For years the breakfast sandwich has reigned king of all breakfast foods. It is hard to determine the secret ingredient that makes this sandwich both the perfect brunch item and hangover cure – is it the cheese, the gooey egg and the bacon or the choice of bagel, biscuit or croissant? It is hard to tell. In any event, the breakfast sandwich proves a powerful canvas for packing in the creativity and your morning fuel.
Restaurants across America continue to compete over who makes the best bacon, egg and cheese sandwich. While the competition remains strong, we’ve compiled a list of the 23 very best breakfast sandwiches in the country.
Chicago Bagel Authority (Chicago, IL)
Breakfast sandwiches come in all shapes and sizes, and you can find pretty much all varieties at Chicago Bagel Authority. This Lincoln Park hotspot serves up a classic bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on a bagel or, if you are looking to be more adventurous, you can jazz up your sandwich with roast beef, tomatoes and green peppers.
What makes these breakfast sandwiches stand out amongst competitors is that CBA steams their bagels, making them soft and moist. Because the bagels are steamed, the cheese become extra gooey in the best kind of way.
Black Seed Bagels (New York, NY)
At Black Seed Bagels, the bagels that are hand-rolled, boiled in honey water, and wood-fired offer the perfect balance of crispiness and softness. Over medium baked eggs, the stretchy, melty, and gooey cheddar, and a few strips of bacon create the combination of a perfect, classic breakfast sandwich.
If you’re feeling a little daring, be sure to try replacing the bacon with avocado and tomato, or even with maple-baked ham. And for all those Instagrammers out there, definitely take a few snaps because these bagels are extremely Insta-worthy.
XOCO (Chicago, IL)
We don’t know about you, but sometimes we’re looking for a bit of adventure in our breakfast sandwiches. If you’re hoping for something with a Mexican twist, the Chorizo-Egg Torta at XOCO is the ideal dish. Complete with scrambled eggs, pork chorizo, avocado, poblano rajas, Samuel’s cheese and served on a torta (which is more similar to flatbread than a bagel) indulging in the Chorizo-Egg Torta allows anyone a way to kickstart their morning with a flavor-packed, anything-but-boring breakfast sandwich.
The Mud House (St. Louis, MO)
Not only does The Mud House allow customers to enjoy their selection of breakfast foods all day, but their menu offers both a traditional breakfast sandwich, which consists of egg and cheese on a crispy grilled Ciabatta Roll, but it includes an optional addition of bacon, Geisert Ham, or match soy “Chorizo.” What’s more, the menu boasts a “Veggie” Breakfast Sandwich with fresh cucumbers, tomato jam, and greens for our vegetarian brunch buddies.
Home Grown (Atlanta, GA)
Can’t decide between a breakfast sandwich and French Toast? Have both! Home Grown’s “B.e.S.T French Toast Sandwich” comes filled with sizzling bacon, spinach, and tomato between two delectable slices of French Toast. This perfect blend of sweet and savory is served with your choice of side dish, and it can also include egg for just $1.50.
Eggslut (Los Angeles, CA)
For all those egg-lovers out there, Eggslut is THE place for you. If you’re not a huge fan of eggs, still go, because this place will completely change your mind. With thick slices of hardwood smoked bacon, a runny egg yolk, oozing cheddar cheese, and chipotle ketchup all held together by a warm Brioche, this breakfast sandwich will leave you mind blown in no time.
Because all of Eggslut’s menu involves eggs (which are awesome by the way, and definitely leave you wanting so much more), this place is a great cure for hangovers. Executive chef Alvin Cailan’s goal is to innovate food that appeals to the entire range of foodies – whether or not food is the main reason for you being broke, Eggslut definitely numbs your taste buds with its creative use of eggs.
Good Stuff Eatery (Washington, DC)
Good Stuff’s breakfast sandwich, known as Spike’s Sunnyside, packs an added punch to your typical bacon, egg and cheese sandwich in the form of a burger. It makes for a perfect on-the-go brunch or extra hungry breakfast meal.
Texas Honey Ham Company (Austin, TX)
Texas Honey Ham has developed the ultimate Tex-Mex breakfast sandwich–the breakfast taco. Diners have the option to customize their orders with either a soft tortilla or hard-shell taco in addition to a choice of meat and Ranchero sauce.
#Spoon Tip: Don’t let Texas Honey Ham’s distance from the University of Texas at Austin deter you from satisfying your mid-morning cravings. You will thank us later for making the trek. Or try making these bacon, egg, and cheese nachos.
Bagelsaurus (Boston, MA)
Look, we’re not actually going to tell you what to order here because every single bagel at Bagelsaurus is unique and amazing. Head chef Mary Ting Hyatt spent years perfecting her bagel recipe, giving these bagels extra punch of TLC. Even snobby New York bagel fanatics think they’re legit.
#Spoon Tip: We recommend ordering your classic bacon, egg and cheese sandwich on the sea salt bagel with a light layer of mustard butter. You’re welcome.
Pine State Biscuits (Portland, OR)
Pine State is a Portland tradition, with lines out the door on even the coldest and rainiest Sundays. The Reggie Deluxe – a gravy topped breakfast sandwich with bacon, eggs, cheese and a piece of fried chicken between two of their namesake biscuits – is the go-to for PDX natives. While not feasible to eat with just your hands, the towering sandwich is the perfect mixture of slightly spicy, salty and gooey, and is the perfect mouthwatering reason to visit Portland…as if you need another one.
