At the start of this summer, I had never tried bacon-egg-and-cheese. Sure, I had heard all about them but had just never gotten around to it. Eventually, on one of my many summer trips, I tried one. The softness of the bagel, the crunch of the bacon and the perfect mix of egg and cheese came together to create the protein boost and delicious breakfast that I desperately needed. The sandwich was a part of my journey this summer.
I was on the field hockey recruiting trail: camps, clinics and showcases in front of college coaches. The only constant, besides Taylor Swift karaoke in the car, was eating a bacon-egg-and-cheese for breakfast. My field hockey journeys and bacon-egg-and-cheese fuelings would be forever intertwined in my memory of summer ‘23. After traveling all over, I’ve been able to curate a list (ratings included!) of my favorite bacon-egg-and-cheeses I enjoyed this summer.
First time: Monmouth University (On the Jersey Shore)
I was attending a showcase at Monmouth University. After a whole weekend of playing, my mom and I headed into town for lunch. We spotted a hole-in-the-wall bagel store and I ordered my very first bacon-egg-and-cheese sandwich. I had no idea what to expect, but it was salty, warm and crunchy. The bagel was soft but the bacon and egg provided some nice crisp. That first bite felt like a warm hug.
Rating: 8/10 Credit for being the first
Call Your Mother: (Washington D.C)
With a funny name, this restaurant is the best-known “New York style “Jew-ish” deli” in Georgetown, serving bacon! After a strong recommendation from the field hockey coach, I walked towards a quaint pink shop with a line out the door. The sandwich wasn’t particularly spectacular, the bagel was a little dry and the amount of cheese was lacking, but I was distracted by Georgetown’s equally gorgeous town and campus. As I walked through campus with my bacon-egg-and-cheese in hand, I felt right at home.
Rating: 9/10 Georgetown <3
Boston Trip #1:
The first time I visited Boston this summer, I was headed for a camp at Northeastern. After a full day of camp, despite pouring rain, my mom and I headed to a neighborhood diner to dry off and warm up. I ordered a hot chocolate and bacon-egg-and-cheese. The hot chocolate was probably a Swiss Miss packet, but it tasted as if I was in the heart of Switzerland. The bagel was toasted just right and every bite could be heard with a loud crunch! It may have just been the monsoon or the great diner environment but this bacon-egg-and-cheese hit the spot.
Ranking: 7/10 The rain made it better than it was.
Boston Trip #2:
The second time I visited Boston, I was headed for my dad’s alma mater, Harvard. My dad took me down memory lane and showed me a restaurant he and his buddies went to all the time. Cambridge is perfect in the summer but this bacon-egg-and-cheese was lackluster. It was particularly soggy and both the bacon and bagel lacked crunch.
Ranking: 6/10 Sorry Harvard!
Absolute Bagels: 108th and Broadway
This is the best bagel store in NYC. Full stop. My family and I have been going here for years and whenever I walk in, I’m greeted with smiles and calls of, “How’s the family? How is your sister?” I may be biased but the bacon-egg-and-cheese here is by far my favorite. The bagel makes this sandwich incomparable, with a crunchy exterior and a chewy interior. The bacon is so salty that your cholesterol is sure to be raised with each bite. The egg and cheese are soft, gooey and warm. Need I say more?
Ranking: 10/10 My mouth is watering.
Viand: 86th and Columbus
Viand is a staple in my life and my friends’ lives. Brunches, Breakups, Breakfasts, you name it and we’ve seen it at Viand. I’ve had the best conversations in my life at this place. Same booth every time. I recently went to Viand and ordered a bacon-egg-and-cheese with low expectations, but I was pleasantly surprised. I expected a greasy, soggy mess but I was greeted with a chewy, warm but not too warm, sandwich. There could have been more cheese, but there can always be more cheese. Viand delivers more than just good conversation!
Ranking: 8/10 with good company.
Homemade:
After visiting all over and trying different styles, I had seen enough. I decided to try making a bacon-egg-and-cheese at home. The smoke alarm only went off once! I started by buttering two pans. It’s important to add as much butter as you think is sufficient, and then add a little more. The bacon landed on one pan and the eggs on the other. Once the eggs were looking ready I placed the cheese on top of the egg. The more cheese the better! I grabbed my bagel, anxiously awaiting its partners, and placed the egg and bacon inside. Along with some fruit and OJ, I happily enjoyed it. Being as impartial as I can be, I give this bacon-egg-and-cheese a perfect score.
Ranking: 1000000/10. Best one ever made.
At the beginning of this summer, I had forgotten why I loved field hockey. When you do something so much, under so much pressure, it’s easy to forget why you do it. This summer I fell back in love with my sport. I didn’t have bacon-egg-and-cheese every day, but I did play field hockey every day and I know that experience was enhanced by the constant joy from those sandwiches. They banished doubt. They banished tedium. As I look back at my summer, I give it a 10/10.
