A trend that is growing ever so wonderfully in Manhattan is the concept of fast casual. No, we don’t mean those conglomerate chain types that are overtaking the city. In this case, we mean spots that are primarily found in The Big Apple that bring something different to the table, no matter what time of day. For Melt Shop, their idea of grilled cheese is heightened to a level that you may never want to come down from. Here’s why.
With four locations scattered across Manhattan (FIDI, Hell’s Kitchen, Midtown West & Chelsea), it’s hard not to spot a Melt Shop in your area as its yellow signage evokes a feeling inside of you to go in whatever spot is closest and see truly what’s up.
I’ve known about Melt Shop for a couple of years now, but my interest spiked after I saw what they were doing for National Grilled Cheese Day and Month (see more here), and figured why don’t I just go there and try some of their delicious options myself.
Melt Shop was founded by New Jersey native and Cornell graduate Spencer Rubin in 2011 as the first grilled cheese shop in Midtown Manhattan, and since then, he’s seen his business grow exponentially to where some of their locations go outside NYC. He actually has one all the way in Kuwait… crazy, right?
Spencer knows what he’s doing when it comes to the food that Manhattanites and it’s visitors want when they walk in. Grilled Cheese, but elevated to a much larger level with different types of dishes that pay homage to the classic American dish, but have a twist to them that Melt Shop can truly call their own.
I stopped by there on the one warm day we’ve experienced so far this year (Saturday), and was thrilled at each and every single thing I ordered. For instance, their Burger Melt with American & New York cheddar, pickles, caramelized onions & and burger sauce on country white is such a simple dish but executed so well. I have no idea what they do to those pickles, but they added such a zesty flavor to the burger overall that made for quite the tasty bite.
If you are in more of a poultry mood, their Fried Chicken Sandwich with pepper jack, red cabbage slaw & Melt Sauce on country White is also superb. Fried chicken in general is someone lacking in Manhattan, but they make up for it with this tasty sandwich that marries a ton of great flavors together wonderfully.
They have three different types of tater tots, which compliment as a great side dish to any sandwich: Shop, Cheesy and Loaded. The latter is definitely the one that we enjoyed the most, as it came stacked with bacon, jalapeño, herbed parmesan & housemade cheese sauce. Bacon and jalapeño? Yas please!
Two other items that are worth including in your order are a Classic Dill Pickle and Chocolate Milkshake. The pickle is huge, but you can handle it (wink, wink). The Milkshake is thick, but once again, you can handle it as both are such yummy options to enjoy with any meal you get there. If fast casual is what you are jonesing for, and you want to try something different, then Melt Shop is definitely for you.
For more information on Melt Shop, check out their official site here.