When it comes to food, simplicity is bliss. In times of simplicity, a grilled cheese is the best way to go. The ooey-gooey mix of melted cheese with perfectly toasted, buttery bread is a perfect meal. Some people consider it one of their favorite foods.

Yet, as simple as grilled cheese may seem, there are many different approaches to crafting the perfect sandwich. The outcome is universally agreed upon, especially by many students.

“The perfect grilled cheese to me is a melty, gooey center in a crispy, light brown sandwich,” DePaul senior Shannon Massey said, which brings images of a classic grilled cheese to mind.

DePaul freshman Nora Gaul would agree.

“My favorite grilled cheese sandwiches are made using white bread and American cheese,” she said.

Many consider this the classic method for grilled cheese, especially when accompanied by a classic side. As DePaul freshman Bryn Davis said, what makes a grilled cheese a 10 out of 10 is when it’s complemented by tomato soup.

“I love a creamy tomato basil with a perfect grilled cheese,” she said.

DePaul freshman Maddie Mathie agrees.

“I absolutely have to have tomato soup with my grilled cheese, ideally creamy and a little spicy,” she said. The combination reminds her of both home and the changing of the seasons.

Mathie also likes a fancier grilled cheese than most.

“I make my grilled cheeses with sourdough bread, buttered on both sides, herb mayo, shaved Parmesan, medium sharp cheddar slices and a thin slice of tomato,” she said.

Grilled cheese originated as a popular food in the 1920s, when mass-produced sliced bread and cheese became available in supermarkets. Some students prefer to swap the traditional white bread for more robust varieties, like sourdough.

Mathie argues that “sourdough is key because it’s firm enough to hold the gooeyness together but brings a flavor of its own.”

DePaul freshman Alyson Dressman also swears by sourdough.

“It has enough substance to hold up the melty, delicious cheese, but isn’t too bold to overpower the flavor,” she said.

“I like to use a nice sourdough or a sunflower rye because both complement cheese super well,” Davis said.

Different cheeses, including American, cheddar, swiss and muenster, add different levels of flavor and melty-ness to a grilled cheese.

No matter what, “muenster cheese is always included,” Davis said.

DePaul freshman Kailey Phan thinks potato bread is best for grilled cheese. She said potato bread is all she’s ever used when it comes to crafting grilled cheese.

“Any kind of specialty bread is ideal for grilled cheese. I am a huge fan of sourdough for the everyday grilled cheese but I love a good herb bread,” DePaul sophomore Allison Senanayake said.

Despite these flavor combinations, some, like DePaul freshman Lacey Latch, will always stay true to the classic iteration of a grilled cheese, with “white bread all the way.

Latch appreciates grilled cheese because “it’s so simple and good, what’s not to like?” She even prefers it on its own.

“I’m not a big fan of tomato soup and I prefer my grilled cheese just by itself,” she said.

To achieve this classic perfection, she practices a precise cooking method.

“When cooking it you just have to make sure you get the cheese gooey enough, but without burning the bread. You have to find the happy medium between (the two).”

Gaul insists the best way to make grilled cheese is “the standard way—on the stove. I butter the bread, put the cheese on and let it sit in the pan until it’s golden brown.”

That is the way it has traditionally been made since sliced bread first became available.

Phan said any cooking method is fine, just “don’t let the bread burn.”

While most grilled cheese cravings start with a sizzling frying pan, Illinois Institute of Technology freshman Julie Gelman likes to take a different approach when it comes to cooking her signature grilled cheese.

“I make it in a waffle maker,” Gelman said. She prefers this cooking method because she doesn’t have to flip it as she would if it was in a pan, but she can “put it in and close the waffle maker and walk away for like five minutes,” as she said.

Gelman doesn’t mess with a side of tomato soup to enhance her grilled cheese specialty. Instead, she confirms that “grilled cheese dipped in queso is so cheesetastically delicious.”

Gelman, who prefers rye bread for the foundation of her sandwich, insists that “mayo gives it just a little extra flavor” instead of butter.

Many had strong opinions about the addition of mayo to the classic sandwich.Dressman questioned whether or not mayo could actually act as a substitute for butter. Phan’s reaction was even stronger.

“No, no, no to mayo. Mayo is very gross to me so I would never let it touch my grilled cheese,” Phan said.

Latch agrees plenty of butter is the best way to perfectly toast a grilled cheese.

