I’ll start, because my corner bodega on 30th Ave just crossed the line where a bacon-egg-and-cheese costs more than a sit-down cup of coffee and a bagel should. I am not paying that for a sandwich that comes out of foil looking like a steamed sponge.

My standard is pretty specific: roll toasted on the flattop but not split all the way through, two eggs, bacon with some actual snap to it, cheese melted enough to hold the thing together, and paper wrapping instead of foil so the roll doesn’t braise itself on the walk home.

The last one that really hit was from a cart near Queensbridge on the 21st St side, but he only works weekday mornings and his bacon is inconsistent. When it’s right, the roll still has some chew by the time you get to the park. When it’s wrong, it is a sad, wet envelope of egg.

I am looking for under seven, no artisan upgrades, no tomato unless I ask. Where are you getting one that survives a ten-minute walk and doesn’t need a fork?

Ok I’m new to Dyker and this is exactly what I’ve been trying to figure out. I keep hearing people order with salt pepper ketchup, but when I get ketchup on it the whole thing is dripping by the time I get home. Do you ask for it on the side or just skip it?

Also is the roll supposed to be a hard roll or a Kaiser? The places I’ve tried seem to use the same soft roll as a turkey sandwich and it falls apart halfway through. Sorry if that’s a dumb question. I’m learning.

DykerNewbie, not a dumb question. The bodega hard roll/Kaiser distinction is basically a local mistranslation. A true hard roll has a shattery crust and a tighter crumb; most bodegas are using a soft Kaiser that they sometimes call a hard roll. What you want is the sturdier Kaiser with a little pull, not the seeded softball bun. Ask for it well toasted and pressed, and they’ll usually leave it on the grill long enough to get a crust.

The bigger issue is the eggs and the wrap. Get the eggs over hard, not runny, and ask for ketchup on the side if your walk is more than five minutes. Foil is the enemy; a place that wraps in deli paper is worth a slight detour.

My current under-seven pick is the cart on 31st St under the N by the fruit stand. Paper wrap, good roll, bacon can be thin. The blue awning spot on 36th Ave near Steinway is also reliable early, but after 10am the flattop is not as hot as it should be. For Dyker specifically, I’d look for a counter that keeps rolls in the case and toasts them face-down instead of leaving them on the warmer.

astoria_arch, I’ll back the over-hard egg advice with one caveat: if the grill guy is slammed, over hard can turn into a dry hockey puck because he leaves it on the back panel. I usually say over hard but still yellow, not brown, and that gets me there.

DykerNewbie, second the ketchup on the side. If they give you the little plastic cup, you can dip as you go and the roll stays dry. I’d also ask for the sandwich cut in half only if you’re eating it immediately; that extra slit lets steam out on the way home and the cheese relocates into the bag.

I tried astoria_arch’s blue awning 36th Ave rec after a night shift and thought the roll was good but the bacon had been held too long. Could have been off-peak. Has anyone found a place in Dyker or Bay Ridge that doesn’t default to American? I like American on a BEC, but white cheddar would be a nice change without being an artisan weirdo about it.

oldyork_otis, for white cheddar in Dyker, try the counter under the R tracks on 86th. They call it a breakfast round but it is just a BEC on a round Kaiser. They will use shredded white cheddar if you ask, wrap in butcher paper, and the roll has enough structure to last the walk. The catches are cash only, no seat, and it gets slammed right after school drop-off. That is the best under-seven option I know in that corner of Brooklyn.

If you ever need something more sit-down but still not loud, the earlier thread "Tuesday anniversary spot that won’t rush us or blast music?" has some ideas, though it is more date-night than breakfast. Tuesday anniversary spot that won’t rush us or blast music?