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Bayou Bakery's BLT
Bayou Bakery's BLT
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Celebrate the Summer Tomato with These Standout BLTs

Most people love bacon, but the tomato is the important part

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Bayou Bakery's BLT
| Official

A BLT may be one of summer's simplest pleasures. The stars of this sandwich shine on their own, but in tandem, they're taken to the next level. Juicy tomatoes, crispy bacon, and crunchy lettuce come together to form the perfect combination of flavors and textures.

Each summer, DC chefs find a way to make this trio even harder to resist. Many enhance the key flavors of the sandwich with interesting sauces or toppings, like lemon-dill aioli, tzatziki, or guacamole. Some substitute or complement bacon with other proteins, including soft-shell crab, pâté, tasso, and even vegetarian options like tempeh or mushrooms. Others skip the bread altogether and create a deconstructed version of the classic sandwich. But mostly, the secret to a great BLT is to put it on the menu when tomatoes are at their best.

During the height of tomato season, here are some mouthwatering creations inspired by the trifecta of bacon, lettuce, and tomato.

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Bayou Bakery

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The Bayou BLT ($8) gives a little extra TLC to the T. It features oven-cured tomatoes, Benton’s bacon, baby arugula, and mayo, sandwiched between two slices of Texas toast.

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Beuchert's Saloon

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Beuchert’s Saloon puts a French spin on their BLT. The PBLT ($15) comes on grilled sourdough with pâté, Benton’s bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and sauce ravigote.

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BLT Steak DC

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Even though the steakhouse isn’t named for the sandwich (BLT stands for Bistro Laurent Tourondel, after the chef and restaurateur), it does offer a take on the BLT. Their BLTDC ($12) is a panini-style sandwich filled with bacon, cress, tomato “vinaigrette” dijonnaise, and Colby cheese.

Brookland's Finest Bar & Kitchen

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Brookland’s Finest caters to veg-lovers with their Fried Green Tomato “B”LT ($14). The B stands for braised portobello mushroom, which is topped with spinach, fried green tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and sweet onion aioli, all stacked on brioche.

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Buffalo & Bergen

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Buffalo & Bergen’s towering BLT bagel sandwich doesn’t play games. The “Hey Y’all…It’s a BLT” ($9.75) has pimento cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and cheddar.

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Equinox

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Basically the epitome of summer, Equinox serves a Crispy Eastern Shore Soft Shell Crab BLT ($16 or $31). The crab is accompanied by crispy pork belly, braised romaine, and tomato coulis.

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Homestead

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Smoking Goose in Indianapolis makes a lamb bacon just for Homestead. It’s featured in the LBLT Sliders ($9), which come with lamb bacon, baby iceberg lettuce, smoked tomato jam, pickled red onions, and tzatziki sauce.

Jackson 20

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Jackson 20’s BLT follows one of the golden rules of cooking: put an egg on it. The BELT ($14) includes bacon, over easy eggs, lettuce, and fried green tomatoes. It’s served on brioche with hash browns during weekend brunch.

Little Red Fox

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Bacon, arugula, tomato, avocado, smoked garlic aioli and provolone make up this sandwich served on ciabatta ($9.50). Order it "extra fancy' and end up with a fried egg on top.

Mason Social

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Instead of bacon, Mason Social uses house-cured tasso ham for their BLT ($9). The sandwich comes on sturdy Texas toast with tasso, tomato, lettuce, and garlic aioli.

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Neopol Savory Smokery

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Showcasing their house-smoked meats, Neopol’s Salmon BLT ($9.95) stars smoked salmon and bacon. It also comes with tomato, greens, red onion, and a lemon-dill aioli on a choice of toasted white, rye, sunflower-flax, gluten-free bread.

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Parkway Deli & Restaurant

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Guacamole gives the California BLT a bit of west-coast attitude. It’s also stuffed with bacon, melted cheddar, lettuce and sliced tomato ($8.25).

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Pearl Dive Oyster Palace

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Of course, Pearl Dive puts a seafood spin on the BLT with their CEBLT Po-Boy: fried catfish, an egg, Benton’s bacon, lettuce, and tomato. ($17)

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So's Your Mom

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For a no-nonsense sandwich that’s easy on the wallet, try So’s Your Mom’s toasted whole wheat BLT with mayo. ($4.50)

[Photo: Mary Kay S./Yelp]

Sticky Fingers Bakery

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Plant-based Sticky Fingers stays true to form with a vegan take on the BLT. Their TLT ($10) includes house-made tempeh bacon, lettuce, tomato, and egg-free mayonnaise on multi-grain bread.

