After reading about the best pasta on campus, I decided it was time for me to set out and rank a food I am VERY passionate about: grilled cheese.

Grilled cheese is one of the staple comfort foods that follows us from childhood through the rest of our lives. It’s a fairly simple item to make (gooey cheese sandwiched between toasted bread), but some chefs can just do it better than others.

The Penn State dining halls have made numerous efforts to perfect the sacred grilled cheese, some much more successful than others. After various taste tests, I have found the one.

5. Warnock Commons Bluespoon Deli

I have had grilled cheese from all the grills within the different commons and they always disappoint me. In the picture, this grilled cheese looks good, but while a picture can speak a thousand words, that’s just not enough to describe the issues with this sandwich.

The bread was toasted to a nice degree, but I NEED to talk about the cheese that lies between the bread. I was just eating toasted bread with cheese slices inside it. It was a little warm, but barely. There was no meltiness or gooeyness. I’m sorry, Bluespoon grilled cheese. I know you didn’t ask for this criticism.

4. Warnock Commons Northside

Despite both being from the Warnock Commons, there is a difference from the grilled cheese made at Bluespoon Deli and the Northside Buffet. This grilled cheese is very nicely golden. However, I did find it strange that you get only one slice of the sandwich.

Unlike the Bluespoon Deli grilled cheese, this grilled cheese did, in fact, have melted cheese. This is why it has found itself one spot above Bluespoon. However, I will not be placing it any higher because it was just the average grilled cheese. Not very memorable. I would have it again, but I’m not craving it.

3. Paterno Library Starbucks

Starbucks grilled cheese isn’t bad, but the way it’s prepared makes me uncomfortable. The uncooked grilled cheese is located in the refrigerated area next to the Starbucks counter. It’s wrapped in packaging labeled “Crispy Grilled Cheese.” If you label something crispy, it better be crispy.

Once I found my perfect grilled cheese, I handed it to my very nice barista (who even spelled my name right). My grilled cheese was taken, warmed up, and returned to me in a pretty fast manner.

Overall, it was toasted enough and the cheese on the inside was well melted. There was some mozzarella cheese sprinkled on top of the bread that then melted into the bread. That was a nice touch. While it was a nice golden brown and the cheese was melted, I was not a fan of the garlic taste that was left in my mouth. Good try, Starbucks.

2. Business Building Saxby’s

Saxby’s is a hidden gem of Penn State. Located in the far north of campus, Saxby’s reminds me of a low-key Starbucks. This was my first time trying their grilled cheese, but my roommate had given it a pretty good recommendation.

The bread was very nicely toasted and the cheese was melted. Similar to Starbucks, Saxby’s uses a type of garlic in their sandwich, but it wasn’t as overpowering. Saxby’s was good, but it wasn’t the best.

1. HUB Grate Chee

Grate Chee, you are…great. For any Grate Chee beginners, please take notice that there is a touch-screen computer to order from. Learn from my mistake.

I’m picking Grate Chee as the winner as it was a sandwich with well-balanced it’s toasty-ness and melted cheese. This tasted ALMOST as good as when your mom (hi, Mom!) makes grilled cheese after a long day. It was just missing that special ingredient of love. I also found out that all of Grate Chee’s bread is from the Penn State Bakery! We <3 locally sourced products!