This Is Why Culver's Grilled Cheese Tastes So Good (There Are 2 Standout Features)

In any stripped-down dish, the quality of its ingredients matters even more. It's the reason why we opt for only the best bourbons in an Old Fashioned cocktail – there are no extra, potentially forgiving ingredients to hide behind. The same is true of a classic grilled cheese sandwich. Little wiggle room lies within that minimal formula of bread and cheese. Luckily, at Culver's, no extra room is necessary. 

The chain's grilled cheese is an undersung darling with uncompromising quality. It follows a seemingly straightforward assemblage of American cheese and bread. However, the secret to this sammy's success is grilled sourdough and layers of Wisconsin-made cheese — components that help make a tastier sandwich. Culver's isn't reinventing the wheel here. Rather, it's making sure every spoke on that wheel is as strong as possible. 

If you're not making grilled cheese with sourdough bread, you're seriously missing out. Sourdough delivers a distinctive taste that takes a trip around the entire palate. In the grilled cheese game, that fermented tang delivers instant dimensionality, along with all the textural plushness of classic (if comparatively flavorless) white bread. At Culver's, that sourdough bread gets buttered and grilled for maximum toastiness. As for the American cheese, its high moisture content and subsequent gooeyness make it one of the absolute best types of cheese to use in a grilled cheese sandwich. At Culver's, however, the cheese's Wisconsin sourcing is a nod to the chain's roots in America's Dairyland.

The first-ever Culver's was a family-owned restaurant opened in Sauk City, Wisconsin, in 1984. So ubiquitous is cheese in the state's local culture that Green Bay Packers fans are colloquially known as "cheeseheads." So, what makes Wisconsin cheese special? 

The rich tradition comes from a longstanding population of immigrant cheesemakers from Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Scandinavia, and Holland, fuelled by an abundant supply of locally-produced milk. The Wisconsin-made "American" cheese featured in Culver's sandwich, then, could be aptly considered an amalgam of European influences. Today, Wisconsin is still home to more master cheesemakers than any other state in the country, a craftsman demographic internationally recognized for standout, award-winning industry prowess. According to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, nearly 40% of the more than 35,000 dairy farms in Wisconsin are still multi-generationally family-owned, a dedication to craft with results you can taste.

From a flavor and quality standpoint, Wisconsin is the only state in the U.S. that requires government-issued licensure for its cheesemakers, ensuring every craftsman meets strict standards of production. All in all, that high-quality cheese takes Culver's sandwich to the next level. In a Reddit thread in r/Culvers, a customer shares a photo of the chain's golden-brown grilled cheese, writing simply, "Perfect, thank you." Bonus points if you order that grilled cheese sammy with a side of Culver's onion rings and squeaky Wisconsin cheese bites – our favorite menu items here at Tasting Table.