When I first made my way over to Melt Shop, a grilled cheese shop hailing from New York, I was turned away. 3 pm—on opening day—and they were out of food. Since I decided it had to be that good, naturally, I cleared my schedule for my next meal—I was determined to taste for myself what beat out GCDC by a landslide in WCP’s grilled cheese throwdown.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Krieger for Melt Shop
Melt Shop is the new kid in town, and boy, do they make a delicious, affordable and insane grilled cheese. Their menu boasts an array of gourmet options that are guaranteed to please just about anyone, such as the truffle melt (my personal favorite—made on sourdough bread with havarti, arugula, and truffle oil) and the maple bacon grilled cheese. For those non-adventurous grilled cheese lovers, they also offer a classic made with American cheese on white bread.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Krieger for Melt Shop
I also sampled the grilled chicken grilled cheese, which came packed with havarti, roasted tomatoes, tender chicken, and—wait for it—truffle mayo. In the mood for some red meat? No problem, because they offer a burger melt which includes ground beef, cheddar, pickles, and caramelized onions—so good it gets a shout out by BrightestYoungThings.
Prices range from $5-$9 for a sandwich that’s pretty large and definitely satisfying (and for a DC lunch, that’s getting a bang for your buck). If you’re feeling especially hungry, they offer an array of tater tots, tomato soup, dill pickles and side salads to pair with your sandwich.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Krieger for Melt Shop
To drink, Melt’s beer and milkshakes are a hit and are mentioned by Washingtonian in this review. Even in the winter, trust us—it’s worth the walk. Ya gotta earn your grilled cheese somehow.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Krieger for Melt Shop
Location: 1901 L Street NW, Washington DC 20036
Hours: Monday-Friday, 11am-8pm