, brinner, dunch, linner, and everything in between.
Tennessee: Biscuit Love
Nothing says love like a biscuit breakfast sandwich. Biscuit Love is dishing out a whole lotta love with their SEC sandwich of smoked sausage, egg, and aged cheddar. They also have the Wash Park: a glorious concoction of two beef burger patties, pimento cheese, bacon jam, and egg. Hug me, biscuit.
Texas: Coffee House Cafe
As if a challah breakfast sandwich couldn't get any better, Coffee House Cafe went ahead and did just that with their Challah French Toast Sandwich. Sandwiched between two pieces of challah French toast, it has bacon, over-medium egg, cheddar cheese, and my name written all over it.
Utah: Penny Ann's Cafe
Pinch me, I must be dreaming because I don't even have to order a side of pancakes with my breakfast sandwich at Penny Ann's Cafe. Their Pancake Sandwich has two eggs and three strips of bacon between three heavenly hotcakes with butter and syrup. No forks needed.
Vermont: J.J. Hapgood General Store and Eatery
I'm into locally sourced ingredients, so I'm digging J.J. Hapgood General Store and Eatery's breakfast sandwich rendition. Their Local Farm Egg Sandwich has farm egg and cheese on an English muffin or house-made buttermilk biscuit. Add Vermont sausage, bacon, spinach, or tomato if you're feelin' frisky.
Virginia: Commune
Nothing screams put me on a breakfast sandwich like prosciutto does. Commune listened and came up with the Prosciutto breakfast sandwich – scrambled eggs, chive, sharp cheddar, organic greens, and the best cured Italian meat out there on a sourdough brioche bun.
Washington: Seatown Seabar & Rotisserie
Honoring my innate love for crab, once again, but across the country this time. Seatown Seabar & Rotisserie is serving a Fried Egg Sandwich with Dungeness Crab: a buttery roll, avocado spread, local Beecher's cheese, and the show stopping ingredient – Dungeness crab. Give me all the crabohydrates.
Washington D.C.: Little Red Fox
Who cut the cheese? Little Red Fox did with their Portlander breakfast sandwich. It has a fried egg, house made apple butter, a glorious Gorgonzola spread, arugula, and bacon if you want it, all on ciabatta bread. The also have one called the Foxacado for you avo aficionados. Foxy sandwiches are in.
West Virginia: First Watch
Hurry over to First Watch for this banging seasonal menu item called the Farmer's Biscuit Sandwich. It has pork sausage, an over-easy, cage-free egg, sharp cheddar, lemon-dressed arugula, mayo, and apple butter on a fresh, grilled biscuit. It's wild and wonderful.
Wisconsin: Marigold Kitchen
All I know about Wisconsin is that it's all about the cheese. At Marigold Kitchen, it's about the cheese in the breakfast sandwich. The Marigold Breakfast Sandwich has fried egg, cheddar-spiked boursin (whoomp, there it is), bacon, tomato, and green onion on toasted ciabatta bread. Cheese, please.
Wyoming: Persephone Bakery
Last, but certainly not least, on this list of epic breakfast sandwich eateries is Persephone Bakery. Their Egg Sandwich features local farm fresh eggs, Gruyère cheese, ham or bacon, and dijon aioli all on a luxurious house made croissant. And that's a wrap. Or should I say, that's a sammy.
There you have it — the best breakfast sandwiches in every state. As my virtual breakfast sandwich journey comes to a close, I believe it is time to start anew, to embark on a soul-searching road trip with only my mostly empty wallet, this list, and public transportation. You can catch me, breakfast sandwich of your dreams in hand, cruising through the country with the next of the best in sight.