The Best BLTs In America
Bacon. Lettuce. Tomato. Bread. Four simple ingredients that give you an iconic sandwich. No matter in which order you put it, whether you like additional condiments or as plain Jane as possible, everyone loves a BLT. And no matter where you go in America, you'll find a unique take on this classic. Here are 18 of the best BLTs in the United States, so you can find a BLT you'll love, anywhere you are!
The Tout Suite BLT: Houston, TX
If you're hankering for a BLT in Houston, you can't go wrong with one from Tout Suite, served in between slices of sourdough bread, with sliced green tomatoes (these are often firmer than regular red tomatoes), followed with Applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, and a delectable (if optional) chimichurri avocado topping.
The Tout Suite restaurant, thanks in large part to its BLT, receives a four-star rating across Yelp and TripAdvisor.
Page's PBT: Mount Pleasant, SC
Some may view Page's Okra Grill's substitution of lettuce with pimiento cheese as sacrilege to the iconic sandwich, but they more than make up for it with two gigantic slices of Texas toast, fried green tomato, and Applewood smoked bacon. Then comes the creamy, rich, and somewhat spicy pimiento cheese for an additional kick. However you feel about the sacred nature of the BLT, you must give the PBT a try.
Merritt's Store & Grill BLT: Chapel Hill, NC
Merritt's Store and Grill in Chapel Hill, NC features three different types of BLTs: single, double, and triple—referring to the amount of bacon you receive in each sandwich. It depends on how peckish you're feeling (or how you feel about cholesterol levels), but you can't go wrong with just the single BLT. Sandwiched in a local sourdough bread, and complete with classic red tomatoes and lettuce, a reported 90% of customers order the BLT at Merritt's—you could join the crowd.
The Heirloom BLT At Mendocino Farms: Mendocino, CA
Mendocino Farms combines lovely local food and international flavors successfully, including their excellent BLT. A thickly-sliced heirloom tomato makes up the namesake of the BLT, but it's also packed with nutritious rustic white bread, nitrate-free Applewood smoked bacon, and optionally drizzled in a gorgeous habanero honey and Sir Kensington's mayo. It's worth noting that the heirloom BLT is only available in the summer, as Mendocino Farms keeps their sandwiches stacked with fresh tomatoes.
The Biscuit BLT At Dough Mama: Columbus, OH
Replacing thick-cut white bread with a biscuit? That might be a violation of the BLT Rules, but Dough Mama doesn't mind—and the end-product is a delicious sandwich. Their in-house soft biscuits, loaded with cheddar cheese and crispy scallions, provide the perfect starting point. Adding bacon, cream cheese, tomato, lettuce, and a house-made red pepper jelly for an extra tang, the Biscuit BLT is proving popular, with over 17,000 Instagram mentions.
jeffreyw, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Brewhouse BLT: New Orleans, LA
The Brewhouse Pub only offers their stunning BLT in the summer and has a hot take on the American classic: fresh mozzarella cheese and fried basil leaves. Also differentiating it from the classic BLT is its brioche bun and homemade aioli sauce. Shattering the classic BLT with every bite, BLT enthusiasts have been backing the Brewhouse BLT for over 30 years.
Evelyn-rose, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
Heir To The BLT: Washington DC
Chosen by The Washington Post as one of the city's top sandwiches, the Heir To The BLT must be something special. Heirloom tomatoes, pork belly-style thick-cut bacon strips, and the classic lettuce are sandwiched between two slices of sourdough bread. The key, though, is the sauce that cushions the lettuce and tomato—a homemade pistachio butter. If you're in the Capital and hankering for a BLT, check out the sandwich that's ascending to the throne.
Porked BLT At Porked: Pittsburgh, PA
If you like more bacon in your BLT than anything else, then the Porked BLT might be just what you're looking for. Stacked with far too many slices of bacon to be considered a balanced lunch, the Porked BLT is a baconator's take on the classic. Lettuce, tomato, and eight homemade mayonnaise options complete this sandwich to porky perfection.
The BALT At Urban Cookhouse: Nashville, TN
Along with eight other locations in Alabama, the recently-opened Urban Cookhouse in Nashville serves up a mean BLT complete with the classic trimmings, but adding an interesting avocado taste and texture. Add in a homemade aioli sauce with white bread, or choose from an optional deli turkey or ham instead of bacon, if you so desire. Edible Nashville ranks the BALT highly.
