Guy Fieri didn’t have to “throw darts at a map” or use an “Ouija board” to find the best grilled cheese sandwiches in America. He simply followed his nose and the advice of Flavortown fanatics across the U.S. 

This advice led the Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives host to restaurants across the country to taste the most delicious and unconventional grilled cheese sandwiches around. While you can’t go wrong with a classic, some of these culinary gems stuff their grilled cheese with seafood, Polish dumplings, and even cook them inside out.

If you’re looking for an exciting and tasty twist on the classic grilled cheese, make a pit stop in Flavortown, where Mayor Fieri has already crowned the best of the best.

Plates out, forks up, napkins at the ready! Here are the top three grilled cheese spots in the U.S., according to Guy Fieri. 

1. PARMAGEDDON – MELT BAR & GRILLED
2. INSIDE-OUT GRILLED CHEESE – HERM’S INN
3. CRAB CAKE GRILLED CHEESE – THE GRILLED CHEESE & CRAB CAKE COMPANY

PARMAGEDDON – MELT BAR & GRILLED

Melt Bar & Grilled in Cleveland, Ohio, was “off the chain.” This standout spot made over 30 different variations of the classic grilled cheese sandwich, and one caught the special attention of the renowned foodie himself. 

Here, Fieri tried a jalapeño popper grilled cheese sandwich, which “tasted just like a jalapeño popper,” as well as the giant potato pierogi, fondly dubbed “Parmageddon,” paying tribute to the Cleveland suburb of Parma and its Polish-American identity. Polish pierogis (typically dumplings stuffed with minced meat, sauerkraut, cheese, and mushrooms) are browned and tossed with onions to create this one-of-a-kind grilled cheese. Add cabbage and sharp cheddar cheese, and the masterpiece that is a “Parmageddon” is born (and thoroughly enjoyed by hungry patrons, including Fieri himself). 

One bite of this Cleveland delicacy had Fieri shouting, “out of bounds!” The mayor of Flavortown couldn’t get over how “over the top and around again, over the top” the dish was. The official review? One of the “best” grilled cheese sandwiches he’s ever had in his life! 

Melt Bar & Grilled is no longer in operation as of January 2025.

INSIDE-OUT GRILLED CHEESE – HERM’S INN

A grilled cheese sandwich with cheese…on the outside of the bread? Yes. You read that correctly. With a sandwich this unique, Fieri just had to witness it firsthand and put it to the ultimate taste test. Unsurprisingly, it lived up to the hype. Now, let’s dive into the inside-out grilled cheese.

This delicious dish, crafted at Herm’s in Logan, Utah, is made with special salsa (with tomatoes, red and green peppers, jalapeños, green onions, red onions, cilantro, black beans, and a variety of spices), which you don’t usually find in a conventional grilled cheese. On to the magic. Cheese hits the grill first, followed by a layer of bread, and then another sprinkle of cheese, creating that signature “crunchy, yet chewy” bite. Once the cheese on the outside is crispy and the cheese on the inside is gooey, the bread is removed from the grill, topped with homemade guac and salsa, sriracha sauce, and “that’s all she wrote.” 

So, what did the Mayor of Flavortown say about this dish? “Dynamite,” of course. The famous chef loved the sandwich so much, he ranked it “up there in grilled cheese history.” 

Safe to say this sandwich is Triple D approved! 

CRAB CAKE GRILLED CHEESE – THE GRILLED CHEESE & CRAB CAKE COMPANY

“Who doesn’t love grilled cheese?” That’s the question, and the answer is, everyone loves this classic comfort staple, especially when it’s served at The Grilled Cheese & Crab Cake Company in Somers Point, New Jersey. A grilled cheese stuffed with a crab cake is undeniably unorthodox, and that’s precisely what drew Fieri in and made him determined to take a bite for himself.

The breading is a flavorful mix of mayonnaise, eggs, lemon juice, honey mustard, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, celery seed, baking powder, chopped parsley, and panko breadcrumbs, all wrapped around fresh lump crab. While the crab cake grills, Monterey Jack cheese is layered onto the bread, along with a generous pat of butter and slices of tomato. Add the crab cake, and voilà: Crab Cake Grilled Cheese! 

What did Fieri think of this creation? “Crispy on the outside, tons of crab, nice crunch of the toast, not too much cheese…nicely done, nicely done.” Fieri, and the rest of the patrons who frequent The Grilled Cheese & Crab Cake Company are also fond of the “angry” version of the sandwich, which includes extra jalapeños and sriracha sauce. In fact, you can make any dish at this famous grilled cheese joint “angry,” which ironically makes guests happier.

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