About the Writer

Brianna Taylor covers affordability on The Bee’s service journalism team.

Powdered sugar, mango habanero sauce and blood orange olive oil.

These are just a few of the ingredients that make up Shift Coffee House’s award-winning (and unconventional) grilled cheese sandwiches.

The shop on Del Paso Blvd. in Old North Sacramento is a top California destination for the gooey American staple. The sandwich has been reinvented to appeal to foodies like Owen Smith, who asked me to try it as part of my reader-driven $25 budget series.

“I don’t know what the trick is … but they do it right,” Owen told me last week over the phone. In 2021, the longtime Sacramento resident discovered Shift Coffee House.

“Best grilled cheese sammies anywhere,” he said.

In January 2020, the coffee shop was named California’s best grilled cheese destination in an Eat This, Not That! article titled “The Best Grilled Cheese In Every State.”

“Don’t be fooled by the name of this cafe!” Eat This, Not That! freelance writer Rebecca Strong wrote. “While it definitely has an impressive java menu, plenty of locals flock here just for the grilled cheese.”

Enough talk. Let’s see what the hype is about.

Look inside Shift Coffee House in Sacramento

Location: 1616 Del Paso Blvd., Sacramento

Shift Coffee House is a car lover’s haven.

Automobile memorabilia decorate the walls, from vintage license plates to framed black and white photographs of car parts.

“Glue Song” by Filipino songwriter Beabadoobee set the laid-back tone at the coffee shop on a sunny Wednesday afternoon in May.

The man and mind behind the operation is Mike Hollis, an auto enthusiast.

After building and restoring automobiles for most of his life, Mike said his body begged him to pick up a new trade. In 2018, he opened a coffee shop centered around his love for caffeine, cars and grilled cheese.

“Grilled cheese is something I had every day for lunch,” he told me last week in a phone interview.

“I’d use my leftovers and build a sandwich and it would always be something kind of crazy.”

Mike assembled sandwiches with whatever he could find in the refrigerator from the night before, from pork chops and onions to macaroni and cheese, and chicken.

The grilled cheese process at Shift Coffee House is a lot more sophisticated.

Sandwiches are made to order at the front of the house using bread from Truckee Sourdough Company, a Truckee-based artisan bread business. Then, cheesy creations are grilled using a flattop panini machine.

Quirky combinations include the $12 Cali Cruiser, made with grilled chicken and chips, and the $11 Kitchen Sink, with cinnamon sugar and berry jam.

How I spent my $25 budget

Employee Allison Wilford greeted me from behind the grilled cheese bar before suggesting a few sandwiches for me to try.

I told Owen I would indulge in a sweet creation like the $11.44 “PBB&J,” made with medium cheddar and mozzarella, peanut butter, berry jam and bacon.

But the $11 Bay Area Brisket spoke to me.

Two slices of sourdough bread are forced to withstand the combined weight of smoked brisket, smokey cheddar and mozzarella.

I also ordered a $2 cup of tomato soup and a $3.25 unsweetened iced hibiscus tea to help wash it all down. My total was $21.20 (after tip).

It took about 10 minutes for my order to be called. In the meantime, I settled at an open table and checked my emails.

Once my food was placed in front of me I took no time to try the soup. Then I moved on to the tea, which was light and refreshing.

The sandwich took me by surprise. Heavy in my hands, the cross-section featured a perfect melody of melted cheeses and brisket.

Cheesy. Savory. Flavorful.

After about 30 minutes of lunching and surfing the internet, I wrapped my leftovers and packed my bag.

“I Wanna Be Yours” by 2000s rock band Arctic Monkeys played while I dumped my trash near the shop entrance.

A framed photo of Mike’s Australian shepherd Tagg, who passed away at 14 in 2022, sits above the dirty-dish bin. He was a customer favorite.

“The community here is amazing … we’ve been improving our environment on the daily,” Mike said.

After a quick wave to Allison and her co-worker Nicole, I headed out the door.

Is Shift Coffee House affordable?

I got a sandwich, soup and a drink for $21.20

Shift Coffee House currently has 20 sandwiches, ranging from an $8 Classic to a couple of $13 sandwiches made with eggs and cheese.

The $13 Del Paso Del Sol includes two types of cheddar, carnitas, eggs, avocado and salsa.

The $10 options include Road Runner, You’re Cheesy Honey, Pigs in a Blanket and That’s My Jam. Two creations are made with blood orange olive oil.

The coffee comes from Sacramento-based Naked Coffee, a coffee-roasting business with three locations in the area.

The drink list includes a couple of lattes, cold brew, espresso, flat white and cappuccino. Hot chocolate, tea and lemonade, apple and orange juice, and soda are also available.

Thank you for the suggestion, Owen!

Hours: Shift Coffee House is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Tuesday; and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.