April is National Grilled Cheese Month, and Miami is oozing with cheesy giddiness. Food holidays can be lame, but magic happens when two slices of bread come together with melted cheese in the middle.
Add toppings to the mix and it becomes over-the-top and muy Miami. Pull apart the slices with cheese strands, and open New Times' list of the six
Angelina's Coffee & Juice
3451 NE First Ave., Miami305-424-9129
angelinascoffee.com
Most of the sandwiches on this list are pretty grown-up, but Angelina's serves nine varieties of adult grilled cheese. All of them use interesting cheeses and adult toppings and are served with a delicious Angelina salad with strawberries, walnuts, and goat cheese. Our favorite of the grilled cheeses is the #2: It comes with Brie, caramelized onions, apple slices, walnuts, and honey mustard on country bread.
Biscayne Bay Brewing Company
8000 NW 25th St., Doral305-381-5718
biscaynebaybrewing.com
Cheese, beer, and bread — these are the simple things that make life worth living. At Biscayne Bay's taproom, Havarti and American cheeses are melted on fresh sourdough bread and served with potato chips ($7). The best part, of course, is you have access to fresh beer.
The Cheese Course
3530 NW 83rd Ave. #108, Doral786-899-4033
thecheesecourse.com
A store/bistro that prides itself on a variety of artisanal cheeses from all over the world is a great place to sink your teeth into a sandwich. The white or whole-wheat baguettes are fresh and warm, and the cheesemonger here delivers only the best. You can get a variety of sandwiches with grilled meats and pesto spreads. But the strict grilled cheeses — such as the aged English cheddar or the Gruyère and Emmenthaler — occupy an ooey-gooey place in purists' hearts (prices vary based on cheese).
Killer Melts
12310 SW 127th Ave., Miami786-592-2358
killermelts.revelup.com
This Kendall shop dedicated to grilled cheese serves sandwiches named for various "killers." There's a hunter melt, a mobster melt, and an executioner melt, but the killer of all killers is the hitman melt ($8.95). This murderous blend of bacon, melted cheddar, and mac 'n' cheese comes stuffed between slices of toasted garlic country bread. You can die happy after one bite.
Ms. Cheezious
7418 Biscayne Blvd., Miami305-989-4019
mscheezious.com
What happens at Croquetapalooza doesn't stay at Croquetapalooza. After Sef "Burger Beast" Gonzalez asked Ms. Cheezious' owners if they wanted to participate in his massive croqueta event, it dawned on them to merge a croqueta
Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill
3252 NE First Ave., Miami786-369-0353
sugarcanerawbargrill.com
Smile and throw in some cheek. Miamians love brunch, and Sugarcane hosts a stellar one with a can't-miss sandwich. The grilled cheese with manchego and smoked beef cheek ($11) is masculine and hearty. It'll put a smile on your face and something substantial in your belly.