By Madelyn Morgan

Continental Westhampton’s grilled cheese. 

A food that is so seemingly simple and comforting, the grilled cheese sandwich, is tough to master. Grilled cheeses have been around for much longer than expected, dating back to Ancient Rome. Yet they are an all-American food, consumed in households all over the country. You can never go wrong with grilled cheese, because they bring a sense of comfort, as if bringing us back to our younger days. 

Elle Garnett (‘26) and I embarked on a journey to find the best grilled cheese in Richmond’s West End. We were determined to find the one that met all of our requirements for the perfect sandwich. We judged these grilled cheeses based on the bread-to-cheese ratio, how much the bread was toasted, and how melted the cheese was.

First, Garnett and I journeyed to The Continental Westhampton on Grove Avenue and ordered the kid’s grilled cheese, which comes with fries, all costing $8.00. As the sandwich arrived, we noticed that the sourdough bread and American cheese smelled amazing. When we dug in, Garnett claimed, “The cheese is perfectly melted.” As we continued to bite into the sandwich, Garnett critiqued that “the bread is a little too crunchy,” and I agreed. The sourdough bread was a little over-toasted and thick, making the American cheese less noticeable. 

Second, Garnett and I went to Jack Brown’s up the street, a popular restaurant in the Collegiate community known for its burgers, and ordered the grilled cheese, which came with a side of fries also, for $3.99. The grilled cheese was on a hamburger bun, which was different, but we still wanted to give it a try. As we bit into the grilled cheese, Garnett noticed how “It’s missing the crunch, like the Continental one has,” and I agreed. Because it was cooked on a hamburger bun, it was not toasted and crunchy. Garnett described it as “just fine.” Because the sandwich was on a bun, it was relatively small.

Jack Brown’s grilled cheese. 

Jack Brown’s grilled cheese sandwich was a disappointment. Although the cheese was nicely melted, the bread lacked the crisp that makes a perfect grilled cheese. Comparing the two, Garnett stated that The Continental’s is “better than the Jack Brown’s one because the bread is more crunchy.” I agreed, and Garnett added, “I feel like Jack Brown’s is missing that crunch, and… honestly just tastes too greasy.” Because Jack Brown’s is known for its greasy burgers, there was no surprise that the sandwich was greasy, but it was still sub-par. 

We knew we needed to find the perfect middle, so we ventured to The Country Club of Virginia (CCV) to figure out if that would be where we discovered the ultimate melt.

CCV’s grilled cheese.

As Garnett and I arrived at CCV, which is only available to members and their guests, we quickly ordered the kids grilled cheese with fries. As it arrived, we noticed that “it’s the perfect amount of cheese-to-bread ratio.” As we took that first bite, Garnett stated, “This might be better than Continental,” and I agreed. We had found the perfect medium. It was “So good and buttery” and “is the perfect kind of bread.” The sourdough bread mixed with the American cheese was just the perfect combo to satisfy our needs. As Garnett and I wrapped up our tasting, we ultimately decided that CCV had the best grilled cheese in the West End. It was the perfect mix of everything needed to make the best grilled cheese.

All photos by Madelyn Morgan.