Guide: Long Island's standout bacon, egg and cheeses

Long Island is known for lots of things, but one of the most ubiquitous, beloved and perhaps divisive — it's the subject of many a dining table conversation — is the BEC, or the bacon, egg and cheese sandwich.

Everyone has their personal favorite, typically found at a deli, usually served until around 11 a.m. on weekday mornings ( often a little later on weekends). For the uninitiated, it’s bacon, eggs (fried or scrambled on a griddle), and American cheese on a kaiser roll, customarily with salt, pepper and ketchup to become a BECSPK. Some prefer hot sauce, but that’s the gist. And still others prefer their BEC on a bagel, but we aren't going there today.

There are many variations of this indulgent sandwich throughout the Island, something as nostalgic as a McDonald's Egg McMuffin all the way through current iterations on flaky croissants and pillowy biscuits. But the rumblings of the humble bacon, egg and cheese can be traced all the way back to the working class streets of London in the 1800s. Egg and pork combos — bacon or sausage and eggs, for example — were already popular. That was improved upon in the 1950s with the addition of American cheese, and then adopted as affordable morning fuel for a fast-moving public by local corner stores, New York City’s many bodegas and Long Island delis.

Popularized on a kaiser roll, variations on theme were adopted by fast-food giants Jack in the Box and then McDonald's in 1969 and 1972, respectively. The calorie-loaded, protein-heavy sandwich has remained a staple for commuters alongside cart cups of coffee, as well as a mainstay on many restaurants’ brunch menus.

Like most things, the BEC has evolved, but in its most pure form, it is a simple sandwich at your favorite local deli (mine is Melville’s Deli Works by SeaQua), served in under 10 minutes, for under $10 — sometimes even under five minutes and $5 — that never misses hitting the spot.

But creative variations of Long Island's favorite sandwich are hard to ignore.

And we’re not just talking about BEC on a bagel — note, there's a BEC served on a bacon, egg and cheese-flavored bagel at Plainview's Family Bagels for diehards. There are brioche BECs at Duck Island Bread Co. in Huntington, BEC danishes at Charlie’s Bakery in Northport. Then consider BEC baguettes, hearty specimens at the Wantagh, Plainview and Garden City locations of The French Workshop. There are DIY board options, giving BEC-lovers authority to mix and match ingredients from carb to protein to cheese to veggie add-ons.

By no means an exhaustive list, here are some of the riffs on the iconic bacon, egg, and cheese that stand out:

THE BISCUITS

Kerber’s Farm, Huntington

309 W. Pulaski Rd.

The charming farm, which dates back to 1941, is known for its homemade pastries, pies and overstuffed one-, two-, or three-egg sandwiches on flaky southern style Cheddar buttermilk biscuits loaded with cheese, eggs and breakfast meats of choice, such as bacon, turkey bacon and sausage. Patrons can customize theirs with hash browns, veggies, avocado and more. For the gluten-averse, they offer a version sans biscuit as egg cups. The cozy throwback vibe of Kerber’s — with its wandering chickens and thriving gardens, lends to the charm. Prices start at $5.75. More info: 631-423-4400, kerbersfarm.com

Sagaponack General Store

542 Sagg Main St.

"There’s a lot of labor that goes into it," said Mindy Gray, the owner of the general store that purveyed the internet’s summer BEC obsession. The store's artisanal biscuit sandwich sold out with regularity, even though the shop was making 600 of them on peak-season weekend days. The $13 sensation, a morning offering consisting of a fluffy Southern-style biscuit, souffléd eggs and farmhouse Cheddar, is a recipe from chef Daniel Eddy. Add sausage, bacon or ham for additional protein. More info: 631-536-5242, sagaponackgeneralstore.com 

THE CROISSANT

Bianco Latte, Syosset

14 Cold Spring Rd.

Most bakeries that sell croissants can quickly whip up a flaky BEC hybrid, but at Bianco Latte in Syosset (previously Stellina Bakery), large, moon-shaped croissants are stuffed with scrambled eggs and four strips of crispy bacon. Brushed with butter and toasted, the sandwiches are made to order in the mornings, encased in the afternoons and gone by the evenings. More info: 516-496-2489, biancolatte.li

THE WRAP

Organic Crush

108, Woodbury Rd., Woodbury; 1495 Old Country Rd., Plainview; 1508 Old Northern Blvd., Roslyn; 27 N. Park Ave., Rockville Centre

The health-conscious chain that sells pressed juices, bone broth, all-day breakfast and grain bowls, salads, smoothies and wraps serves an egg-based breakfast wrap that’s guaranteed to fill up even the hungriest organic. The flour tortilla wrap (gluten-free wraps available) has scrambled eggs, avocado, caramelized onions, mushrooms and farmhouse Cheddar tightly packed into a burrito-shape ($13.57). For about $3, add bacon for more indulgence. Spice-lovers shouldn’t miss the house hot sauce. More info: organickrush.com

THE ENGLISH MUFFIN

Salumi, Massapequa

5600 Merrick Rd.

The hybrid Italian-Spanish tapas restaurant has an unexpectedly killer BEC sandwich served on house-made English muffins, two scrambled eggs with Havarti cheese and choice of breakfast sausage, bacon, or, ahem, truffled ham ($12). The European spot also highlights the French answer to the BEC: croque madame and monsieur options — as well as the savory and sweet, egg-dipped ham, turkey and Swiss cheese filled Monte Cristo, pan-fried to griddled perfection. A trifecta of global options. More info: 516-620-0057, salumibarli.com

THE PIZZETTE

Sparrow Kitchen and Cocktails, Garden City

829 Franklin Ave.

The breakfast pizza is not a new phenomenon, but chef Mike Wydro's pizzette ($17) pulls freshly crisped and perfectly charred pizzettes — made with a Caputo 00 flour dough — from the wood-burning oven, topped with glistening, Nueske's applewood smoked bacon strips, bright yellow, gooey, sunny-side up yolks, and a bubbling mix of mozzarella di Bufala and American cheeses. The best part? It's sprinkled with everything bagel seasonings. Additional toppings on offer include honey, cherry peppers, avocado, black truffle, sausage and even golden Osetra caviar. More info: 516-475-3211, sparrowkitchenandcocktails.com

THE DIY

Hometown Bakeshop, Centerport

2 Little Neck Rd.

The salad bar of BECs features a DIY chalkboard where you can mix and match carb bases, proteins, condiments and toppings to your liking and whimsy. A fantastic one lives at Centerport’s breakfast mecca, Hometown Bakeshop. Choose from all-homemade breads, including naan wraps, whole grain focaccia, Cheddar biscuits and pumpernickel. Add one to three eggs (poached to scrambled), bacon, pulled pork or sausage, one of nine cheeses and veggies ranging, from the exotic (plantains, tostones) to the more common (spinach, tomatoes). There’s SPK, as well as pesto, honey mayo and mole. On Saturdays, a $20 breakfast deal includes two egg sandwiches, two small coffees, plus two doughnuts or one of the best cinnamon buns in town. More info: 631-754-7437, hometownbakeshop.com