Putting cheese on bread is no novel concept — people have been uniting the two ingredients as far back as ancient Rome. The method of combining them, however, is another story. One of our favorite ways is the grilled cheese sandwich.
One of the first iterations of a grilled cheese came from, you guessed it, France. The French croque monsieur, a griddled ham and cheese sandwich, came about in the early 1900s. It wasn’t until a few decades later that the grilled cheese sandwich made a proper appearance in the United States.
Otto Frederick Rohwedder invented the first automatic bread-slicing machine in Iowa in 1928, making the distribution of bread easier and more affordable. During the depression and World War II, Americans in search of cheap, filling meals looked to sliced bread and processed cheese from J.L. Kraft & Bros. Company (later known as Kraft Foods), which had opened its first U.S. plant in 1914. The cheese dream, an open-faced version of the grilled cheese sandwich, became popular during this time.
By 1949, Kraft Foods introduced its individually wrapped Kraft Singles, which American supermarkets began stocking in 1965. It was around this time that people began making closed, toasted cheese sandwiches and the term “grilled cheese” finally made an appearance in print.
A simple yet tasty grilled cheese sandwich is the ultimate kid-friendly meal, but adults shouldn’t have to miss out on all the gooey, cheesy deliciousness. Sonoma County restaurateurs are serving elevated versions of the tried-and-true classic. Here are a few to try on National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day (April 12) or any day of the year.
Galvan’s Eatery & Beer Garden, Birria Grilled Cheese: Griddled Texas toast piled with melted cheese and stuffed with tender birria. Find the new brick-and-mortar restaurant in Cotati, plus the food truck continues to pop up around Sonoma County. 500 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati, 707-664-5987, instagram.com/galvanseatery
KC’s American Kitchen, Ultimate Grilled Cheese: Cheddar and jack cheeses spill over between Parmesan sourdough bread. Add tomato for $1, avocado for $2.50 and bacon or ham for $4.25. For when you’re feeling hungry and nostalgic. 9501 Duvander Lane, Windsor, 707-838-7800, kcsamericankitchen.com
Nimble & Finn’s, Pear and Cambozola Grilled Cheese: Cambozola, kalamata olive and caper tapenade, caramelized onion and pear jam on sourdough, served with housemade pickles. Who knew an ice cream shop could offer such gourmet grilled cheeses? (At the Santa Rosa location only.) 123 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-666-9590, nimbleandfinns.com
Betty’s Fish & Chips, Grilled Crab & Jack Cheese: Dungeness crab and jack cheese on sourdough bread, served with choice of chips or coleslaw. Order with a side of New England Clam Chowder for a truly comforting East Coast lunch. 4046 Sonoma Highway, Santa Rosa, 707-539-0899, bettysfishandchips.com
Cozy Plum Bistro, Grilled Gouda: Vegan Gouda, tomato and choice of pesto or caramelized onions on herb focaccia. Served with side house salad. Add avocado or sub gluten-free bread for $3. The premier grilled cheese for vegans. 6970 McKinley St., Sebastopol, 707-823-3333, cozyplum.com
Wild Goat Bistro, Adult Grilled Cheese: Comté and Gruyere cheeses, bacon, caramelized shallots and Victor’s secret spread on rustic country bread. Served with side salad or soup. Substitute with Mama Mel’s gluten-free bread for $2 and vegan cheese for $3. What’s more adult than fancy cheeses mixed with caramelized onions enjoyed on the riverfront? 6 Petaluma Blvd. N., Suite A5, Petaluma, 707-658-1156, wildgoatbistro.com
Sax’s Joint, The Joint Grill: Generous amounts of cheddar, cream cheese and bacon on sourdough. Served with choice of fries, coleslaw, potato salad, mac salad or mac and cheese. Of the handful of grilled cheeses on the menu, this one receives the most praise, as the cream cheese adds a special tangy creaminess to the sandwich. 317 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma, 707-559-3021, saxsjoint.com
The Girl & The Fig, Grilled Cheese Sandwich: Vella Cheese Company Cheddar with tomato confit on sourdough. Served with house chips. Simple but oh so satisfying. 110 W. Spain St., Sonoma, 707-938-3634, thegirlandthefig.com
Sunflower Caffe, Sunflower Grilled Cheese: Fontina, aged cheddar and Vella dry jack butter on sourdough. Served with salad dressed in a French vinaigrette. Enjoy alongside the cream of tomato soup. 421 First St. W., Sonoma, 707-996-6645, sonomasunflower.com
Sonoma’s Best, Bacon Grilled Cheese: Havarti, Gruyere, arugula, smoked bacon and apple spread on choice of bread. Best enjoyed with a local wine out back in the garden. 1190 E. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-996-7600, sonomas-best.com
HopMonk Tavern, Grilled Cheese: A heaping helping of cheddar, provolone, Gruyere, Parmesan, smoked gouda and garlic on French bread. Add ham for $3. (Only at Sonoma location.) HopMonk Sonoma, 691 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-935-9100, hopmonk.com
Lunch Box, Kimchi Grilled Cheese: A three-cheese blend with aioli and housemade kimchi on Red Bird sourdough pullman. Sub gluten-free bread for $2. All sandwiches are served with kettle chips. 128 N. Main St., Sebastopol, lunchboxsonomacounty.com
Society Bakery And Cafe, Grilled Cheese: Three types of cheese (chef’s choice) with herbs on Goguette French bread. Make it a soup and grilled cheese combo with the soup of the day. 2661 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-861-9665, societybakerycafe.com
Valley Ford Cheese and Creamery, V.F. Grilled Cheese: Housemade “Hwy 1” fontina, rosemary ham and kimchi on multigrain sourdough. A creative sandwich with award-winning cheese in a charming, countryside atmosphere. Plus, the daily specials always include regularly changing sandwich creations, like the Cubano or pizza grilled cheeses. 14390 Valley Ford Road, Valley Ford, 707-875-7073, valleyfordcheese.com
Estero Cafe, Grilled Cheese: Organic cheddar and Estero Gold cheese on freshly baked sourdough makes for a delicious, locally sourced grilled cheese sando. Add avocado, bacon or chicken sausage. 14450 Highway 1, Valley Ford, 707-876-3333, americanasonomacounty.com/estero-cafe
Fishetarian Fish Market, Adult Grilled Cheese: Valley Ford Estero Gold, Hwy 1 and jack cheeses with grilled onions and fig jam on sourdough. The seafood here is top notch, but the grilled cheese shouldn’t be missed. 599 Highway 1, Bodega Bay, 707-875-9092, fishetarianfishmarket.com
Here are your best bets for no-frills grilled cheese sandwiches (just melty cheese and toasty bread).
Downtown Bakery & Creamery, Grilled Cheese: Cheddar cheese on housemade wheat, sourdough or French bread. The ham grilled cheese with housemade aioli and Dijon is also spectacular. At $7, it’s undoubtedly the most affordable and satisfying sandwich lunch in town. 308 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-431-2719, downtownbakeryhealdsburg.com
Boudin, The Great Grilled Cheese: Havarti and sharp cheddar on Parmesan-crusted sourdough. 2345 Midway Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-303-4100, boudinbakery.com
The Twins Restaurant, Grilled Cheese: Swiss, cheddar, provolone and Parmigiano-Reggiano on sourdough. 572 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati, 707-242-3075, thetwinsrestaurant.com
Hole in the Wall, Grilled Cheese: Cheddar cheese on toasted sourdough. 972 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-827-6040, holeinthewallrestaurantsebastopol.com