Queen’s Comfort (New York, NY)
The best hangover cure is a trip to Queen’s Comfort. Queen’s Comfort homely ambiance and original recipes. The calories are definitely worth it. You’ll find so much comfort when you taste their Egg McRuffin is made of white cheddar, bechamel sauce, smoked bacon, fried egg, and scallions, topped with a soft English muffin.
Eisenberg’s Sandwich Shop (New York, NY)
Eisenberg’s Sandwich shop knows how to keep their BEC sandwiches old-school and cool. The quintessential egg-and-cheese sandwich has a toasted roll, lightly scrambled eggs, and American cheese. Of course, the bacon is the perfect combination of crispy and juicy.
Murray’s Cheese Shop (New York, NY)
At Murray’s Cheese Shop you will not be disappointed by their gourmet and delicious cheese assortments. Murray’s Cheese Shop is not just known for its cheese, but also its infamous oozy gooey BEC sandwich. Served on top of an English muffin with fried egg, Nuseke’s bacon, and fontina, this breakfast melt is an NYC favorite.
Towson Hot Bagels (Baltimore, MD)
Towson Hot Bagels’ menu is a dream come true for any breakfast sandwich lover. Not only can you get any combination of bacon, egg, and cheese you could possibly desire on a multitude of different bagel types, but the breakfast sandwiches are rumored to be very photogenic and filled to the brim with bacon, allowing for some awesome food Instas. The menu also includes an imaginative list of bagel sandwiches.
Satsuma Cafe (New Orleans, LA)
Satsuma is the epitome of a breakfast sandwich location. Boasting a menu loaded with all the types of coffee you can dream of as well as fresh-squeezed organic juices (which of course you can enjoy along with your B.E.C.), Satsuma’s breakfast sandwich comes topped with Nueske’s bacon, sharp cheddar, and scrambled eggs on a biscuit, bagel, croissant, or toast. The perfect way to start your day.
Mason Dixie Biscuit Co. (Washington, DC)
Located in Washington D.C’s Union Market, Mason Dixie serves all its menus, including the classic bacon, egg, and cheese combo, on their flaky biscuits. They bring their bacon from Benton’s, which is recognized by many chefs to be the best source.
If you’re feeling more snack-y, they also offer different types of spreads to accompany your biscuits, and if you’re feeling more adventurous, be sure to try out their Thursday Test Kitchen, which includes new savory dishes. If you’re lazy, don’t worry, because they have a partnership with UberEats that will deliver an order of biscuit nirvana.
Cresskill Bagels (Cresskill, NJ)
Because they use the original bagel recipes that were handed down generation after generation since the 1920s, it comes as no surprise that Cresskill Bagels’ B.E.Cs are amazing. With their on-point bagels, adding extra meat only costs you $1, which is such a bargain, given the high-quality ingredients. It is rumored that the bacon is cooked to perfection, the key to an unbelievably amazing B.E.C.
Garden Catering (Westchester, NY)
At Garden Catering, whatever you want, they most likely have. Its diverse menu offers a lot of options – from breakfast (either on a roll or a wedge) all the way to chicken cutlet creations. However, one bite into the bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, and you will think you are in absolute paradise. Top this with Garden Catering’s special cones (fried potatoes) and a bit of seasoning here and there, voila, a perfect start to your day that is extremely filling but extremely worth it.
Bagel Masters (Shrewsbury, NJ)
This place is not named “Bagel Masters” without a reason. It’s because they literally are bagel masters. Hand-rolled, kettle boiled, then baked, Bagel Masters’ bagels are phenomenal: a crispy outside but the fluffiest inside.
The menu has extreme variety, in terms of both types of bagels (they even have banana nut bagels, didn’t know that existed) and creations offered. A Jersey Shore Classic, a pork rolled topped with an egg and melted American cheese, beats any breakfast sandwich out there. The texture of the bagel combined with a fat stack of the ingredients will leave you wanting more. Bagel Masters offers both breakfast and lunch, so make sure to go both times.
Devil’s Teeth (San Francisco, CA)
There is a reason this San Francisco spot has a following among locals. Devil’s Teeth makes each individual breakfast sandwich they sell from scratch, with fluffy scrambled eggs, oozing cheddar cheese and a thick strip of applewood smoked bacon, all held together by their homemade, buttery, flaky biscuit.
#SpoonTip: The storefront at Devil’s Teeth is rather small, so be sure to order your breakfast sandwich to go and eat it as you stroll next to the bay.
South End Buttery (Boston, MA)
South End Buttery consistently ranks high on the list of go-to places to frequent in Boston for brunch, lunch and dinner. South End Buttery differentiates its menu by focusing on comfort and quality, and that is exactly how we would describe their bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, which is served on the butteriest of biscuits. You can also order your breakfast sandwich on a bagel or a croissant, but we recommend you stick with the biscuit – you won’t regret it.
Bagel Face Bakery (Nashville, TN)
While Bagel Face Bakery serves up a pretty classic bacon, egg and cheese sandwich, the magic of these breakfast sandwiches definitely has its roots in the bagel itself.
#SpoonTip: Be sure to switch up your classic breakfast sandwich by pairing it with Bagel Face’s specialty bagels, including maple rye and chocolate espresso. Sounds strange but you will not be disappointed.
Serious Pie and Biscuit (Seattle, WA)
Serious Biscuit makes biscuit sandwiches as big as your face, providing the perfect canvas to personalize your breakfast sandwich order with fried chicken, ham, fennel sausage, eggs, gravy, more gravy, or seasonal jam. The golden ticket here is that all sandwiches are served on homemade biscuits buttered to perfection.