“The key to the ideal grilled cheese is the perfect amount of salted butter. Hey, we are not trying to be healthy here,” Senanayake said.

For Massey, her “secret” is that she “butters and fries both sides of the bread so that the grilled cheese doesn’t get soggy.”

Most preferences come from different special family memories as students continue to make grilled cheese the way their family members did.

“My dad makes the best grilled cheese ever so I always associate it with that,” Latch said.

Dressman is reminded of winter afternoons with her dad when she thinks of grilled cheese.

“Grilled cheese reminds me of the lunch my dad would make me in the winter. We would enjoy our grilled cheese while watching the Bengals games on TV,” she said.

Davis learned grilled cheese cooking skills from her mom.

“When I was a kid my mom would just butter it and throw it in a pan, so I follow that usually,” she said, remembering how her “mom would make grilled cheese and tomato soup once a week, and in the winter it was perfect.”

Gelman’s grilled cheese expertise runs in the family.

“My brother always used to make us grilled cheeses when we were home alone in the summer and I always make them for him and his friends when they come home from the bar,” she said.

Some students encounter grilled cheese for the first time in college.

“Grilled cheese was a comfort food developed in college thanks to my friend Chloe. It’s her favorite food,” Senanayake said.

There seems to be many unique ways to make a grilled cheese. From a choice between mayo and butter, to different kinds of bread and cheese, a grilled cheese can go from an easy Sunday lunch at home to a meal fit for a king. Nevertheless, it will never stop being one of the simpler, yet most delicious meals to make, whether in a rush or sitting down for a quiet dinner.

Where to find the best grilled cheese in Chicago…

Cheesie’s

Cheesie’s (958 W. Belmont Ave.) is likely the first thing that comes to mind for many DePaul students when they hear the words “grilled cheese.” One reason is because of its convenient location right off the Belmont stop, which makes it a great place to hit up for a meal on the go or during (or after) a night out. But most importantly, this pub & grub sells just about any grilled cheese combination that can be thought of, from the traditional American and cheddar to “the mac” which, as the name implies, is mac and cheese on texas toast. One grilled cheese, “the tenderizer,” layers cheddar, mozzarella, hot sauce, bacon, fried chicken tenders and BBQ sauce. If that sounds like a little too much, the classic caprese grilled cheese is another personal, more subtle favorite.

Gayle’s

Gayle’s (108 N. State St., Ste. 27) names itself the “best ever grilled cheese” due to its commitment to fresh and local ingredients sourced from farmers market vendors. While Gayle’s is a lesser known restaurant that is not visible from the street, it sells one of the freshest grilled cheeses represented by its seasonal menu. The hidden location in Block 37 on State and Washington makes Gayle’s the most convenient spot to warm up and grab lunch after shopping on State Street or working through a class on the Loop campus. It similarly has a wide range of sandwiches, cheeses and spreads, including choices between beer mustard, cranberry mustard and poblano mustard, among others. On Fridays, this storefront sells its “Sebastian” sandwich, with butterkase cheese and fresh lobster.

South Water Kitchen

For a more sit-down atmosphere, South Water Kitchen (225 N. Wabash Ave.) offers breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, with brunch on the weekends. In the heart of downtown on East Wacker and Wabash, its lunch menu offers a great variety of burgers, salads, appetizers, desserts and sandwiches. One of those sandwiches bears the unfamiliar name of “PB&J” grilled cheese, but it is completely worth a try. Do not be taken aback by the name, because it is not really peanut butter, jelly and cheese, which might not be the most appealing combination. Instead, it stands for pear slices, brie cheese and blueberry jam. These sophisticated ingredients melt into a grilled cheese unlike any other, but worth coming back to South Water Kitchen just to have it again.

Chicago French Market

Located a little farther west than Gayle’s, the Chicago French Market (131 N. Clinton St.) is a European-inspired food market. It is ideal for grabbing delicious meals to-go and includes a wide variety of vendors, including one called Loop Soup that specializes in grilled cheese. Because of its location near the Ogilvie Transportation Center on the Randolph and Clinton entrance, it is a necessity to grab for students headed to the suburbs. Sandwiches  here range from an apple-cinnamon-bacon grilled cheese to a Mexican-style chicken fajita grilled cheese. These healthy artisan sandwiches are toasted, rather than pan fried. The other perk is they offer a large selection of soups for those willing to try a pairing beyond the classic tomato soup.