Merritt's Grill has been on my radar for a while and FINALLY I had the opportunity to come here! Famous for their BLTs, Merritt's is an iconic eatery located in Chapel Hill. They are supposed to have one of the best BLT sandwiches in the whole country! With all this hype, I certainly had very high expectations. The restaurant isn't huge as it used to be a gas station. There is lots of memorabilia throughout the inside and it has a very nostalgic, classic vibe about it. They offer some indoor seating, although it is limited due to the amount of people stopping by. However, there is plenty of outdoor seating available that is shaded! Ordering is super efficient and they do an excellent job keeping the line moving (as it gets very long during peak lunch hours). I was very impressed with just how efficient and helpful the workers were. We only waited 10-15 minutes for our order, and we were there during prime lunch time. The menu consists of more than just different sized BLTs. They offer other deli sandwiches with ham, turkey, chicken salad, egg salad, and other varieties. They also offer breakfast now too, along with burgers, dogs, and house-made desserts. One thing that is consistent with all their food is the fresh, high quality, local ingredients they use. They really do pride themselves in using the best produce, breads, dairy, etc. to offer their customers with the best sandwiches! I would also like to highlight that everything is made in house, all the sandwiches, salads, etc. which definitely enhances the experience!
My family and I ended up ordering a regular BLT, a double BLT, and the Linda Woods Chicken Salad Sandwich. The regular BLT is their signature sandwich and includes toasted Sour Dough or bread of your choice, a generous amount of bacon, fresh crispy green lettuce, and juicy slices of Vine tomato! This sandwich did live up to the hype, so fresh, so simple, and yet so perfect. The tomatoes were boasting of flavor, the bacon was seasoned and cooked to perfection (wasn't greasy at all), the lettuce was crisp, and the mayo tied it all together. Really couldn't have asked for a more perfect BLT, did not disappoint by any means. I also ordered a side of their chicken salad, and wow! This was some of the best chicken salad I've had. The chicken was shredded really well and it was seasoned with ample amounts of pepper, really tasty! The double BLT takes their classic BLT and adds another layer of goodness. My parents both really enjoyed their sandwiches as well. They were very impressed with how flavorful a simple sandwich could be. My mom noted that the chicken salad was by far some of the best she'd had.
Overall, Merritt's is a must if you are ever near Chapel Hill. The eatery is an iconic place for a reason! I really loved the vibe of deli as it captured a nostalgic feeling. The service is awesome and you can tell they know how to handle the high volume/demand they receive. Everything we ordered left us full and very satisfied. Their food is made with local, fresh ingredients, which only enhance the flavors of sandwiches! While the BLT is a must try, I would also recommend trying the chicken salad. All their food has the perfect ratio of ingredients. All the sandwiches had the right balance of meat to bread to vegetables to mayo. There is parking, but it does get really busy and will fill up, even the lot across the street! I could keep raving about Merritt's, but I'd run out of space. So I'll leave it at: don't let the lines intimidate you, just go, you won't regret it! read more