The sounds of laughter and the smells of freshly melted cheese traveled through Forest Park at the 2019 Great Grilled Cheese Off on Saturday, Oct. 19. In its second year, this sold-out grilled cheese festival has drawn in people from all over St. Louis to enjoy soup and sandwiches while supporting a good cause.

Photo By Sabrina Spence

The Great Grilled Cheese Off was created by the same non-profit—the Fifty Roses Foundation—that started the STL Square Off Pizza Festival which takes place on the Hill, an Italian American neighborhood in St. Louis. The Grilled Cheese Off started out in 2018 as an event to raise awareness for organizations that support those who live with disabilities, layering an important cause with the fun and niche atmosphere of the festival.

Ten organizations were present at the festival to connect attendants with volunteer opportunities and more information on their mission and ways to get involved. The following organizations were supported by the festival: the Illinois Center for Autism, the Saint Louis Society for The Blind and Visually Impaired, the Starkloff Disability Institute, Easterseals Midwest, the St. Louis Regional Chapter of the ALS Association, the Delta Gamma Center for Children with Visual Impairments, Artists First STL, DEAF Inc., the Center for Speech and Hearing, Duo Dogs, Paraquad and Best Buddies.

When asked why the Fifty Roses Foundation wanted to expand from one cheesy dish to another, Rick Ruderer, one of the organizers of the festival, said, “People love grilled cheese; people love tomato soup. So, we decided to do a festival around it.”

Eight local restaurants—Molly’s in Soulard, Valenti’s Delicatessen, Cardinals Nation (last year’s champion), Charlie’s Sprouts, The Wolf Cafe, Dog House, Pasta Fare and Yapi Mediterranean Subs and Sandwiches—went head to head to see who made the best grilled cheese sandwich. Molly’s in Soulard, though slated to compete, did not appear at the festival.

Festivalgoers received a sample of a sandwich from each restaurant, as well as a cup of tomato bisque and a drink included with their $25 ticket. When not enjoying a freshly made grilled cheese, there were vendors selling items from jewelry to Costco memberships and everything in between. Local bands Sharon Hazel Township, Oliver Mars, O’Ivy, Katarra and The Hollow Ends also provided live music.

Two personal favorites were the “Kale Yeah!” provided by this year’s winner, The Wolf Cafe, and the “Big Kid” provided by fellow competitor Valenti’s Delicatessen and Marketplace. While both are just grilled cheese sandwiches, there was something about these two that made them stand out amongst the cheesy crowd. Both had the perfect amount of cheese and enough added ingredients to where it wasn’t overbearing and didn’t cross the ever-so-fine line between a regular sandwich and a grilled cheese.

Whether you’re a grilled cheese purist (just toasted bread and melted cheese) or a fan of something more elevated with added twists, there was a sandwich at the 2019 Great Grilled Cheese Off for you. Happening right in our own backyard, this was the perfect place for Washington University students to take a break, grab some friends and enjoy a beautiful day with a grilled cheese or two.