When I was little, I was all about the grilled cheese. In particular, my grandma’s grilled cheese. Every visit to her house meant gooey goodness in the form of heavily buttered Wonder Bread and cheddar (the real stuff - not a Kraft Single in sight), paired with Heinz and baby dills. Even though she never makes them for me anymore, my memories of those childhood lunches are warm and fuzzy. So when I noticed some gourmet grilled cheese offerings around town, I was tempted to see if they could become a grown up version of my favourite comfort food. The tasting began!

My first stop was Leslieville Cheese Market (891 Queen Street East), a small, well-stocked shop on Queen Street East. Out of four varieties ($7 each), I chose the grilled classic (”for purists” the chalkboard description read). While the other choices included meat and veg toppings, I was compelled to go for cheese in its naked glory.

I wasn’t disappointed. After a short wait, I was handed a foil bag containing crispy golden Epi bread oozing with pale yellow Beemster Vlaskaas, a Dutch flax cheese that tastes like an extra creamy gouda. My mouth watered as I bit into the generously-sized concoction. I had major appreciation for the accompanying mango chutney (there’s also sweet thai chili available) and the crimped grill marks that made the bread extra delicious.

Next up was a vegan version at Pulp Kitchen (898 Queen Street East). The Gourmet Grilled Cheese ($10, with potatoes and salad) was composed of soy cheese, veg-spiked polenta and portabello mushroom - an intriguing combo. Although the menu said swiss, the “cheese” looked and tasted like a Kraft Single and took away from the tastiness of the other fillings. The flax bread was small and not as satisfyingly crispy as I hoped. Maybe grilled cheese isn’t meant to go healthy.

Last stop was Wich? (319 Augusta Avenue) in Kensington Market, where there are four grilled cheeses on the menu, each named after a street in the ‘hood. I chose the Brunswick ($6) - fontina cheese and apple jelly on Cob’s multigrain bread. Although I give props to the sleek recyclable container and the decor of Wich’s small space (New York Times Dining Section plastered all over the walls), the sandwich lacked pizzaz. It didn’t spend enough time on the heat, so the grill marks were barely visible and the cheese only slightly melted. The apple jelly was pleasant, but didn’t give enough complimentary oomph to the cheese. The bread and garnish were also underwhelming.

The clear winner of my grilled cheese showdown was Leslieville Cheese Market’s version, and I can see myself dropping in when I need a pick-me-up in food form (after all, it’s closer than my Grandma’s house). My only wish is that the shop would have a build-your-own option where people can pick a cheese and get a sandwich made to order. Or seeing as it’s one of the most elementary things to make at home, maybe I should just go do that myself.