Over the years, I’ve developed a taste for the classic grilled cheese sandwich. Although I’ve tried many, here are five of the best ones you can find around Antioch.

1) Bristol 45 Diner

Located in Bristol, Wisconsin, this diner embodies a theme of Old Hollywood. Despite their grilled cheese being the best of these five, what truly makes it special is the atmosphere this restaurant provides. They make their grilled cheese exactly the way I like it: not too runny, a lack of overabundance of cheese and made on crisp bread (not burnt, but not too soft). I’d recommend accompanying it with an Oreo milkshake.

2) Las Vegas

Las Vegas’s grilled cheese proved to be the same sandwich that I remembered it as and I have come to love. It comes in closely behind that of Bristol 45 Diner because of its similarity, simplicity and inexpensiveness. The sole reason it comes in second for me is the amount of cheese, which isn’t necessarily too much for some, just a preference.

3) Anastasia’s

The grilled cheese sandwich that I enjoyed at Anastasia’s was ordinarily delicious– just looking at it, I could tell it would be good; I know a good grilled cheese when I see one. It looked put together due to its horizontal evenness, and evenness in toastiness: it wasn’t overcooked or undercooked. Nevertheless, what truly made this meal was the fries. They were what one would call “cooked to perfection”: crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

4) Denny’s

Denny’s is a restaurant that I have been visiting since I was a child, and is homey yet never seems to get old. Their grilled cheese seems to be an unknown item that they serve, which is hard to understand. It is not perfect due to its plainness and lack of sturdiness, as I found it to be a little floppy. Accompanied by seasoned fries, and again, and Oreo milkshake, Denny’s grilled cheese ranks number four on my list for its continuous stability in my life and toasted butteriness.

5) Moretti’s

Despite being located in Fox Lake, Illinois, Moretti’s grilled cheese has been worth it so far. However, I would not recommend ordering it to-go, as it can become soggy in a box. In the past, this grilled cheese has done it for me and I have gone back for it, but this time not as much; going inside for it is a much better option.