Jami430, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Salmon BLT At The Block: Detroit, MI
A staggeringly different take on the BLT is this sandwich at The Block in Detroit. Walnut and cranberry bread slices create the perfect platform for a citrusy aioli spread that's topped with fall-apart salmon and smoked bacon for a fascinating collision of flavors. Lettuce and tomato add the veg to this delectable sandwich, held together by a bamboo toothpick, lest it fall apart in your hands.
Pretzel BLT At The Malted Barley: Providence, RI
Ever wondered what a BLT might taste like were it to be sandwiched in a pretzel? Well, the Pretzel BLT at The Malted Barley restaurant in Providence puts that to the test. All pretzels are made to order and available in several flavors and toppings. Several aioli sauces are available as a topping for the classic bacon, lettuce, and tomato filling. But, it's the pretzel that makes this sandwich different.
Pork Belly BLT At Hullabaloo: Palm Beach, FL
This house-cured pork belly creation is the stuff of legend in Palm Beach. Hullabaloo is a restaurant draped in Americana and the BLT is no exception. In place of traditional lettuce, Hullabaloo adds spiced arugula and a gorgeous red pepper aioli. Locally-grown tomatoes complete the dense and delicious sandwich.
The 'LT At Daily Provisions: New York City, NY
Taking the bacon out of a BLT is surely sacrilege, but those at the Daily Provisions were looking for something that would make their sandwich unique. Removing the "B" from "BLT" certainly did that, as the vegetarian restaurant stood out from the crowd. A gorgeous basil mayo tops a thick tomato slice as the centerpiece of the sandwich, followed by lettuce in a ciabatta-style sandwich. For the purists, bacon is still available.
The BLT At Squam Lake Restaurant: Holderness, NH
The BLT is nothing but a classic at the Squam Lake Restaurant in Holderness, New Hampshire. Voted as one of the best places to eat in the state, the BLT might be the difference-maker in that match-up. Perfectly toasted sourdough bread, lettuce, tomato, and bacon, topped with a healthy dose of mayonnaise. On occasion, the BLT is offered with lobster as a specialty item when fresh lobster is available in-season.
Turkey Bacon BLT At The Goodwich: Las Vegas, NV
Sliced, oven-roasted turkey sandwiches are paired with delicious peppered bacon, Roma tomatoes, arugula and other greens, avocado, and garlic aioli. To complete the BLT masterpiece, you'll see two slices of freshly-baked croissants. If this dense delicacy isn't enough for you, there are plenty of sides to add to your BLT, like fresh-baked potato chips and/or pickles.
Lobster BLT At B&G Oysters: Boston, MA
Boston's seafood industry helped to introduce the bountiful lobster into the classic BLT, creating the lobster BLT. A ciabatta bun sandwiches lemon aioli, lettuce, tomatoes, and beautiful bacon—of course, leaving room for huge chunks of lobster meat. The salty bacon and a sweet lobster flavors combine perfectly in this seafood-style take on the American classic.
Bacon Of The Month BLT At Ted's Butcherblock: Charleston, SC
Imagine a BLT where the type and taste of bacon changed monthly?! Goodness, wouldn't that be heavenly. Well, at Ted's Butcherblock in Charleston, South Carolina, that's exactly what happens. Each month, fresh bacon is brought in and added to the stunning sandwich. Ciabatta bread, tomatoes, and an eclectic mix of greenery instead of singular lettuce slices add to the highly-anticipated revolving door of monthly new bacon.
Charleston's TheDigitel, Flickr
Crabe Mous Frit At Brasserie Anne: Traverse City, MI
The heavy French influence at Brasserie Anne is palpable and no more evident than in the Crabe Mous Frit sandwich. Keeping the classics of the BLT in play—brioche bun, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and glorious bacon—Brasserie Anne adds a perfectly battered crab crackle in between the lettuce and tomato.
Have you had a BLT that didn't make our list? Where would your recommendation be for the best BLT in America? Let us know in the comments below.
Happy_food_photo, Shutterstock
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