Had my third straight BEC this month from the 30th Ave spot with the green awning that was mostly bread, two sad strips of bacon, and a roll I could use to patch a pothole. I remember when the same corner would throw a handful of bacon on and butter the thing like they meant it.

I’m not trying to spend $14 on an artisanal sandwich either. Under ten, cash, no app, no preorder. Astoria/Ditmars/36th Ave all fine. Who still makes a proper bodega BEC that doesn’t need a knife to get through? Bonus if they remember the salt-pepper-ketchup order without asking.

I’ll wade in because I’ve had this exact argument with myself after too many dry rolls. The problem usually isn’t the bacon; it’s that places pre-cook it, wrap it in foil, and then reheat it on the griddle with the eggs. That’s where the brittle texture and salt-forward taste comes from. The spots that still do it right cook bacon to order or at least keep it warm in shallow fat, not on a paper towel under a heat lamp.

A few reliable ones in western Queens:

• Alba’s Deli on 36th Ave near 29th St: ask for the BEC on a kaiser with extra S/P. They butter both halves, give you four or five strips, and the roll stays soft but not soggy. It’s under ten, but they get a line after 8:15.
• The yellow-awning bodega at 31st Ave and 42nd St (I think the sign just says "Corner Deli"): better bacon, and they do a version with two eggs and a hash brown inside. The roll is from a bakery out of Long Island City and has some chew. Not a crouton.
• Ditmars spot across from the library — the one with the old guy who still calls everyone 'boss.' He uses Munster cheese if you ask, and the bacon is thinner but generously layered. Not all spots will do that without upcharge.

Caveat: the same bodega can be great on Tuesday and terrible on Sunday morning if the usual grill guy is off. I go early, tip a dollar, and never order it 'well done' unless you want a jaw workout.

Okay this is the thread I needed. I’m new to the neighborhood and honestly can’t tell if the roll matters that much. I grabbed a BEC near the 30th Ave stop last week and it was so salty it gave me a headache by 10 a.m. Did I just get a bad time? How do you order it so it doesn’t come out too greasy? Is asking for 'light salt' a thing bodega guys actually listen to?

YES the roll matters!!! It’s the whole structure. You need a kaiser that gives a little when you squeeze it, not a hockey puck. Have you tried the jalapeño cheddar roll at that place on Steinway near the old movie theater? They’ll do a BEC on it and the cheese actually melts into the roll instead of just becoming a yellow square. I always ask for crispy-ish bacon, not fully crumbled, and a little hot sauce instead of ketchup. Some people think I’m insane but the vinegar from hot sauce cuts the grease. Also: if a bodega has a griddle that looks too clean, walk out. You want the one with the brown patina.

Just tried Alba’s this morning because of this thread and wow, okay, that was legit. I didn’t know bacon could be both crispy and kind of bendy? I didn’t ask for extra salt/pepper because I was too nervous. Should I just say 'salt pepper ketchup' in one go? Also is it normal to eat it half on the street and half at home because the grease soaks through the wrapper?

@DykerNewbie that’s the sign of a correct sandwich. I’m team 'SPK, well-done bacon but not shattered.'

Completely off the sandwich topic for a second: if you’re biking over from Greenpoint to hit Alba’s, read the earlier thread 'Pulaski Bridge bike path at 6pm: are the stripes just decoration now?' Pulaski Bridge bike path at 6pm: are the stripes just decoration now? before you trust the striped lane with a greasy bag in one hand.

Rita’s point about the too-clean griddle is half right. A clean griddle isn’t automatically a red flag—some shops scrape it between orders and still do a good BEC—but a dry, spotless flat top at 7 a.m. often means bacon was microwaved. What you want to tell them is 'bacon crispy but not shattered.' 'Light salt' works sometimes, but only if the grill guy is listening; better to say 'easy on the salt, normal pepper.'

The jalapeño cheddar roll on Steinway is good, but it overpowers cheap bacon. If I go that route, I add tomato to bring the sweetness back. Otherwise the roll becomes the whole sandwich.

Wait astoria_arch, you add tomato?? I can’t get behind that unless it’s late July and the tomato has no water. Have you tried the garlic-butter kaiser at that Dominican-owned spot on 34th Ave? They press it on the griddle face-down first. That’s the one. The bacon usually comes from the same supplier, but the butter is the differentiator. I’m doing a side-by-side Saturday: Alba’s vs yellow awning vs garlic roll. Someone talk me out of it.

Okay I asked for SPK and crispy but not shattered this morning at the yellow awning. They said 'got it, boss' and actually got it. My whole life was a dry roll before this. Think I’ll try the garlic-butter kaiser next but maybe skip the tomato debate. Thanks everyone, this sub is the most useful thing since the Q69 live map.