The Fairfield Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Challenge
Photo Cred: Paola Benedetto
Who makes Fairfield’s best breakfast sandwich?
It’s a topic that has divided families, superseded political leanings, and pushed past religious beliefs.
In a town with nearly countless purveyors of this American classic, the variations (and opinions) are limitless. And yet, of the three hundred voters, one vendor took the top seat: Bud’s Deli on Reef Road, owned by Ed Colacucio. What makes these bacon, egg, and cheese sandwiches so delicious? Ed attributes the distinct flavor to the use of his BEC-only cast iron skillet—no burgers or pancakes allowed!
It comes as no surprise that this 40-year-old Fairfield institution has established a loyal following from near and far. Suzee Meehan, who lives within walking distance of Bud’s, shares, “Ed’s bacon egg and cheese sandwich (double everything!) became a pre-golf tournament ritual for my son, inspired by Ed’s comment that pro-golfer and Fairfield native, J.J. Henry, did the same!” Some fans travel from other towns just for their beloved breakfast sandwich. For over a decade, Melissa Everard has made weekly Sunday visits to Bud’s to enjoy “that thick-cut bacon and those fresh rolls” from both Stratford and Easton. It was one of her daughter’s first requests when in town from college.
“Going to Bud’s feels like going to a family member’s house—Ed is the best!”
Across town on Black Rock Turnpike is The Country Cow on Black Rock Turnpike, earning the #2 position in the BEC poll. Another spot with a fiercely devoted fan base, “The Cow” has been serving up their breakfast sandwiches for over three decades and has even been trademarked. As the #1 menu item, their classic BEC is known for its freshly baked rolls, hand-sliced cheese, extra-jumbo double-yolked eggs, and “of course, plenty of butter.” When asked if there’s a secret ingredient, the party line is “Cow Love!” The Country Cow has been a milestone marker for my own twin boys —it was the first deli they were allowed to visit alone by bike, and then their first stop when they got their driver’s licenses. When asked how they’d describe The Cow’s BEC, they only use one word: “Awesome.”
At five years old, The Tasty Yolk is one of the new kids on the block, and yet they’ve built an impressive following, ranking #3 in the BEC Challenge. Unlike the other two businesses, The Tasty Yolk started as a food truck, which allowed owners and Fairfield natives Eric Felitto and Mike Bertanza to focus on quality ingredients vs. costly overhead. Eric is a trained chef, most recently at The Chelsea, and Mike’s background is in finance—but both now work full time on The Tasty Yolk brick and mortar location in Black Rock and their four food trucks. While many profess their undying love to The Tasty Yolk classics such as The Toma and The Pig, Mike is surprised by how adventurous their customers are. “One of our holiday breakfast sandwiches included duck confit, sweet potato hash, and arugula—which received immediate praise on social media.” Case and point, Natalie Kelchner, Fairfield resident, and Junior at Marist College, says, “My favorite BECs are from The Tasty Yolk because their menu is so different from other places—they use really interesting ingredients that you wouldn’t expect—and it’s always delicious!”
Clearly, there are infinite variations on the breakfast sandwich and each palate craves something different. Over 26 places were included in the poll—check out the contenders and find your BEC love match!