Straw Stick & Brick Deli

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When a place makes its own bacon, odds are the BLT might be a good one. Here, for $10, get one on brioche with just enough mayo.

Teddy & The Bully Bar

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Teddy and the Bully Bar’s BLGT ($17) features basil bacon, fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese, greens, and honey mayo.

Official

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Bayou Bakery

The Bayou BLT ($8) gives a little extra TLC to the T. It features oven-cured tomatoes, Benton’s bacon, baby arugula, and mayo, sandwiched between two slices of Texas toast.

Official

Beuchert's Saloon

Beuchert’s Saloon puts a French spin on their BLT. The PBLT ($15) comes on grilled sourdough with pâté, Benton’s bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and sauce ravigote.

Official

BLT Steak DC

Even though the steakhouse isn’t named for the sandwich (BLT stands for Bistro Laurent Tourondel, after the chef and restaurateur), it does offer a take on the BLT. Their BLTDC ($12) is a panini-style sandwich filled with bacon, cress, tomato “vinaigrette” dijonnaise, and Colby cheese.

Brookland's Finest Bar & Kitchen

Brookland’s Finest caters to veg-lovers with their Fried Green Tomato “B”LT ($14). The B stands for braised portobello mushroom, which is topped with spinach, fried green tomatoes, parmesan cheese, and sweet onion aioli, all stacked on brioche.

Official

Buffalo & Bergen

Buffalo & Bergen’s towering BLT bagel sandwich doesn’t play games. The “Hey Y’all…It’s a BLT” ($9.75) has pimento cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and cheddar.

Official

Equinox

Basically the epitome of summer, Equinox serves a Crispy Eastern Shore Soft Shell Crab BLT ($16 or $31). The crab is accompanied by crispy pork belly, braised romaine, and tomato coulis.

Official

Homestead

Smoking Goose in Indianapolis makes a lamb bacon just for Homestead. It’s featured in the LBLT Sliders ($9), which come with lamb bacon, baby iceberg lettuce, smoked tomato jam, pickled red onions, and tzatziki sauce.

Jackson 20

Jackson 20’s BLT follows one of the golden rules of cooking: put an egg on it. The BELT ($14) includes bacon, over easy eggs, lettuce, and fried green tomatoes. It’s served on brioche with hash browns during weekend brunch.

Little Red Fox

Bacon, arugula, tomato, avocado, smoked garlic aioli and provolone make up this sandwich served on ciabatta ($9.50). Order it "extra fancy' and end up with a fried egg on top.

Mason Social

Instead of bacon, Mason Social uses house-cured tasso ham for their BLT ($9). The sandwich comes on sturdy Texas toast with tasso, tomato, lettuce, and garlic aioli.

Official

Neopol Savory Smokery

Showcasing their house-smoked meats, Neopol’s Salmon BLT ($9.95) stars smoked salmon and bacon. It also comes with tomato, greens, red onion, and a lemon-dill aioli on a choice of toasted white, rye, sunflower-flax, gluten-free bread.

Official

Parkway Deli & Restaurant

Guacamole gives the California BLT a bit of west-coast attitude. It’s also stuffed with bacon, melted cheddar, lettuce and sliced tomato ($8.25).

Official

Pearl Dive Oyster Palace

Of course, Pearl Dive puts a seafood spin on the BLT with their CEBLT Po-Boy: fried catfish, an egg, Benton’s bacon, lettuce, and tomato. ($17)

Official

So's Your Mom

For a no-nonsense sandwich that’s easy on the wallet, try So’s Your Mom’s toasted whole wheat BLT with mayo. ($4.50)

[Photo: Mary Kay S./Yelp]

Sticky Fingers Bakery

Plant-based Sticky Fingers stays true to form with a vegan take on the BLT. Their TLT ($10) includes house-made tempeh bacon, lettuce, tomato, and egg-free mayonnaise on multi-grain bread.

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Straw Stick & Brick Deli

When a place makes its own bacon, odds are the BLT might be a good one. Here, for $10, get one on brioche with just enough mayo.

Teddy & The Bully Bar

Teddy and the Bully Bar’s BLGT ($17) features basil bacon, fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese, greens, and honey mayo.

Official

Related Maps