Ask Montclair where to find the best bacon, egg and cheese and you will not get a simple answer. You will get into a debate. So Farnoosh and Mike asked Montclair on Instagram: where do you go? The recommendations came in, they narrowed the field to six spots and sat down with one sandwich from each.
What they found wasn’t a winner. It was a personality for each one.
The Comfort Food Special: Minia’s
Minia’s, across from Lackawanna Plaza, went first and immediately distinguished itself. Not just because of the bacon, which Farnoosh noted was “very nice and crispy,” but because of the roll. Where most bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches arrive on a standard kaiser, Minia’s uses something closer to brioche: softer, richer, buttery in a way that amplifies the experience.
“Very buttery, nice roll,” Mike said. “Really solid.”
At $9.95 it’s not the cheapest on the list, but it’s the one that made them rethink what a bacon, egg and cheese roll can be.
The OG: Ray’s Luncheonette
Ray’s on Walnut Street needs no introduction, and the bacon, egg and cheese doesn’t either. Classic kaiser roll, fried egg, bacon and “decades of neighborhood goodwill.” No reinvention. No surprises.
“It’s got a fried egg, or two fried eggs it looks like,” Mike said. “Very nice looking bacon. I’ve had this many times, if I’m telling the truth. Really good balance on that, right?”
At $5.50 it’s one of the best values on the table. And when Farnoosh and Mike were pressed at the end of the tasting for the one they’d make a special trip for, Mike didn’t hesitate. Ray’s.
The Weekend Project: Dutch’s Becky Sandwich
Dutch’s “Becky” was the biggest sandwich on the table and the most expensive at $10. When Farnoosh opened the wrapper, the reaction was immediate.
“Oh my goodness, look at this,” she said. “This is substantial. Multiple layers here.”
Two layers of bacon. Two layers of egg. A brioche-style roll with a slight sweetness that somehow holds all of it together. The texture is what gets you.
“It kind of has this melt-in-your-mouth situation going on,” Farnoosh said. “It’s dangerous because it’s big, but it digests quickly. It goes fast.”
The Commuter Special: Jefferson’s
Jefferson’s on Maple Avenue is the outlier. At $5 it’s the least expensive sandwich in the lineup, and it’s the only one served on a biscuit. Southern-style, flaky, intentionally modest in size.
“This is actually a really nice bite,” she said. “If you’re headed to the Bay Street train station, stop here. Get your breakfast biscuit. Get into the city.”
Mike added his own recommendation for the return trip: Jefferson’s fried chicken on the way home.
The Bagel Showdown: Sunrise vs. Hot Bagels Abroad
The last two sandwiches on the table shared everything on paper: same order, same price, same bagel style. In practice, they’re for different people.
Both were bacon, egg and cheese on an everything bagel, both $8, and they came from opposite ends of town: Sunrise in Watchung Plaza, Hot Bagels Abroad on Valley Road.
Sunrise went first.
“Solid amount of bacon on there,” Mike said. “Very good. Classic.” Fried egg, just the way he likes it.
No notes. No complications. If you want the platonic ideal of a bacon egg and cheese on a bagel, soft and just dense enough, this is it.
Hot Bagels Abroad is for when you’re actually hungry. The bagel is bigger, crispier on the outside and denser throughout. Farnoosh couldn’t get her mouth around it.
The conclusion came together: “If you’re really hungry, Hot Bagels Abroad. If you’re in the mood for a classic bacon egg and cheese on everything, Sunrise. Both are great.”
So Who Won?
Nobody. Or maybe all six did.
“No shortage in Montclair,” Farnoosh said. “No shortage.”
The six spots cover the full range: the comfort splurge, the neighborhood classic, the weekend treat, the commuter grab and two bagel approaches for two different moods. This list is a starting point. Farnoosh and Mike are already planning the next round. Want to watch Farnoosh and Mike taste all six back to back? The full testing is in this week’s episode.
If you want to try them all, here’s where to find them. And if we missed your favorite spot, let us know in the comments. Minia’s: across from Lackawanna Plaza Ray’s Luncheonette: 99 Walnut St. Dutch’s: 16 Church St. Jefferson’s: 88 Maple Ave. Sunrise Bagel: Watchung Plaza Hot Bagels Abroad: 150 Valley Rd.
